No. 17 SMU gets an ACC prequel when it faces Boston College in the Fenway Bowl

Updated Dec. 27, 2023 4:43 p.m. ET

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Fenway Bowl: No. 17 SMU (11-2) vs. Boston College (6-6), Dec. 28, 11 a.m. Eastern (ESPN)

FanDuel Sportsbook College Line: SMU by 10 1/2

Series record: SMU leads 1-0.

WHAT’S AT STAKE

After beating then-No. 17 Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game for its ninth straight win, SMU had been hoping for an invite to a New Year’s Six bowl. Instead, the Mustangs earned the No. 17 ranking and a bit of a prequel for their 2024 entry into the Atlantic Coast Conference. SMU and BC are scheduled to meet four times in the next six years, beginning with a game in Dallas next season.

KEY MATCHUP

Boston College converted 28 fourth downs this season — the most in the country. The Eagles went for it 37 times, a success rate of 75.7% that is seventh-best in the nation. The SMU defense was third in the nation on third-down percentage, allowing opponents to convert just 27.1%, but on fourth down it was tied for fourth-worst with 20 first downs given up.

“You’ve got to be really, really good on third and fourth down and get off the field,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “Otherwise, you might not see the football very often.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

SMU: QB Kevin Jennings filled in after starter Preston Stone broke his leg in the regular-season finale and finished off a 59-14 victory over Navy. In his only career start, Jennings was 19 for 33 for 203 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions in a 26-14 victory over Tulane.

Boston College: After starting the season fourth on the depth chart, Kye Robichaux has emerged as the Eagles’ top running back. Robichaux has carried 150 times for 691 yards, with seven touchdowns; he has another 90 receiving yards. He had back-to-back games of more than 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Georgia Tech and Connecticut.

FACTS & FIGURES

The future ACC foes have only met once, when SMU won 31-29 in Dallas in 1986. They will play four times in the next six years, including next season at SMU. … BC first played in Fenway Park in 1914 and the ballpark was BC’s main home from 1936-45 and 1953-56. The Eagles last played there in 2017, beating Connecticut 29-17. Lashlee was the offensive coordinator for the Huskies in that game. … In all, the Eagles are 55-16-5 there. … BC men’s ice hockey, baseball and football will have all played at Fenway in 2023. The hockey team defeated UMass and the baseball team beat Notre Dame. … BC started the year 1-3, rattled off five straight wins to earn bowl eligibility, and then lost three straight to finish the regular season. … BC QB Thomas Castellanos is third in the country for rushing yards by a QB with 957. His 11 rushing TDs are tied for fifth most by a quarterback. … SMU went 9-0 in its final season in the AAC. … The Mustangs had 47 sacks this season, second in the NCAA. … Their 28.9 point margin of victory in conference play was the biggest in the country. … A 12th win would be SMU’s first since its 1935 team won the national championship. The Mustangs’ last bowl win was in 2012.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

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