Are the SMU Mustangs the Worst Team in the FBS?

Another week, another embarrassing defeat for the SMU Mustangs.

This time, it was at the hands of the TCU Horned Frogs, who came into Gerald J. Ford Stadium last Saturday and steamrolled the Mustangs on their way to a 56-0 victory. Watching the TCU players beat the entire SMU team with the Iron Skillet for four quarters would have probably been less brutal.

The loss dropped the Mustangs to 0-4 on the season, during which they haven’t looked even close to competitive. After completing its non-conference slate of games, SMU ranks dead last in the FBS in several statistical categories: scoring offense (3.0 points per game), scoring defense (50.5 points per game), total offense (206.8 yards per game) and sacks allowed (29). I could go on listing other categories that they rank very poorly in, but I think you get the point.

At quarterback, SMU has been a mess this season. Four different players have been under center for the Mustangs, combining to throw one touchdown and four interception with a mediocre 51.0 completion percentage.

Junior Garrett Krstich started most recently for SMU, completing just 14-of-30 passes for 142 yards, no touchdowns and one interception against the Horned Frogs. Seniors Der’rick Thompson and Stephen Nelson are the only receivers to reach double-digit receptions so far this year, and sophomore Nate Halverson caught the Mustangs’ only touchdown of the season in garbage time (the final play of the game) against North Texas.

Their defense hasn’t been any better, and things may only get worse for them when they hit the road this Saturday to face No. 22 East Carolina in the Pirates’ AAC debut.

Behind the play of quarterback Shane Carden, the Pirates boast one of the country’s best offenses. They’re putting up 43.3 points and 581.5 yards per game so far in 2014, and are coming off a win over North Carolina where they set a school record with 789 yards of total offense.

This certainly doesn’t bode well for the struggling Mustangs, who are still looking to build any kind of positive momentum to build off of. SMU has played extremely poorly thus far, and the fact that it’s had to and will continue to endure a grueling schedule has made matters that much worse.

There’s still a lot of football to be played, and maybe the Mustangs will make significant strides under interim head coach Tom Mason, but any dreams of improving from their 5-7 in 2013 have been completely dashed. A Mustangs team that entered the season with at least some hope of reaching bowl eligibility has instead staked its claim as one of the worst teams in all of college football.