Forget the emotional highs of the rivalry win against TCU and the ACC opener against Florida State; SMU ascended to ACC Championship contender status in Saturday's 34-27 win over No. 22-ranked Louisville.

Part of it is a favorable schedule – the Mustangs miss out on ACC favorites Clemson and Miami. However, most of the credit lies in how Rhett Lashlee has remade this roster since taking the job in November 2021. Lashlee has added 42 players from a Power Four program in three transfer cycles. 

SMU is no longer scoring 45 points per game and surrendering 50 on the other end. Louisville had a 1st-and-10 from the 15-yard line, threatening to tie the game with just under four minutes remaining. Quarterback Tyler Shough was sacked by Kori Roberson Jr. (an Oklahoma transfer) and intercepted on 4th down by Isaiah Nwokobia. Needing two first downs to ice the game, Texas A&M transfer running back LJ Johnson Jr. and Miami transfer wide receiver Key'Shawn Smith delivered. 

And even with all those transfers, SMU has developed a team-first culture. Culture is an overused, non-specific term. So here's an example.

SMU's offense has shifted out of neutral since turning to Kevin Jennings as the full-time starter. With the help of a ball-hawking defense putting up some points of their own, the Mustangs are scoring 58.66 points per game in this three-game stretch. On Saturday, Jennings became the first SMU quarterback since Matt Davis in 2014 to have over 200 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in a single game. He's been lights out.

But when Jennings took a shot on a QB draw and briefly exited the game midway through the first quarter, last year's starter Preston Stone stepped on the field for the first time in a month and threw a touchdown pass. On the sideline, ESPN camera caught Jennings and Stone doing their signature celebration together. And then Stone, who was quoted preseason saying he felt as if many moments in his life had led him to be SMU's starting quarterback for its first ACC season, returned to the sideline for the rest of the game as Jennings led the team to victory, cheering on every touchdown. 

That's culture. That's why SMU is an ACC contender.