EA Sports College Football 25 Simulation Of BYU/SMU

DALLAS – Will BYU pull off the upset against SMU? The official outcome will come inside Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Friday night.

Until then, we can get a simulation of how the game plays out on EA Sports College Football 25.

We’re using the sticks for the second consecutive week to predict a BYU football game. Last week, the video game projected BYU to beat Southern Illinois 42-39.

The game was close on BYU’s offensive output, as the Cougars finished with 41 points, but they were wrong about the defensive performance. BYU held the Salukis to 13 points.

Simulating BYU/SMU on EA Sports College Football 25

Remember, I’m letting the game play out—no user interference. I did edit BYU’s uniforms to reflect what they will wear on Friday night. They are going with an All-White combo featuring a navy blue helmet and white facemask.

I chose the Mustangs’ standard home jersey since SMU’s new red uniform was not in the game.

On the personnel side, Jake Retzlaff was the full-time quarterback starter. I also elevated Mata’ava Ta’ase as the second-string tight end.

For SMU’s quarterback situation, I gave Preston Stone the entire game. But the Mustangs have shown that they play Stone the first two drives and then bring Kevin Jennings in for drives three and four of a given game.

That was not part of the simulation.

BYU’s overall rating in the matchup is 80, compared to SMU’s 87. The Cougars are 75 on offense and 80 on defense. SMU’s offense is 85, and its defense is 82.

Jakob Robinson is doing Jakob Robinson things in a sim of #BYU vs. SMU.#CFB25 #BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/Gkexqa2XZA

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 3, 2024

First Quarter

BYU’s offense had one drive in the first quarter, a three-and-out. SMU controlled the time of possession. But with 2:58 remaining in the quarter, SMU, on BYU’s 41-yard line, opted to go for it on 4th & 3.

BYU star cornerback Jakob Robinson picked off the pass and took it to the house for a 69-yard touchdown to get the scoring started.

BYU 7, SMU 0

Second Quarter

SMU opened the second quarter with an early two-yard touchdown run to tie up the game.

The second quarter was a defensive battle until 3:19 to go in the half after SMU shanked a punt, giving BYU the ball at midfield.

BYU QB Jake Retzlaff began to settle in and find his groove in the passing game. Retzlaff connected with Kody Epps on two passes. Then Retzlaff found Keanu Hill in the endzone near the sideline for a 17-yard touchdown pass.

Officials reviewed the completion to see if Hill stepped out of bounds. After review, the call on the field was confirmed and BYU was back out in front, 14-7 with 1:25 to go.

Preston Stone and the SMU offense turned up the tempo and put together a two-minute drive. They put together an 85-yard drive in 1:03, capped off by a Jake Bailey seven-yard touchdown grab to tie it up again.

BYU had 95 yards (47 pass, 48 rush) of total offense at the break to SMU’s 225 (177 pass, 48 rush).

Halftime: BYU 14, SMU 14

Third Quarter

Momentum was building for SMU in the third quarter as the Mustangs were putting together drives that would reach BYU territory, but the Cougar defense found ways to get stops.

The game turned at the 5:47 mark of the quarter.

SMU DT Mike Lockhart hit Retzlaff from his blindside and jarred the football loose. Lockhart then scooped up the ball on the 15-yard line and ran down to the BYU one-yard line. One play later, SMU punched in a run for a score to take its first lead.

Retzlaff had a quick answer as he found a wide-open Kody Epps over the middle for a 50-yard touchdown pass.

After the touchdown, BYU’s defense forced a three-and-out, giving the offense a chance to take the lead. SMU forced BYU into a three-and-out of their own.

The Mustangs capitalized by regaining the lead after a four-yard touchdown run from Jaylan Knighton.

BYU’s offense needed another answer. The crowd was getting loud as BYU took the field.

Jake Retzlaff threw a pass at the sticks intended for Chase Roberts on the drive’s first play. SMU’s Jahari Rogers jumped into the passing lane and picked it off for a 20-yard score.

BYU’s next series had the same result. On second down, Retzlaff passed to Roberts and Rogers picked it off again for another pick-six.

SMU 42, BYU 21

Fourth Quarter

Despite the big deficit, BYU didn’t roll over. The offense pieced together another drive, which ended with a 39-yard touchdown pass from Retzlaff to Chase Roberts.

BYU’s defense couldn’t make the necessary stop on the following possession. SMU took an unexpected shot downfield from Stone to Romello Brinson, which resulted in a 62-yard touchdown, putting the Mustangs back up by 21.

BYU added another score on a three-yard touchdown pass from Retzlaff to Hinckley Ropati with 2:41 remaining.

The BYU staff opted for an onside kick despite having all three timeouts and the two-minute warning in front of them. SMU recovered the onside kick, earned a first down, and then settled for a 51-yard field goal attempt.

The kicker missed the attempt, giving BYU another possession with 1:47 remaining. However, the drive stalled around the SMU 45-yard line as BYU couldn’t convert on 4th & 19.

BYU suffered their first loss of the simulated season on College Football 25.

A pass-happy second half significantly boosted Jake Retzlaff’s passing stats. The redshirt junior finished with 357 yards on 24-of-37 passing, four touchdowns, and two costly interceptions, which proved the difference.

SMU’s Preston Stone finished with 310 passing yards on 18-of-26, two touchdowns, and one interception.

BYU’s ground attack was nonexistent against SMU. The Cougs leading rusher was Hinckley Ropati, with nine carries for 55 yards. LJ Martin chipped in eight carries for 21 yards.

Micah Harper led BYU in tackles with 10 and Harrison Taggart had nine. BYU finished the game with zero sacks.

Final: SMU 49, BYU 35.#BYUFootball pic.twitter.com/RwZKCz4L9m

— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) September 3, 2024

FINAL Sim Score on EA Sports College Football 25: SMU 49, BYU 35

Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU in the Big 12 Conference on X: @Mitch_Harper.

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