SMU looks to prove it belongs while Penn State eyes a breakthrough in the opening round of the CFP

No. 12 SMU (11-2, No. 10 CFP) at No. 5 Penn State (11-2, No. 4 CFP), Saturday, noon ET (TNT/Max)

BetMGM Sportsbook odds: Penn State by 8 1/2.

Series record: Penn State leads 1-0-1.

What’s at stake?

A trip to Arizona to face No. 8 Boise State (No. 9 CFP) in the Fiesta Bowl, one of the four CFP quarterfinals, on New Year’s Eve. The game is also a chance for SMU to prove it belongs with the nation’s best in the program’s first season in the ACC after moving over from the American Athletic Conference. The expanded CFP provides Penn State and coach James Franklin with an opportunity to shed its label as a program that’s frequently good but rarely great.

Key matchup

Penn State’s dynamic duo of junior running backs Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton goes against SMU’s stout rushing defense. The Mustangs lead the ACC and are fourth nationally giving up 93.4 yards rushing per game — which for now is the lowest in program history. They allow only 2.74 yards per carry. Singleton is ninth in the Big Ten with 839 yards rushing, just ahead of Allen’s 822. Both had 100-yard games against No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten championship game. The only individual 100-yard rushing game against the Mustangs was Louisville’s Isaac Brown, who went for 117 yards on Oct. 5.

Players to watch

SMU: RB Brashard Smith was a receiver the past three seasons at Miami, but switched to running back after transferring to SMU. The 5-foot-10, 196-pound senior has run for 1,270 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has 35 catches, tied for second-most on the team, for 303 yards and four more scores.

Penn State: TE Tyler Warren. The John Mackey Award winner as the nation’s best tight end is more than just a pass catcher for the Nittany Lions, he’s a 6-foot-6 Swiss army knife who lets offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki get as creative as he wants. In addition to hauling in 88 receptions for 1,062 yards — a Big Ten record for a tight end — and six touchdowns, Warren also proved effective lining up behind center in the Wildcat formation, running for 191 yards and four scores. If things are tight late, expect the ball to find its way into No. 44’s hands.

Facts & figures

The Mustangs have won 10 straight road games, the second-longest active streak in the FBS behind Texas. … SMU is the first team to ever go undefeated in conference play (8-0) after making the move from a Group of Five conference to a Power 4/5 conference. … If it’s close late, the Mustangs like their chances. Kicker Collin Rogers ranked third in the FBS with 23 field goals, including seven from 50 yards or more, one shy of the NCAA record in a single season. … It’s going to be cold at Beaver Stadium. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-20s, though there’s only a small chance of snow. … Perhaps no team is happier than Penn State having an expanded 12-team playoff. The Nittany Lions finished in the top 12 in the final CFP poll six previous times only to miss the tournament because the field was limited to four teams. … Penn State has won at least 10 games for a third straight season, the first time the program has done that since 1980-82. …The Nittany Lions are 4-5 in bowl games under James Franklin. … Penn State DE Abdul Carter, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, tied for the conference lead with 10 sacks and his 19 1/2 tackles for loss paced the Big Ten and ranked third in the FBS.

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