California at SMU AP 23C 20
California at SMU kicks off Saturday, Oct 24 at 12 PM EDT on The CW. SMU is favored by 18.5. The Gotta See It Meter calls it worth having on: 23 of 100 (I'll Bite), mostly on power-conference matchup and how good both teams are.
- Date
- Saturday, Oct 24, 2026
- Kickoff
- TV
- The CW · Antenna · CW app (free)
- Venue
- Gerald J. Ford Stadium
- City
- Dallas, TX
- Week
- Week 8
- Conference game
- Yes
- Line
- SMU −18.5 · O/U 55.5
- Forecast
- 72°F · wind 7 mph · 0% precipitation
I'll Bite
California3–4
Lvs UCLA24–45
Wat Syracuse21–18
Wvs Wagner49–7
Lvs Clemson10–24
Lat UNLV31–39
Wvs Va. Tech25–20
Lvs Wake Forest7–41
at SMU
Nothing since.
SMU5–1
Wat Florida St.27–24
Wvs UC Davis56–10
Lat Louisville31–41
Wvs Missouri St.34–24
Wvs Boston Col.25–16
Wvs Virginia23–13
vs California
Nothing since.
What to expect
These two combine for 56.5 points a game and California plays fast — 71.9 snaps a game, 24th nationally. Vegas set the total at 55.5. The last 3 meetings have averaged a 14.0-point margin.
Blowout riskChernobyl
PaceSpeed LimitBoth Speed Limit
SeriesSplit Decisionavg margin 14.0 over 3 meetings
The matchup
season averages · national rank in FBS below each · the fuller bar leads · through Week 7
| California | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 23.999th | 32.747th | |
| Points allowed | 27.7105th | 21.347th | |
| Yards per play | 5.3111th | 6.812th | |
| Yards allowed per play | 5.9110th | 4.933rd | |
| Plays per game | 71.924th | 69.548th | |
| Turnover margin | +162nd | -399th | |
| 3rd down conversion | 37.5%85th | 48.1%23rd |
More stats +11
| California | SMU | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Rushing yards per game | 90.3136th | 141.593rd | |
| Passing yards per game | 288.115th | 329.35th | |
| QB completion rate | 65.3%50th | 73.6%2nd | |
| QB yards per attempt | 6.7112th | 9.59th | |
| O-line rank | 114thline yards · sack rate | 72ndline yards · sack rate | |
| D-line rank | 125thstuff rate · havoc | 25thstuff rate · havoc | |
| Sacks | 1365th | 1817th | |
| Interceptions | 717th | 2115th | |
| Forced fumbles | 288th | 359th | |
| Penalties per game | 8.9130th | 7.5101st | |
| Time of possession | 30:1862nd | 29:5175th |
The series
SMU leads 2–1 over the last 3
| Year | Result | Margin |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | California 38–35 | 3 |
| 2024 | SMU 38–6 | 32 |
| 1957 | SMU 13–6 | 7 |
How to watch
| Network | The CW |
|---|---|
| Stream | Antenna · CW app (free) |
| Kickoff | 12 PM EDT |
| Where | Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX |
What the Meter sees
| Power-conference matchupTwo of the big four on the same field — the bump, plus the floor every power-conference team carries | +14.0 |
|---|---|
| How good both teams are (unranked vs #20)Both teams' poll votes, with a smaller bonus for the one ranked side | +6.6 |
| Conference gameLeague standings are on the line | +5.0 |
| Where it's onThe CW — a network puts its best games where everyone can find them | +2.0 |
| Vegas says it's closeClosing spread of 18.5 — the tighter the number, the bigger the bump | +0.5 |
| Vegas says it's a blowoutClosing spread of 18.5 — the line says it is over before it starts | -5.1 |
| Gotta See It Meter™ | 23 |
Still Ball0–5Worth a Flip6–17I'll Bite18–33Ready to Rumble34–59Thunderdome60–99Maximum100
Quick answers
- What time does California vs SMU start?
- Saturday, Oct 24 at 12 PM EDT.
- What channel is California vs SMU on?
- The CW.
- How can I stream California vs SMU?
- Streaming on CW app (free).
- Who is favored in California vs SMU?
- SMU by 18.5. The total is 55.5.
- Where is California vs SMU played?
- Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX.