Last November in Berkeley, Kendrick Raphael ran two yards into the end zone with 43 seconds left. That touchdown gave Cal a 38-35 upset over then-No. 21 SMU and knocked the Mustangs out of the ACC Championship Game, with Duke taking the spot instead.
He finished that night with a career-high 33 carries for 111 yards and five catches for 53 more.
READ MORE: Rhett Lashlee Is Making It Impossible For College Football To Ignore SMU
On Saturday, Raphael lines up against Cal wearing SMU colors.
He transferred to Dallas in the offseason and has become exactly what the Mustangs needed, piling up 537 yards and six touchdowns through six games, including a 197-yard, three-touchdown afternoon at Louisville.
He made a difference again last weekend against Virginia, grinding out 119 yards in a 23-13 win. It was his second 100-yard game of the season.
The No. 23 Mustangs host California at 11 a.m. CT at Ford Stadium, sitting at 5-1 and 3-1 in conference play. Cal arrives at 3-4 and 2-2 in the ACC, a disappointing turn for a team that opened the year with real expectations in the league.
The matchup itself presents an interesting wrinkle. Cal's secondary is the strength of its team, ranking 31st nationally in opponent EPA per pass and 51st in opponent pass success rate.
That runs directly into SMU's passing game, which has been the engine of the offense when Kevin Jennings has been sharp.
If Cal takes that away, the game falls to Raphael and an offensive line that has been quietly excellent. That is a scenario SMU should welcome.
The betting market has moved steadily toward SMU. The line opened at SMU -16.5 and has climbed to -19.5, the largest spread in an SMU conference game this season.
For anyone watching the totals, the under is 4-2 in SMU games and 5-2 in Cal games this year.
What SMU cannot afford is a letdown. The Mustangs have won three straight and control their own path to Charlotte, with Miami pulling away at the top.
READ MORE: SMU's Kevin Jennings 'Super Grateful' To Have Kendrick Raphael Ahead Of California Rematch
A loss here would undo much of what the last three weeks accomplished, and it would come against a team that already proved it can win this matchup.
Syracuse waits on the road next week, with Virginia Tech and Wake Forest at home after that. The schedule gets harder before it gets easier.
WHAT: California (3-4, 2-2 ACC) at No. 23 SMU (5-1, 3-1 ACC)
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 24, at 11 a.m. CT
WHERE: Gerald J. Ford Stadium | Dallas
TV: The CW
RADIO: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM and SiriusXM
BETTING ODDS VIA DRAFTKINGS
SPREAD: SMU -19.5 (-105) | California +19.5 (-115)
TOTAL: 55.5 (Over -105, Under -115)
MONEYLINE: SMU -1100 | California +700
