Texas A&M-Commerce vs SMU Prediction 8/30/2025 Today’s College Football Picks

The East Texas A&M Lions and the SMU Mustangs meet in week 1 college football action from Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s an East Texas A&M Lions vs. SMU Mustangs prediction.

East Texas A&M Lions Team Preview

The East Texas A&M Lions come into the 2025 season looking to bounce back from a 3-9 record in 2024. Ron Peace will return as the starting QB and Peace has some solid returning receiver depth in Christian Jourdain, Preston Kilgore, Jayden Proctor and Sean Sallis. KJ Shankle and EJ Oakmon come in as the two running back options for the Lions in 2025. On defense, this is a Lions unit that has a ton of turnover, having to replace 9 of the 11 starters that kept East Texas A&M as competitive as they were. Kyree Anderson is back after recording 125 tackles and 4 sacks last season. 

SMU Mustangs Team Preview

The SMU Mustangs come into the 2025 season looking to take another step forward in year two in the ACC after finishing the year 11-3 including 8-0 in ACC play. The Mustangs would get a spot in the ACC title game where they fell 34-31 to Clemson but were solid enough to get a spot in the College Football Playoffs, where their stay was short-lived with a 38-10 first round loss at the hands of Penn State. Kevin Jennings is back at QB after throwing for almost 3,300 yards and 23 TDs while hitting a 65% completion percentage. Jordan Hudson is the top returning receiver for SMU after logging 29 catches and 5 touchdowns while Daylon Singleton and Jalen Cooper make up a pair of top-tier recruits for SMU to load up the receiving group. On defense, Isaiah Nwokobia is back to hold down the secondary after logging 100 tackles and 3 interceptions while Cameron Robertson and Isaiah Smith are back up front after combining for 10.5 sacks and 15 TFLs last season. 

Why the SMU Mustangs will win

• SMU has won 14 of its last 15 games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
• SMU has covered the spread in each of its last five home games against teams from Texas.

Total Points Facts

• Each of SMU’s last five season openers have gone UNDER the total points line.

East Texas A&M Lions vs. SMU Mustangs Prediction

I’m on SMU here. I think this is an SMU team that easily could be a threat once again in the ACC and I expect it from the word go from SMU this season after bringing back a fair amount of production from last year’s playoff team. The Lions just aren’t a good FCS team and I don’t think that they do much of anything in this one either. Even if SMU calls off the dogs, I still think SMU runs away with this one.