SMU Suffers Major Blow Before Pitt Game

The SMU Mustangs suffered a major blow before the Pitt Panthers game.

Sep 28, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs wide receiver Jake Bailey (12) in action during the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Florida State Seminoles at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The No. 18 Pitt Panthers will face off against the No. 20 SMU Mustangs, who won't have one of their top playmakers for the Week 10 matchup.

Pete Thamel of ESPN reported that Mustangs graduate student wide receiver Jake Bailey will not play vs. the Panthers.

Source: SMU wide receiver Jake Bailey is out for the No. 20 Mustangs against No. 18 Pitt on Saturday night. He’s second on the team with 19 receptions and third with 275 receiving yards. SMU is also without top pass catcher RJ Maryland, as the star TE is out for the year. pic.twitter.com/Gil55yfX1K

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 2, 2024

Bailey is second on the team with 19 catches and third on the team with 275 yards. He also has one receiving touchdown in 2024.

He had a season-high four catches and 59 yards and the touchdown in the 59-7 victory over FCS opponent Houston Christian in Week 1 at home. He also tied his season-high of four receptions, along with 46 receiving yards, in the 40-10 blowout of Stanford in Week 8.

His best season for the Mustangs came in 2023, when he appeared in all 14 games, starting 13 contests and making a team-high 42 receptions for 528 yards.

Bailey started four games as a senior in 2022, before suffering a season-ending injury.

He spent his first three seasons at Rice before transferring to SMU. He played in 11 games with one start as a freshman in 2019, making nine catches for 53 yards.

Bailey would lead the Owls as a sophomore in 2020 with 447 all-purpose yards and 145 kickoff yards, while finishing second on the team with 23 receptions for 276 yards and two touchdowns in five games. He earned an All-Conference USA Honorable mention for both offense and special teams.

He led SMU with 56 catches for 714 yards and two touchdowns as a junior in 2021 in 11 games with nine starts. He earned an All-Conference USA Honorable mention once again.

This is the second top receiver for the Mustangs that will not play against the Panthers, as junior tight end RJ Maryland is out for the season. Maryland still leads the Mustangs with 24 catches for 359 yards and four touchdowns.

Pitt will face SMU at 8:00 p.m. on the ACC Network at Gerald J. Ford Stadium, serving as their first matchup against the ACC newcomer, joining from the American Athletic Conference.

This is the first game the Panthers will play on the ACC Network this season and their first night game on a Saturday, playing the Syracuse game on Oct. 24, a Thursday night, at 7:30 p.m.

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