SMU, as we know, was one of the best underdog stories of college football in the 2024 season. From making it to the ACC championship game to making the playoffs, SMU was ruthless last season. And so, with that momentum and their best season since 1982, the media, fans, and the analysts are rallying all behind Rhett Lashlee‘s brilliance. But amidst all that, one famous quote of Nick Saban surfaces and changes the whole dynamics.

“I’m trying to get our players to listen to me instead of listening to you guys. All that stuff you write about how good we are. … It’s like poison. It’s like taking poison. Like rat poison,” said Nick Saban in 2017 to the media. From here, the term “rat poison” stuck, and Saban’s teams more often than not succeed in avoiding the ‘rat poison,’ even winning the national championship the same year of this interview. So, on that same note, there are concerns of SMU suffering that same ‘rat poison’ effect.

ESPN’s Tom Luginbill, speaking on the June 24 episode of the Crain and Company podcast, echoed similar concerns about SMU’s 2025 season. “It’s all psychological,” said Luginbill of the challenge that SMU will face, and went on to provide his reasoning. “Because they’re not sneaking up on anybody this time around. Nobody knew about Kevin Jennings before, everybody knows about Kevin Jennings now, and to me, what Rhett Lashlee’s primary focus has to be coaching this football team is not buying into the press clippings, not listening to everybody patting you on the back, telling you how good you are.” And the ESPN analyst is fair to be cautious…

SMU is already ranked very high in several major media outlets’ way-too-early rankings. For instance, ESPN’s rankings by Mark Schlabach place them at 15th overall and tout them to even make the playoffs if they exceed expectations. Brad Crawford of 247 Sports’ way-too-early rankings also put the Mustangs at 11th with just one position behind LSU, and touting them to make the playoffs easily. So, all of this means that expectations and praise are high for the Mustangs, and this could mean complacency, right?

The Mustangs’ high expectations are for a reason. They have some of their key players returning, including their QB, Kevin Jennings. This is the same player who produced 3,245 yards and 354 rushing yards and would look to cross the 4,000+ mark this year. Then there is Jordan Hudson coming back after being reliable with 442 receiving yards last season. Tight end RJ Maryland, defensive end Isaiah Smith, safety Isaiah Nwokobia, and several others, the list is quite long with the talent that is returning, and hence the hype. So riding this hype bogey was another ESPN analyst who covers football for the ACC.

Contrasting opinions in the ESPN camp show the complexity of the SMU Mustangs’ success in 2025

SMU has shown a willingness to invest in both NIL money and facilities even before their 11-win season last year. For instance, the $100 million Ford Stadium’s expansion was completed in 2024 and was a major factor in their invitation to the ACC. Not just this, but their NIL collectives are also well funded, with their Boulevard Collective launched in August 2022 with an average $36,000 annual payments to football and basketball athletes. So all of this makes them a top program, and combined with their football exploits, ESPN’s Taylor Tannebaum seemed extremely optimistic for them.

“Well, one, they’re invested in their programs and that has to do obviously with money… they’ve got it and they’re going to flaunt it and they’re not afraid to show it, and they do it the right way though,” said Taylor Tannebaum. She even praised head coach Rhett Lashlee and batted for a successful season for the Mustangs in 2025.

“He was the offensive coordinator at Auburn, and he’s a winner. Like he’s a proven winner. He knows how to win. And while they were jumping from G5 to P4, they already knew what winning felt like. That was a big credit to their leader, and not making the moment too big for them. And the belief he has in his guys and his coaching staff, I think, really translated,” Tannebaum added.

To be honest, the takes of both Taylor and Tom Luginbill are apt in their own places. The Mustangs do have to watch out for complacency with their newfound freedom and success in the ACC. But that doesn’t mean they won’t repeat their heroics in the 2025 season, courtesy of the returning talent they have. However, we have seen programs bottling seasons in complacency, like FSU did after their 2023 season, but hopefully that won’t happen with the Mustangs, right?