SMU and Louisiana Tech are former WAC members and have played four times, last in 2004. Tech won that game 41-10 and leads the series 3-1.

Bulldogs vs. Mustangs Spread and Betting Analysis

Something very unusual is happening in this bowl game in regards to SMU. The Mustangs’ head coach, Chad Morris, has left to be the coach at Arkansas. Morris was considered one of the top young offensive minds in the country. Originally, Jeff Traylor, SMU’s associate head coach and running backs coach, was tabbed as the interim guy to coach the bowl game. However, Traylor has since joined Morris in Arkansas.

Thus, Sonny Dykes will coach his new program even though was just hired a little over a week ago. Dykes is another offensive guy who was previously a head coach at Cal and, ironically, Louisiana Tech. Dykes has a 41-45 career record and was dumped at Cal after the 2016 season. You very rarely see a new coach take over his team for a bowl game – he doesn’t know the players, etc. The last time this writer can remember it happening was in 2006 when Cincinnati hired Brian Kelly (now the Notre Dame coach) from Central Michigan, and he coached the Bearcats to an International Bowl victory.

It’s the first bowl appearance for SMU since beating Fresno State 43-10 in the 2012 Hawaii Bowl. Louisiana Tech, coached by Skip Holtz, plays in its fourth straight bowl – and it won the previous three. Last year, it was a 48-45 shootout over Navy in the Armed Forces Bowl.

Louisiana Tech Bulldogs

The Bulldogs (6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS), from Conference USA, were 4-6 but won at winless UTEP 42-21 and then beat Texas-San Antonio 20-6 in the regular season finale to get bowl eligible. Tech played an incredible four games decided by one point this season, going 1-3 in them. It had another game that went to double overtime and lost by a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback J’Mar Smith is a dual threat as he threw for 2,758 yard and 13 scores and rushed for 356 yards and five touchdowns. His leading receiver is Tulane transfer Teddy Veal, the C-USA Co-Newcomer of the Year. Veal caught 69 balls for 832 yards and five touchdowns.

Southern Methodist Mustangs

SMU (7-5 SU, 6-6 ATS) finished tied for third in the American Athletic Conference’s West Division. The Mustangs had one of the country’s best offences in averaging 40.3 points per game. They were one of just two FBS schools with a 3,000-yard passer in Ben Hicks (3,442 yards, 32 TDs), a 1,000-yard rusher in Xavier Jones (1,019 yards, nine TDs) and two 1,000-yard receivers in Courtland Sutton (1,017 yards, 12 TDs) and Trey Quinn (NCAA-best 108 catches for 1,191 yards and 12 TDs). The problem for SMU is on defence as it allows 35.5 points per game. In their five losses, the Mustangs allowed a combined 231 points (46.2 ppg). They have covered their past four non-conference games.

Frisco Bowl Prediction