Syracuse Might Not Know Its Quarterback, SMU Is Down Bodies Too: Why Saturday Is About Depth, Not Rankings

By Brooke Calloway, RF Sports Radio SMU voice

Pony Up, folks. Yesterday I told you the numbers say SMU should handle Syracuse. Today I want to talk about the part of this game the numbers do not cover: who is actually going to be on the field Saturday.

The facts

No. 19 SMU (6-1, 4-1 ACC) plays at Syracuse (3-4, 1-4 ACC) on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 a.m. Central at the JMA Wireless Dome, on ESPN2 and on The Ticket in Dallas, per SMU Athletics. The Mustangs are 16th in the coaches poll and have been ranked in every AP poll this season, the longest such streak since 1985, according to the school's game notes.

SMU has its own injury list. Per Roundtable's preview, running backs Dramekco Green and Link Rhodes, defensive lineman Ira Singleton IV and safety Tyren Polley Jr. entered the week as absences. Polley is expected to miss the rest of the season with a pectoral injury, and Rhodes is out for the year with a knee injury, per that report. Green's hand injury adds to the depth concern at running back.

Syracuse's quarterback situation is murkier. Roundtable reports Steve Angeli, Amari Odom and Malachi Nelson have each had 300-yard passing games this year, but all three have dealt with availability issues, and Odom and Nelson were ruled out for last week's game at North Carolina. Syracuse won that one anyway, 31-30 in overtime, per SMU's notes. The Orange average 286.1 passing yards a game and have Umari Hatcher at receiver.

On the SMU side, Kevin Jennings has 2,062 passing yards this season and Kendrick Raphael ran for 104 yards and three touchdowns in the 59-20 win over Cal. SMU is 18-3 in ACC play since joining in 2024 and won last year's meeting with Syracuse 31-18.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: the running back room is the story nobody is talking about. Raphael is carrying this ground game, and with Rhodes done for the year and Green banged up, the Mustangs are one more hit away from a real problem. I would like to see Rhett Lashlee lean on Jennings' arm early and save Raphael's legs for the fourth quarter.

As for Syracuse, I do not care which quarterback starts. A team that won in overtime on the road last week with its quarterback room in pieces is not going to fold because SMU is ranked. Respect the Orange, and make them earn it on third down, where SMU's defense ranks fourth nationally.

What to watch next

The ACC availability report before kickoff, who takes snaps for Syracuse, and how many carries Raphael gets. For the numbers case, read our Oct. 28 SMU-Syracuse numbers column, and keep up with the Mustangs on our SMU Football page.

Radio question: with SMU's backfield this thin, would you rather see Jennings throw 40 times Saturday or keep feeding Raphael?

Sources: SMU Athletics - No. 19 SMU On The Road To Take On Syracuse; Roundtable - SMU Faces Syracuse With ACC Title Hopes And Injury Concerns Looming; Cuse.com - Orange Set for Halloween Battle with No. 19 SMU.