No. 22 SMU hosts Missouri State at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 26, as the Mustangs (2-1) look to bounce back from a road loss to No. 23 Louisville. SMU opened the season with a win at Florida State but fell 41-31 at Louisville last week, a result that will sting as the Mustangs return home. Missouri State (1-2) enters off a hard-fought 30-24 loss to Marshall, a game in which the Bears outgained their opponent 506-464 but couldn’t finish a final 86-yard drive, coming up just short at the Marshall 7-yard line in the closing minutes. 

SMU’s offense will look to re-establish rhythm after struggling to close out the game against Louisville. The Mustangs have shown flashes of explosiveness this season, particularly in the blowout win over UC Davis, and will be looking to their skill players to create separation early against a Missouri State defense that has been generous, especially through the air. Missouri State’s defense has had its issues limiting big pass plays, something SMU’s receiving corps should look to exploit from the opening drive. 

Missouri State counters with a genuinely productive passing attack led by quarterback Skyler Locklear, who threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-28 passing in the loss to Marshall. Locklear’s top target, Isaiah Myers, set a career high with seven catches for 141 yards against Marshall, giving the Bears a legitimate downfield threat SMU’s secondary will need to account for. Running back Ramone Green Jr. adds a dual-threat element out of the backfield, contributing both on the ground and as a pass-catcher, and was heavily involved on Missouri State’s final drive against Marshall. 

Key Players

SMU

• QB Kevin Jennings — Leads the nation in total offense through three games this season, with 989 passing yards and nine touchdowns.
• RB Kendrick Raphael — Leading the run game so far this year after SMU lost its top two rushers from 2025.
• WR Yamir Knight — SMU’s clear top target this season, working out of the slot after a strong start to 2026.
• WR Jalen Cooper — Taking on a bigger role in the passing game this year as a sophomore.
• WR Yannick Smith — East Carolina transfer who has stepped into a starting role in his first season on the Hilltop.
• WR Jalen Hale — Alabama transfer still working his way back into game shape, worth watching for a breakout performance as the season progresses.

Missouri State

• QB Skyler Locklear — Threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s loss to Marshall, his third career 300-yard game and a sign of the passing attack’s improvement this season.
• WR Isaiah Myers — Locklear’s top target, coming off a career-high seven catches for 141 yards against Marshall.
• RB Ramone Green Jr. — Dual-threat back who’s been heavily featured in Missouri State’s offense this season, logging a career-high 15 carries against Marshall.
• LB Bird Lloyd — Defensive leader coming off a career-high-tying 13-tackle performance, a name to watch if Missouri State needs to slow down SMU’s offense this weekend.

The clearest swing factor is turnovers and red-zone execution. Missouri State has moved the ball well all season but has struggled to finish drives, coming up just short at the goal line in each of its two losses, a trend that needs to change against a team with SMU’s overall talent level. For SMU, the bigger question is discipline. The Mustangs let a winnable game slip away late against Louisville, and if that same inconsistency shows up again, it could give Missouri State’s offense enough life to keep the score respectable deep into the fourth quarter.