In our "4 & Go" series, The HillTopics will connect with a beat writer for SMU's upcoming opponent and ask four questions about the team. Additionally, the beat writer will provide the "Go" -- a bold prediction, statement or final thought to leave the readers.

This week, SMU opens the season at North Texas. We've reached out to Isaac Simpson, beat writer for TigerSportsReport.com.

It's been nearly a month since Memphis played a football game because of COVID-19. What is the atmosphere like with the Memphis locker room?

It's definitely been a trying year for college football in general, but especially for the Memphis Tigers. They haven't played a game since their season-opening, 37-24 win over Arkansas State due to several players/staff testing positive for COVID-19. They were already faced with the task of playing under a revamped coaching staff, including new head coach Ryan Silverfield. They also lost star running back Kenneth Gainwell a week before the season started, as he decided to sit out the year due to the pandemic.

Despite all of this, I think the guys are chomping at the bit to get back out there and are simply searching for normalcy. They've had one game canceled and one rescheduled. They are excited to be heading to Dallas this weekend for sure!

How much will not having Kenneth Gainwell in the lineup affect this offense? And what will the lineup look like?

You aren't going to replace a guy like Gainwell immediately. He meant so much to this offense amassing -- 2,069 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns last season. The good news for the Tigers is the cupboard is not bare. There is still tremendous talent in the Tigers' running back room.

It starts with sophomore Dreke Clark. He's unproven with only 26 carries during his freshman year but showed tremendous promise taking over bell cow duties against Arkansas State. He rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown, looking very Gainwell-esque at times with his shiftiness and ability to avoid defenders. He has the potential to continue the streak of tremendous running backs to come out of the university.

Behind him is junior Kylan Watkins. He is a dual-threat back who can get it done on the ground as well as through the air. Those two guys will see the bulk of the snaps on Saturday.

From a roster perspective, Ryan Silverfield is expecting most of the roster to be available. But what does that mean as we look at Memphis' chemistry? Also, what are your thoughts of Memphis from a health perspective?

Missing practice time and having one game canceled and another rescheduled certainly isn't easy. I don't envy Silverfield and this Tiger coaching staff for what they've had to deal with so far. I definitely think chemistry could be an issue seeing that by Saturday, Memphis will not have played a game in essentially a month with SMU rolling along as normal.

Silverfield has stated that he expects most players to be available, but some would not travel due to contact tracing. Per team policy, names nor how many players won't travel were not disclosed. In saying this, the coaching staff does sound optimistic that they will at least be close to full strength on Saturday.

Defensively, how important is this game, as it prepares for a high-octane SMU offense?

This will definitely be a test for this Tiger defense. They didn't look great at times against Arkansas State as they gave up some big plays in the first half. Eventually, they settled in and played better in the second half. To their credit, they were missing some key players in the secondary and are learning a new scheme under new defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre.

The biggest question mark on Saturday is, can their defensive front get pressure on Mustang quarterback Shane Buechele? If they can make him uncomfortable in the pocket, I think that'll go a long way toward success for them on Saturday.

GO

The month off and not being able to practice can be viewed as a blessing and a curse. On one hand, Memphis will be rested and won’t have the normal wear and tear that a team usually has at this point in the season. On the other hand, SMU has the advantage of being 3-0 and in a normal routine.

I definitely expect this game to be a shootout. We saw these two teams light up the scoreboard for a combined 102 points last season. I expect we could see something similar on Saturday.

From a one-game observation, Memphis doesn't appear to be quite as explosive after losing Gainwell and Antonio Gibson, but this is still a team that will rely heavily on its offense. I'm ready to sit back and enjoy the fireworks on Saturday afternoon.

Reach Isaac Simpson via Twitter