Two things came to mind when I looked into the history of the Penn State and SMU football teams. The first is that Penn State defeated SMU 26-21 in Happy Valley and finished undefeated (11-0) before losing to Alabama 14-7 in the 1979 Sugar Bowl.
The second is the 1982 season. They didn’t play each other, but Penn State ascended to the national championship after beating 1980 national champ Georgia in the Sugar Bowl and finished 11-1. The loss was at Alabama (42-21). Meanwhile, SMU finished 11-0-1. But the tie came on the final game of the season against Arkansas. The Mustangs dropped from second to fourth in the AP Top 20 and lost out on a bid to play in the Sugar Bowl against the Herschel Walker-led Bulldogs.
There’s a bit of a “controversy” surrounding SMU’s inclusion in the 12-team playoff. The Mustangs fell to Clemson 34-31 on a last-second field goal. The win gave the Tigers an automatic berth, their first playoff appearance since 2020. There was talk that three-loss Alabama could leap into the playoffs, but it didn’t happen. Instead, the committee selected SMU.
SMU is considered a Group of 5 team instead of Power 5. It even seems there’s been a growing curiosity as fans watch emerging “Power 5” teams. SMU seems to be one. So does Boise State, which gets a bye and will play the winner of Penn State-SMU.
I posed a Group of 5 playoffs to go with Power 5 playoffs. It wouldn’t have mattered if SMU went undefeated, the Mustangs would still be competing in the Group of 5 tournament. It would have been a blast. In that scenario, Alabama would have undoubtedly been picked for the playoffs.
SMU has a frightening offense but a defense that gives up points in bunches. The Mustangs simply outscored TCU 66-42 this season. The O is built to come from behind, which is the scary part.
Penn State’s defense, when it plays to potential, is also frightening. They don’t just punch you in the mouth, they clean your teeth. They have loads of speed and can get to the opposing quarterback faster than a cheetah can claim its prey. But the D is suspect against the pass.
It could be a classic battle of the Irresistible Force vs. the Immovable Object. Because, the SMU offense is a force. The hope of Happy Valley is that the Nittany Lions defense is Immovable. Add degree of difficulty to Penn State’s quiver. Week-to-week, Penn State’s schedule is more difficult, thus preparing the Lions to roar loudly Saturday afternoon.
