Tag: SMU Mustangs

Big 12: Exploring Conference, College Football Playoff expansion

Ivan Maisel of ESPN thinks now is the best time for conference expansion. Longhorns Wire explores how to expand the Big 12, playoffs.

Is there a better time than right now to explore the idea of conference expansion? ESPN’s Ivan Maisel doesn’t think so. In a recent post on ESPN Maisel stated now may be the best time to have that conversation. After all it wasn’t that long ago that Nebraska was looking to play football despite the Big Ten’s stance on a postponement of the season.

Hey, here’s a great idea during a pandemic: Let’s have West Virginia fly 1,400 miles to play a Big 12 game at Texas Tech on Oct. 24, but let’s not allow West Virginia to play Pittsburgh. After all, the Panthers, 75 miles away, are in the ACC.

Before the Pac-12 broke the emergency glass on its 2020 season, the conference approved of Colorado flying 1,300 miles to play at Washington but thought it too risky for the Buffaloes to drive 100 miles to play at Colorado State.

And there’s Nebraska, which a decade ago sued for divorce from the Big 12 (née Big Eight), dissolving a marriage consummated in 1928 to grab the money and security and money and money offered by the Big Ten. Last week the Big Ten told Nebraska it couldn’t play football this fall, which went over in the Cornhusker State like, oh, I don’t know, stalk rot.

Maisel brings up a good point about traveling during a pandemic. Teams can’t play those who are reasonably close but yet are expected to fly across the country to participate in a conference game that is deemed safer. For instance any Big 12 team traveling to Morgantown, West Virginia doesn’t seem like the best move. So in the interest of shaking things up, we look at how the Big 12 could expand.

First is the new North Division.

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Charles Osborne is the latest to go low at U.S. Amateur with a 64 on Bandon Trails

SMU’s Charles Osborne is one of a handful of players at the U.S. Amateur who has been able to go low at Bandon Dunes or Bandon Trails

Charles Osborne bookended his second round of the U.S. Amateur, at Bandon Trails in Bandon Dunes, Oregon, in a rather lackluster way. The SMU junior had a bogey at the first and back-to-back bogeys to close.

But oh, how glorious it was in between.

Osborne erased his opening-hole mistake with a birdie at the par-5 fifth hole on Trails, the most inland course among the Bandon line-up, and the one with arguably the most Oregon-ey feel of them all. His birdie two holes later at the fifth hole kicked off a stretch six consecutive birdies. He added three more from Nos. 14-16 before coming back with bogeys at Nos. 17 and 18 to finish with a 7-under 64 that tied the competitive course record set a day earlier by Oklahoma State player Aman Gupta.

The most interesting thing about Osborne’s day, perhaps, was that he was just coming off an opening 77 on Bandon Dunes. The 20-year-old said he didn’t feel like he even played all that badly in his opening round on the opposite course.

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Chalk that up to the wind. Osborne, who also goes by Ollie, teed off in the first round at 1:03 p.m. In other words, he was in one of the last groups to go off. Scores in the afternoon wave were considerably higher, even though the two courses had nearly identical stroke averages on the opening day: 75.58 for Bandon Dunes and 75.60 for Bandon Trails.

“I kind of turned on the back nine, and on 11 I think the wind was blowing easily 35 into, and that’s how it stayed on the back nine,” he explained. “I actually played good golf and liked how I was swinging, so I came out here and did the same thing. The course was – like it’s in the trees and then the wind was down this morning, so happy to take advantage of it, and the putter was rolling, too.”

Osborne’s precision with his approach shots allowed him to go deep on Bandon Trails. He said he hit nearly everything to 10 or 15 feet, and then the putts started dropping.

The round could have even been lower. After sticking a 9-iron to inside 20 feet on No. 9, he burned the edge for eagle.

By the time he was done, Osborne was 2 under for stroke play and safely into match play. He was a handful of shots behind SMU teammate McClure Meissner, who had carved out a share of the first-round lead and was still playing his way around Trails.

Osborne, a Reno, Nevada, native ranked No. 463 in the world, finished fourth individually at The Prestige in February. It’s one of the deepest fields in college golf. He won the Royal Oaks Collegiate in October.

“Before in Reno there’s not a lot of competition, so it was really fun to go down to Texas and actually see some players that can kind of kick you around a little bit,” he said. “It was humbling, but it also made me a lot better as a player.”

So much of being successful this week will depend on the ability to control ball flight and manage high winds, particularly once match play sends the entire 64-man bracket back to Bandon Dunes for the remainder of the week.

Meissner, the other SMU player, brought a little of his Texas upbringing to Bandon this week, and it made all the difference in the first round. Meissner fired his round of 8-under 64 on Bandon Dunes, but had the luxury of a 9:01 a.m. tee time.

Still, he knows what to do this week.

“So I was talking to some of the guys in my group today,” Meissner said after Monday’s first round, “and I was like, yeah, in the springtime in Dallas, it blows 15, 20, 25, so it feels – although I don’t play this grass a lot – it feels like a home game for me just because I’m able to kind of be creative. That’s kind of where I excel.”

How to watch

Wednesday Aug. 5 (Round of 64 matches): 6-7 p.m., Peacock (streaming); 7-9 p.m., Golf Channel

Thursday, Aug. 6 (Round of 16 matches): 6-7 p.m., Peacock; 7-9 p.m., Golf Channel

Friday, Aug. 7 (Quarterfinals matches): 6-7 p.m., Peacock; 7-9 p.m., Golf Channel

Saturday, Aug. 8 (Semifinal matches): 7-10 p.m., Golf Channel

Sunday, Aug. 9 (Championship match): 7-10 p.m., Golf Channel

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McClure Meissner wins Southern Am in a comeback: ‘I knew that I needed something extremely low’

Mac Meissner, who is about to enter his senior season at SMU, was six shots back starting the day at Maridoe Golf Club but still won.

Sometimes you just need to see some putts go in. This played into McClure Meissner’s Southern Amateur victory on Saturday in a few ways.

Meissner, who is about to enter his senior season at SMU, was six shots back starting the day at Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton, Texas. He birdied his first two holes to start cutting the deficit. At the first hole, it was a dead-center putt off a 9-iron approach to 18 feet. At No. 2, he hit a 3-hybrid into the back fringe from 275 yards out and two-putted.

The hot start showed Meissner there were birdies available at Maridoe, which is not always the case on this layout. The 21-year-old has played it a handful of times in competition recently and knows it’s tough to make up shots.

Scores: Southern Amateur

“I woke up today and I didn’t think that I really had a chance, honestly,” Meissner said. “The guys at the top were phenomenal players and I knew that I needed something extremely low to have a chance.”

Cole Hammer, the No. 9-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking was 7 under through 54 holes and at the top of the leaderboard. Meissner stood at 1 under and teed off four groups ahead on Saturday.

Meissner’s final day kept progressing, though, with two more birdies at Nos. 6 and 8. His lone bogey came at No. 10, but he followed it with three consecutive birdies from Nos. 12-14. He calls the best shot of the day the 7-iron approach he hit to inside 5 feet at No. 12

“To get the bogey back I made on 10 that quickly,” he said. “I think at that point I saw that I was maybe one back or two back.”

As Meissner was climbing the leaderboard, so was Illinois State’s David Perkins. Meissner shot a final-round 66 but Perkins closed with a 70. It left them both at 7 under, but Meissner won on the first extra hole.

As for Hammer, the Texas junior closed with a pair of double-bogeys for a final-round 79 that dropped him to a tie for 13th.

Despite more than four months having passed since he came in fourth at the Southern Highlands Intercollegiate, annually one of the best fields in college golf, it doesn’t seem like Meissner has lost much. The coronavirus pandemic ended all NCAA athletics prematurely on March 12. Meissner finished his classes online and took it easy on the golf.

The San Antonio native spent some time in Dallas with friends, hanging around the lake, not thinking about golf.

That kind of downtime doesn’t happen in a normal year. If you’re a top player, as Meissner is at No. 35 in the world, you go from one college season to the summer amateur circuit to the next season. Many play a handful of tournaments over the winter breaks. There is no off-season.

“As much as it stung for the year to end, I was able to get fresh and take a little time off and focus on other things,” he said.

By mid-May, he was ready to work hard on his golf again. He buckled down with instructor Bryan Gathright to work his swing into a place it felt comfortable.

And he holed a lot of putts. Meissner devoted time to his stroke and his setup, his lag putting and just logged repetition. Before, he’d felt like he was a streaky putter – he’d make everything one day and nothing the next.

“Seeing a lot of putts go in during the time off, it helped me a lot,” he said. Meissner also switched out his putter since he last played in the spring.

Courtesy of his Southern Am win, Meissner earns a spot in U.S. Amateur. Perkins also earns one as the runner-up. Both players were already in the field, however.

Almost exactly a year ago, Meissner finished third at the Maridoe-hosted Trans Miss Amateur, a tournament that was canceled this year because of the pandemic. All that experience carried forward this week.

“It’s a really visually intimidating course and to be able to play it a couple times, it just gives you a lot of confidence,” he said. “… The more I play it, the more I feel comfortable and the more I love it. It’s a great place and it tests every aspect of your game.”

He passed them all.

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2020 American Athletic Conference College Basketball Tournament odds and betting futures

Analyzing the 2020 American Athletic Conference Tournament odds and futures, with sports betting picks, tips and best bets.

The 2020 American Athletic Conference (AAC) Tournament kicks off Thursday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Tex. There are a few teams from the AAC which should be shoe-ins for an NCAA Tournament at-large bid, should they come up short for a championship bid. A few others are on the bubble, and need impressive showings, and help in other tourneys, to catch the eye of the selection committee. Below, we look at the futures odds to win the AAC tournament.

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednsday, March 11 at 11 a.m. ET.

2020 AAC odds: Houston Cougars (+200)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 13-5 AAC)

The Cougars will have a lot less pressure than some of the teams below them, as they’re a lock for a bid to the dance. They’re simply playing for seeding at this point and could use a couple of wins to bump them up. They could be on the 8-line right now, which would give them a coin-flip game in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Get some action on this event or others by placing a bet at BetMGM.

Houston scratched out a win and non-cover against a solid Memphis side over the weekend in the regular-season finale. The Cougars have the defense to make at least an Elite Eight run if they’re on top of their game. They ranked 12th in the nation in points allowed (62.1 points per game), and they ranked seventh in defensive field-goal percentage (38.3). While Houston isn’t the best scoring team, posting just 72.3 PPG on offense, checking in a middling 135th, it creates plenty of second chances, ranking second in the country in offensive rebounding.

The FAVORITE IS WORTH A BET AT +200, as the Cougars are the class of the AAC.

2020 AAC odds: Cincinnati Bearcats (+350)

Regular-season record: (20-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Bearcats stumbled down the stretch, going just 5-3 straight up and 1-7 against the spread across their final eight games. File that away if you bet their games individually going forward. As far as winning the AAC Tournament, the Bearcats are a talented team, especially defensively. While not as tenacious as Houston, Cincy did rank 31st in the country in defensive FG% (39.8). G Jarron Cumberland (15.5 points, 4.9 assists) is a talented scorer, and 7-foot-1 C Chris Vogt had 1.6 blocked shots per outing with F Tre Scott cleaning the glass to the tune of 10.5 rebounds per game with 1.5 steals per outing. CINCINNATI IS WORTH A SMALL-UNIT BET AT +350, but don’t get ridiculous.

2020 AAC odds: Wichita State Shockers (+400)

Regular-season record: (23-8, 11-7 AAC)

The Shockers certainly made plenty of waves, rising from mid-major power in the Missouri Valley Conference to an invitation to the AAC. After a brief adjustment period, the Shockers are doing what we’ve come to expect from them – win a lot of games. While they lost two road games to Cincinnati and Memphis down the stretch, a 22-point win in the final over a good Tulsa team snapped them back on track. WICHITA STATE IS A GOOD VALUE BET AT +400.

2020 AAC odds: Tulsa Golden Hurricane (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 13-5 AAC)

The Golden Hurricane were humbled by 22 points at Wichita in the finale. Tulsa beat the teams they were supposed to beat, and were hammered by the good teams. A 33-point loss in Houston Feb. 19 was also alarming. They’ll be a good NIT team, and a loss Friday in their first game, potentially against Memphis, wouldn’t be surprising. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Memphis Tigers (+600)

Regular-season record: (21-10, 10-8 AAC)

The Tigers had a chance to get off the bubble with a win in Houston in the finale. While they covered, they faltered, and covers do not impress the committee. Memphis likely needs at least two wins, perhaps three, to feel comfortable on selection Saturday. If the Tigers still had James Weisman in the middle, their chances of winning here would be better. They’re a good defensive team, but offensively they’re rather bland. A SMALL-UNIT PLAY TO WIN THE AAC AT +600 is OK, as their defense is good enough, but they’re a better bet in individual games against the spread and on Under plays.

2020 AAC odds: UConn Huskies (+1500)

Regular-season record: (19-12, 10-8 AAC)

UConn is on the bubble, and likely needs at least a run to the final to have a chance at an NCAA bid. The Huskies are matched up with Tulane in the 5-12 matchup, a team they scraped by 80-76 in the regular-season finale. They won both meetings with Tulane, but went 0-2 ATS. The good news is UConn enters this tournament on a five-game winning streak. Still, the Huskies are a mediocre team, and their odds are rather inflated based upon that. Not a good value, so AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: SMU Mustangs (+2500)

Regular-season record: (19-11, 9-9 AAC)

The Mustangs looked like a certain NCAA team, but they ended the regular season on a 1-5 SU/ATS slide, including shocking road losses to Tulane, UCF and South Florida. There’s a reason UConn is a 19-win team and just +600, and SMU has a better record but are long shots. What have you done for me lately? AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Temple Owls (+5000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 6-12 AAC)

The Owls could spring a mild upset over a skidding SMU in the first round, but that’s as far as they go. They enter on their own five-game slide. It seems like regular-season wins over USC, Texas A&M and Wichita State were in another century. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: UCF Knights (+5000)

Regular-season record: (16-14, 7-11 AAC)

The Knights won their final two regular-season games, and they won at Cincinnati Feb. 19. They split with first-round opponent South Florida, so they could win one game, but they’re not going far. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: South Florida Bulls (+8000)

Regular-season record: (14-17, 7-11 AAC)

The Bulls won’t be on parade. They did top SMU in the regular-season finale and won in Memphis Feb. 8, but their opening game vs. UCF is a toss-up. If they win that one, they go no further. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: East Carolina Pirates (+10000)

Regular-season record: (11-20, 5-13 AAC)

The Pirates lost their final three games of the regular season, and are the only 20-loss team in the AAC. They beat SMU Jan. 11 but also lost by 20 to the Mustangs. That’s a microcosm of their season, and how inconsistent, and awful, they can be. AVOID.

2020 AAC odds: Tulane Green Wave (+10000)

Regular-season record: (12-18, 4-14 AAC)

The Green Wave opened 7-1 SU/6-2 ATS, and looked like they were in line for a big season, including a win in Utah. They also beat Cincinnati and SMU at home, but this game isn’t in New Orleans, and they dropped five of their last six away from their home floor. The Green Wave will crash early in this tourney. AVOID.

Want some action on this tournament? Place a bet at BetMGM. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Dealing with personal issues, SMU men’s golf coach Jason Enloe resigns

After six years coaching his alma mater, head men’s golf coach Jason Enloe is leaving SMU.

After six years at the helm, Jason Enloe resigned as head men’s golf coach at Southern Methodist on Thursday.

Enloe, who spent three years as an assistant before taking over the program August 8, 2014, took a leave of absence last October as he and his two daughters, Emma (age 7) and Maddie (4), continue to deal with the tragic 2018 passing of his wife, Katie.

“It’s been a terrible few years,” said Enloe, who learned of his wife’s cancer diagnosis almost two years ago to the day. “The last 18 months or so have been trying to figure out how to be the best dad, juggle coaching and keep my head above water.”

He coached two events this fall, where his Mustangs finished second at their Trinity Forest Invitational and won the Maridoe Intercollegiate. In September, he realized it was time for a break so he could evaluate his “emotional and physical health” while also working with his two daughters on healing without worrying about the team.

“Through these last several months, I’ve been working hard with my counselors, talking to friends and mentors and being with my girls, I just felt it was the right time to try and move into a different space with a little more time at home,” said Enloe, citing travel as a big concern. “That was the main factor. I thought about 10 years from now, and I don’t know if I would have been able to be as passionate and committed as a coach, so I thought I should find a new career.”

“I think I can be a happier, healthier and better dad with less stress and travel,” added Enloe.

The Decatur, Illinois, native also finds himself in a legal struggle with his in-laws, which he cited as a “contributing factor” to his resignation, but declined to comment further.

According to Dallas court filings from November 2019, Enloe is seeking monetary relief from his wife’s sister, Kandi Mahan (married to professional golfer Hunter Mahan) and his wife’s mother, Debra Breaux, over a $500,000 life insurance policy.

Assistant coach Chris Parra, a former teammate and long-time friend of Enloe’s who joined his staff when Enloe was promoted to head coach, took over in his absence and led SMU to another win at the Royal Oaks Intercollegiate and a seventh-place finish at the White Sands Invitational before the winter break. SMU, one of Golfweek’s teams to watch in 2020, begins its spring season Feb. 17-19 at The Prestige at PGA West.

Parra will continue to coach in the interim.

Enloe and the Mustangs rebounded from a difficult stretch both on and off the golf course in the 2018-19 season, earning four wins and advancing to the quarterfinals at the NCAA Championship before losing to the No. 1 seed, Oklahoma State. After his team finished fourth at the Athens’ regional in 2019, Enloe said his team has “made the journey bearable” after losing his wife a year prior. In his six years, Enloe led the Mustangs to 10 tournament wins.

A four-year letterman at SMU, Enloe returned to Dallas to coach at his alma mater after a 14-year professional golf career, including eight years on the Korn Ferry (then Nationwide) Tour, where he played more than 200 events. Enloe won the Nationwide’s Fort Smith Classic in 2009 and the Pete Dye Classic in 2006.

“My plan was to coach until I was 50 and then try the senior tour,” said the 45-year-old Enloe, noting he would have only coached at SMU. “That was when I had Katie, she knows what it’s like to be a Tour player’s wife. You need a strong woman at home to hold the fort down. If my situation is completely different in four years and God willing I’m healthy and my game’s good, of course I’d love to go give the senior tour a shot. Now it’s more of a pipe dream.”

As an amateur, Enloe twice made it to match play at the U.S. Amateur, advancing to the quarterfinals in 1995 and Round of 16 in 1996. He qualified again for the event in 2019 at Pinehurst.

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Men’s college golf: Five teams, players to watch in the spring

Breaking down the five teams and players to watch this spring as the college golf season tees it up again.

For many of you, it’s winter, which means the long-awaited first round of golf of 2020 is far in the distance thanks to cold temperatures and snow on the ground.

That’s not the case for college golfers, as the spring season begins with the best of the best teeing it up across the country over the next few weeks with their eyes on the ultimate prize: May’s NCAA Championship in Phoenix.

If you weren’t following the men’s game last fall, you missed quite the show. No team nor player has separated themselves from the pack, meaning the race for the national title is up for grabs.

Here are five teams and players to watch this spring.

MORE: Five women’s teams, players to watch
RANKINGS: Men’s Individual | Men’s Team

Five teams to watch

Oklahoma primed for another title run

The 2017 national champions are back at the top and there’s no reason to believe we won’t see Oklahoma back in match play at this year’s NCAA Championship in Phoenix. Head coach Ryan Hybl has the Sooners at No. 1 entering the spring for the first time in program history, led by seniors Quade Cummins, Garett Reband and Thomas Johnson. This team has experience, a deep roster and unfinished business after a quarterfinal exit at last year’s NCAA Championship at the hands of rival Texas.

Can Georgia Tech keep winning?

One of the most talented rosters in the country resides in Atlanta, and we’re seeing that talent flourish this season. Georgia Tech won its first event of the fall at the Carpet Capital Collegiate and tied Baylor for first at the Olympia Fields/Fighting Illini Invitational. The Yellow Jackets also took down Cal, UCLA and Duke en route to the title at the Cypress Point Classic. It’s the last go-around for a senior-driven team, led by 2019 U.S. Amateur champ Andy Ogletree, Luke Schniederjans and Tyler Strafaci. But don’t forget about junior Noah Norton and sophomores Ben Smith and Connor Howe, who complete a well-rounded team that proves it has what it takes to win in both stroke and match play. Now, they just have to carry that ability into the spring.

SMU Mustangs no longer a dark horse

After a tumultuous year in 2019, SMU – the 30th seed out of 30 teams – went on a joyride at the NCAA Championship, winning a playoff against Clemson to place in the top eight and qualify for match play. Jason Enloe’s team is back, ranked No. 12 in the country, and boasts arguably one of the nation’s best 1-2 punches with juniors Noah Goodwin and Mac Meissner. Watching the Mustangs last season, the team had something you just couldn’t put your finger on, an “it” factor that a lot of teams don’t have. Last year, they trashed expectations and earned a seat at the table. This year, they’re ready to feast.

Wake Forest ready to reclaim No. 1

If there’s a word to describe this year’s Wake Forest team, it’s confident. The Demon Deacons spent time at No. 1 earlier this season, but the men from Winston Salem, North Carolina enter the spring season at No. 6. Head coach Jerry Haas has just one senior on this year’s team in Eric Bae, but don’t let that fool you. The team has seen impressive production from juniors Marco Steyn and Parker Gillam, who has the nation’s lowest score of the year with a 60 in the opening round at the White Sands Intercollegiate, where he went on to take first place. Sophomores Alex Fitzpatrick and Eugenio Chacarra, as well as freshman Mark Power, have also been key for a Wake Forest squad that hasn’t finished worse than fourth all season.

Texas Tech not slowing down

Win. Win. Win. Fourth. That’s how Texas Tech started the fall, and there’s no signs of slowing down from head coach Greg Sands’ squad. The Red Raiders had at least two players in the top five of each of their three stroke play events, including two different winners in Sandy Scott and Andy Lopez. Their third win of the season came at the Big 12 Match Play, where they dominated one of college golf’s best conferences and proved to be a menace of a match play opponent. With six events this spring before the Big 12 Championship, it’s unlikely to expect Texas Tech to keep winning at the rate displayed last fall. But if anyone can do it, it’s Texas Tech.

Five players to watch

Adrien Pendaries, Duke

Meet the top-ranked player in the Golfweek/Sagarin Men’s Collegiate Individual Rankings, and for good reason. Adrien Pendaries finished in the top seven in three stroke-play tournaments for Duke and boasts a 5-1 fall match-play record for the Blue Devils. Not only is he No. 1 in the rankings, he also leads the nation in par-4 scoring (3.84).

Though he’s still chasing that elusive first win of the season, Pendaries’ consistency to always be in the mix and his match play chops make Duke a dangerous postseason team (especially with the ACC Championship moving to match play).

Peter Kuest, BYU

All eyes will be on BYU’s Peter Kuest this spring after a blistering hot fall campaign. The senior was Mr. Reliable early and often for the Cougars with wins at the William Tucker Intercollegiate and Nick Watney Invitational in addition to a top five and top ten. Pendaries may be No. 1 in the rankings, but Kuest isn’t far behind. In fact, he’s first in the country in scoring (67.93), eagles (nine) and par-5 scoring (4.33).

John Augenstein, Vanderbilt

John Augenstein set high expectations for his senior season after a runner-up finish at the 2019 U.S. Amateur this summer, and he hasn’t disappointed, earning two top-five finishes among strong fields at the Nike Golf Collegiate and Crooked Stick. His experience not only at the U.S. Amateur, but also at last year’s NCAA Championship, will be key for No. 34 Vanderbilt if they have any shot at making a run at a title.

Cole Hammer, Texas

The highlight of the fall for the former No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (now No. 2) came with an appearance at the Houston Open in October. In no way is that a knock on Hammer’s college season, which features two top 10s in four events. Instead, expect to see a lot more this spring from the sophomore star, who earned consecutive T-1 finishes around this time last year as a freshman. In fact, Hammer and the Longhorns return to the site of the first of those top finishes at the Southern Highlands Collegiate, March 1-3 in Las Vegas.

Jonathan Brightwell, UNCG

The senior from Charlotte, North Carolina started the season on fire with a T-4 finish at the Badger Invitational and followed that with consecutive wins at the Rod Myers Invitational and Wolfpack Fall Intercollegiate. He cooled off towards the end of the fall with T-10/T-11 finishes, but Brightwell has proven he belongs in the conversation as one of the best players in the country.

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Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl: SMU vs. Florida Atlantic odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl betting odds between the SMU Mustangs and FAU Owls, with betting picks and tips.

The SMU Mustangs (10-2, 6-2 AAC West) and Florida Atlantic Owls (10-3, 8-1 C-USA East) square off in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the SMU-FAU odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

SMU vs. FAU: Three things you need to know

1. While the Owls are technically listed as the ‘away’ team, they’ll be playing on their home field on their own campus. FAU went 5-1 straight up and 4-2 against the spread at home, including 3-0 SU/ATS in the final three outings.

2. The Mustangs went 2-2 SU in their final four games, and 1-4 ATS in the final five regular-season games, although they won and covered in their season finale against Tulane, a bowl team.

3. SMU ranks ninth in the country with 495.3 total yards per game, 12th in passing yards per game (309.3) and seventh in points (43.0) per contest. Defensively, the Mustangs allowed 31.8 PPG to rank 100th in the country.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

SMU vs. FAU: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 7:05 a.m. ET.

Prediction

FAU 40, SMU 36

Moneyline (ML)

FAU (+125) is listed as a short dog at home. The Owls are an attractive play because they’re on their home field, as well as the fact they’re 3-0 all-time in bowl games.

Against the Spread (ATS)

FAU (+3.5, -121) is catching three and a hook at home, making it an attractive play. While SMU (-3.5, +100) can sling it on offense, it’s poor defensively, and the Owls have plenty of talent to pile up the points. They will be playing their first game since head coach Lane Kiffin bolted for Ole Miss, but the Owls were focused in the Conference USA Championship game despite the rumors swirling, and they’ll be focused with interim coach Glenn Spencer at the helm before Willie Taggart takes over.

Over/Under (O/U)

The OVER 69.5 (-110) is worth a roll of the dice. In SMU’s past six against non-conference teams, the Over is a perfect 6-0. The Over is 9-3 in the past 12 overall, and 6-2 in the Mustangs’ past eight as a favorite. The Over is 5-1-1 in FAU’s past seven as a dog, too.

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SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More Rebels hoping to exorcise some early-season demons Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire UNLV needs a win to turn things around WHO: SMU (4-0, 0-0 American) at UNLV (2-4, 0-0 MWC) …

[jwplayer 18QegcJn-sNi3MVSU]

SMU at UNLV: Game Preview, TV, Radio, Live Stream, Odds, More

Rebels hoping to exorcise some early-season demons

Contact/Follow @andrewdieckhoff & @MWCwire

UNLV needs a win to turn things around

WHO: SMU (4-0, 0-0 American) at UNLV (2-4, 0-0 MWC)

WHEN: Saturday, November 23 — 7:30 P.M. PT / 8:30 P.M. MT

WHERE: Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas, Nev.

WATCH: Stadium/Facebook; Get a free one-week trial of FuboTV.

LISTEN: TuneIn

ALL-TIME RECORD: Series tied, 3-3

ODDS: SMU -2, per KenPom

PREVIEW: It’s been a rocky road so far for UNLV, but they’ve got a chance to get things back on track at home against undefeated SMU.

Three straight losses to Power 5 teams was one thing, but the Rebels’ loss to Texas State at home was an unexpected speedbump. The Bobcats are a good team, to be sure, but they also lost to Air Force, who has struggled themselves.

But this is all part of the early season, teams ebbing and flowing.

UNLV is definitely ebbing at the moment.

The biggest problem for the Rebels is turnovers. They have already committed 95 turnovers, averaging just shy of 16 per game. That number puts UNLV right around the bottom 20 in the country, per Sports-Reference. The blame can be shared among the entire roster, really. Four players are averaging at least two giveaways per game, while three more are averaging at least one.

The sloppiness has also extended to the shooting game. The Rebels have connected on just 43.6% of their shots over the first six games. Bryce Hamilton’s sub-30% mark isn’t helping.

And though things haven’t clicked as instantly as TJ Otzelberger would have hoped, the roles in his lineup are becoming well-defined.

Amauri Hardy is the primary scorer. Donnie Tillman is the first option in the frontcourt. Elijah Mitrou-Long is playing the part of the veteran floor general. Chiekh Mbacke Diong is a liability on offense, but a monster on the glass. Hamilton and Jonah Antonio are auxiliary scorers. Nick Blair and Vitaly Shibel provide some extra size.

It all sounds good on paper. But can they all perform at the same time?

SMU, on the other hand, has had success in their first few games. Their most recent victory came against Evansville, the same team that knocked off Kentucky last week. The Mustangs also have wins against some decent clubs in Jacksonville State, New Orleans, and Jackson State.

Head coach Tim Jankovic must be enjoying the early success of recent transfers into the program.

Isiaha Mike, a junior forward who transferred from Duquesne, started 32 games last year. Mike is averaging over 17 points and eight rebounds per game in year two at SMU. Tyson Jolly, who played at Baylor in 2017-18, is scoring 18 points per game and shooting a blistering 60% from the field in his first year with the Mustangs.

This two-pronged attack is bolstered by fellow starters Feron Hunt and Ethan Chargois. Hunt is averaging nearly a double-double, with 11 points and 9.5 rebounds. Chargois is also near double digits in scoring, but hasn’t really gotten hot yet.

If these four players can maintain their early chemistry, SMU could suddenly become a dark horse contender in the AAC.

They aren’t without their weaknesses, though. The Mustangs are a little shaky in terms of depth. Their bench players—as well as fifth starter Emmanuel Bandoumel—haven’t had much impact in the scoring column. But Jankovich teaches a slow brand of basketball, it stands to reason that there wouldn’t be too much to go around for anyone outside their top four players.

Actually, both teams play at a slow tempo, so expect this game to be a slugfest. The Rebels have been on the wrong side of these knock-down-drag-out fights so far this season. They are taking on a tough Mustangs team, but those early wins might not hold up against tougher opponents.

It’s too early to start throwing around the phrase “must-win”, but UNLV does need to start steering the ship in the right direction. A win here would provide some positive momentum, which the Rebels can really use in their upcoming games against Cincinnati and BYU—not to mention an early conference game against Fresno State.

Andrew is a current USBWA member, covering college basketball for multiple outlets, including Mountain West Wire of the USA TODAY Sports Media Group and Busting Brackets of the FanSided Network. He also runs the Dieckhoff Power Index, a college basketball analytics system, and provides bracketology predictions throughout the season.

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