Look at what SMU did after halftime against Cal: 492 total yards, 7.2 yards per play, 4-for-4 on fourth down and no turnovers. That is a team confident enough to go for it and good enough to convert. Syracuse's win over North Carolina was messier but real. The Orange outgained the Heels 455 to 372, also didn't turn it over, and Ahmad Miller ground out 125 yards on 30 carries.
The common opponents tell a story. Both teams lost to Louisville: SMU 41-31 on the road, Syracuse 34-26 at home. Both also played Virginia. SMU beat the Cavaliers 23-13 at home, and Syracuse lost to them 28-25 on the road. The close games keep going SMU's way and away from Syracuse. Both of the Orange's wins in this stretch came by 1 point, against UConn and North Carolina.
Syracuse's problem is on defense. The Orange have allowed 41, 28, 34 and 30 in their last 4 games against FBS opponents, and none of those offenses was as dangerous as the one Jennings is running right now. At 1-4 in conference play, there isn't much room left in the season, but beating a ranked team in the Dome would change how the next month feels.
What to watch: Angeli and the Orange receivers against an SMU secondary without Polley, and whether Miller can carry the ball enough times to keep Jennings on the sideline. If Syracuse lets this turn into a shootout, the Mustangs have shown they can score 42 in a half. If the Orange win the clock the way they did at North Carolina, this could be another one-score game in the fourth quarter, where Syracuse has spent most of its October.