It's our custom to interview a beat reporter for the team Cal is playing each week and we talked this week with Lia Assimakopoulos, who covers SMU for the Dallas Morning News.

Here is what she had to say about the nation's once-beaten, 23rd-ranked team:

1. SMU had produced just one season with as many as nine victories in the four decades before Rhett Lashlee’s arrival in 2022. He has gotten to that total or more three times in his first four seasons and is on pace for another great season. What are the most important things he bought to the equation and how has university support helped elevate the program?

Assimakopoulos pointed out that Lashlee had previously worked at SMU as offensive coordinator, so the school was familiar with him. When they needed a new head coach, when Sonny Dykes left to go take the job at TCU, they knew they wanted Rhett and they knew they were never going to let money be an issue again,” she said.

The school has provided the cash for the Mustangs to land and retain players in recruiting. 

And Lashlee’s influence includes coaching teams that continue to improve through the season. 

“One thing about SMU is it just feels like they get better as seasons go on. Usually by November they kind of hit their stride.”

2. Three-year starting quarterback Kevin Jennings seems to have taken his game to a higher level this season — better completion percentage, more touchdowns, fewer interceptions. What has been most important to his continued evolution as a quarterback?

“You hit on it there. The turnovers for him were really the big question entering the season. This is his third year as the starter, fifth year on the roster. 

“Kevin has shown, even from his first few games as a starter, his potential and his play-making ability. He can run. He can throw. He can really do it all. He can extend plays with his legs — that’s really his strength. 

“His kind of kryptonite was turnovers and kind of silly interceptions. Fumbles in bad times in games. It was kind of the thing holding him back from being considered an elite quarterback.”

She said the past three weeks Jennings has led an offense that is playing clean football. After SMU beating Virginia last week, Lashlee said it was one of Jennings’ best performances. 

“He said he was boring. That’s a good thing. That’s what he needed. He still passed for around 300 yards and a couple touchdowns. He was boring but that’s all they needed and he didn’t turn the ball over.”

3. Kendrick Raphael was a productive player as a workhorse running back for Cal last season. Talk about his impact on the Mustangs and whether he has been a surprise? Has he publicly talked about facing his old school?

“Kendrick was a player SMU was familiar with because he pretty much ended their chances of making the ACC championship game last year,” she said. “He scored the game-winning touchdown (for Cal) in that game . . . also rushed for over 100 yards. He was very much a workhorse.

“They kind of saw that and when he entered the portal, they said, `We know exactly who this is.’ They saw him was a workhorse kind of back they could really lean on and he’s been that for them.”

“In terms of playing Cal, he’s talked about it a little bit. He said he’s connected with some old teammates. There’s been a lot of turnover there but still has some friends there and they’ve been talking smack this week a little bit, but trying to not talk too much.

“He said he’s really looking forward to play them.”

4. What can you tell us about 25-year-old defensive end Marques White, who leads the team with 4 1/2 sacks? He’s at his fourth school and in his eighth year in college. Quite a journey.

She said White was not a player anyone expected to be leading the team in sacks at this point. An injury to another player gave him his chance and he’s run with it.

“Marcus has had to step into a bigger role. It’s his first power-conference school and he said this is what he’s been working toward for close to a decade now.”

White has been a defensive “playmaker,” Assimakopoulos said. “He’s been a cool story to follow this season.”

5. SMU does not get the chance to play top-ranked Miami during the regular season but has critical games on consecutive weeks in November against Wake Forest and Notre Dame. Wondering how much talk there at this point about the team’s chances of landing in the College Football Playoff for the second time in three seasons? 

“Definitely more chatter among fans than coaches and players,” she said, noting that the team doesn’t believe it has played to its potential yet.

“But fans, yeah, I think there is a lot of expectation that SMU can be in the conversation to make the playoff. I think once they did it in 2024, the bar was set very high. For a team that was so bad for so long, all of a sudden the expectations are so high that they’re going to compete for a conference title every year and be in that (CFP) conversation.”

She acknowledged that Wake Forest and Notre Dame will probably be “the season-deciding game” for SMU. 

“Wake Forest, that could very well be a play-in game for the ACC championship, assuming Miami stays undefeated.

“A win over Notre Dame would sure make them look a lot more compelling as an at-large and they do win the rest of their games and they do play close with Miami, even if they lose. A two-loss team with a win over Notre Dame would definitely be a compelling resume.”