SMU has played two games already — they haven’t seemed to be the team of last year in either of the games
BYU has played one game already — they haven’t seemed to be the team of last year in their game

I would still give SMU the slight advantage plus the homefield bump, but 11.5 is a crazy initial spread. The fact that it is staying there is even more crazy. Maybe Texans are betting with hearts and not their wallets?