Matt Leinart's son, Cole Leinart made his official commitment to SMU on Wednesday, according to Hayes Fawcett on X. Eight schools offered Leinart an opportunity, including Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Now, Leinart will join a No. 13 ranked Mustangs team that is 8-1 on the season. Their only loss of the season came at the hands of No. 9 BYU, where they lost by a field goal.

Since then, SMU hasn't looked back. Their offense has dominated and shown explosiveness like no other, in part due to quarterback Kevin Jennings. Even legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban called Jennings the most underrated player in the country. Now, the Mustangs are loading up at the quarterback position for the next couple of years.

Even though SMU is No. 13 in the country, they would be ruled out of the College Football Playoff if it started today. However, SMU football coach Rhett Lashlee gave his honest thoughts on the matter. Luckily, the Mustangs are in control of their destiny. If they win out, they can secure a top-four seed in the CFP. 

Why would Matt Leinart's son, Cole Leinart, pick SMU?

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SMU has been dominant for the past few seasons, most notably in the AAC. Once SMU moved to the ACC, many thought their success couldn't be replicated. However, that's very far from the truth. In a season where Florida State fell off tremendously, the Mustangs have taken complete advantage. They're seventh in the country in points per game (40.1), while Miami (FL) is the only one with more points per game (47.1, which is first in the nation).

While Colorado and Utah recruited him, there's not as much of an opportunity there. Shedeur Sanders has lit it up for the Buffaloes but will likely head to the NFL Draft. Also, it's uncertain if his dad, head coach Deion Sanders will leave the program. For Utah, they're in a limbo situation with Isaac Wilson and Cameron Rising. The latter of the two technically has another year of eligibility.

Although Jennings is a sophomore, his promise might have him leave for the NFL Draft, either after this season or the following. Plus, a growing offensive system might allow Leinart to thrive. After all, his dad was a Heisman trophy winner, who knows all about opportunity. In a 12-team CFP, SMU has a chance to make it consistently. If they're able to do that, it could pave the way for Leinart to follow in his dad's footsteps.