Road Trip to Big D: Boston College Seeks ACC Bounce-Back Against Ranked SMU

For the second time this college football season, the Boston College football team (2-2, 0-1 ACC) heads out on the road. This Saturday, the Eagles will be in Dallas to meet SMU (3-1, 1-1 ACC). Last Saturday, with a nor’easter bearing down on eastern Massachusetts, the Eagles lost their conference opener to Virginia Tech, 21-14. Boston College allowed 15 fourth-quarter points, as the Hokies scored touchdowns on their final two possessions of the game to secure the road win.

For the Eagles’ offense, getting anything going was a difficult task. Boston College went just 2-for-13 on third down and 1-for-2 on fourth down. While the Eagles did gain 152 yards on the ground, quarterback Mason McKenzie was limited to 111 passing yards in the rainy and windy conditions. Boston College built a 14-6 lead in the fourth quarter behind the legs of its quarterback, but the defense was unable to come up with a needed stop in the latter half of the quarter to close out the game. McKenzie had a career day running the ball, rushing for 138 yards and two touchdowns. He now has 363 rushing yards on the season, which ranks sixth in the league and inside the top 30 nationally. However, his day was ultimately overshadowed by Virginia Tech running back Jeffrey Overton Jr., who rushed for 210 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries. Overton’s score proved to be the game-winner, breaking the game open on a 76-yard run down the right sideline.

There were still some positive moments for the Eagles on Saturday. The defense came up with two fourth-down stops in the second and third quarters, marking the second time on the homestand that the unit accomplished the feat. They also held Virginia Tech to three points in the first half, a defensive milestone they had not achieved since Aug. 29, 2025, against Fordham. Safety KP Price finished the game with 10 tackles, his second time this season with 10 or more tackles and the seventh time in his career. Defensive lineman E’Lia Boykin tallied seven tackles—a new career high—including one for a loss.

Next Stop: Dallas pic.twitter.com/D5hRAZKZxo

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) September 28, 2026

The Mustangs, meanwhile, are ranked No. 21 in the AP Top 25 and No. 19 in the US LBM Coaches Poll. Since 2022, SMU is 28-6 against conference opponents, and since joining the ACC in 2024, that record sits at 15-3—the most wins by an ACC team during that span. The Mustangs’ offense has been virtually unstoppable so far, gaining an average of 479 yards per game, which is tied for the most in the country. Over their last 41 overall games, SMU is 32-9, including a 30-6 mark in their last 36 regular-season matchups.

Quarterback Kevin Jennings is 22-8 as the starter for the Mustangs. He is the active leader in career passing yards with 9,162 and career total yards with 9,797. He is also the school’s all-time leader in passing yards, completions, and touchdowns responsible for. Head coach Rhett Lashlee is 28-6 in league play, the best mark in school history. This weekend will mark the fifth time these two programs have met, with SMU holding a 3-1 all-time advantage. The Mustangs’ lone loss to Boston College came in the 2023 Fenway Bowl by a 23-14 score. This will be the second time the teams meet in Dallas, where SMU is 1-0 against the Eagles.