Tag: SMU Mustangs

Kevin Jennings, SMU roll past short-handed Louisville 38-6

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kevin Jennings had his third consecutive game of at least 300 yards passing and accounted for four touchdowns to keep SMU in the race for the ACC championship with an impressive 38-6 victory over short-handed Louisville on Saturday at Dallas.

The junior quarterback threw for 303 yards and three scores while completing 29 of 37 passed before leaving the game midway through the fourth quarter as the game was well in hand.

Jennings was nearly perfect in the first half, going 16 of 18 for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He added a rushing TD as the Mustangs (8-3, 6-1 ACC) built a 21-6 halftime lead over the Cardinals (7-4, 4-4).

Eight players caught passes from Jennings, with Jordan Hudson finishing with eight receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown.

T.J. Harden ran 18 times for 90 yards for the Mustangs, who racked up 485 total yards against a Louisville defense that entered Saturday allowing 297.9 yards per game, 15th-best in the nation.

Saturday’s loss was Louisville’s third straight and worst since falling 45-13 to Kentucky on Nov. 30, 2019.

It was the Cardinals’ first setback by more than seven points since falling 42-28 in the 2023 Holiday Bowl to Southern California. Miller Moss quarterbacked the Trojans in that game and was the Cardinals starter at that position for the first 10 games this season.

Moss missed Saturday’s game with reports that he came away with a foot injury earlier in the week.

Louisville also played with top running backs Isaac Brown and Keyjuan Brown. The duo had amassed 1,374 rushing yards this season. The Cardinals also lost wide receiver Caullin Lacy to an apparent right ankle injury on the first play of the second half.

Deuce Adams made his first start at quartervack for the Cardinals. The redshirt freshman completed 12 of 17 passes for 94 yards.

In order to play in the conference title game at Charlotte in two weeks, SMU must win next week at Cal and get outside help.

–Field Level Media

Derrick McFall, Kevin Jennings help SMU maul Boston College

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Derrick McFall ran for three touchdowns and Kevin Jennings threw for three as visiting SMU rolled past Boston College 45-13 on Saturday afternoon at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Jennings connected with seven receivers while racking up 326 passing yards to lead the Mustangs (7-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to their second straight victory following last Saturday’s upset of then-No. 10 Miami. Yamir Knight (seven catches, 162 yards) and Jordan Hudson (five catches, 104 yards) each caught a touchdown.

SMU outgained the opposition 574-382 and took advantage of four Boston College turnovers, extending their nation-leading total to 26 on the season. Twenty-eight of its points were scored in the second half.

The Mustangs also sacked the quarterback eight times while handing the Eagles their ninth straight setback.

Dylan Lonergan played the majority of the game for Boston College (1-9, 0-6) at quarterback, going 25-for-37 passing for 232 yards and one touchdown in relief of Grayson James.

After both teams’ first series ended with quarterback sacks, the Mustangs strung together a seven-play, 70-yard drive to take the lead with 8:56 left in the first quarter. Hudson caught a 44-yard screen pass from Jennings to set up McFall’s 1-yard touchdown run.

SMU turned its first of two first-quarter takeaways — James fumbling after being strip-sacked — into Sam Feltner’s 20-yard field goal. T.J. Harden’s 7-yard score two plays after the fumble was wiped away due to a penalty, and the Boston College defense held in the red zone.

The Eagles turned the ball over on downs on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter, including once after Lonergan led them on a 12-play drive to SMU’s 4-yard line. The latter series saw Jennings hit Knight for a 36-yard completion on third-and-3, setting up Hudson’s 25-yard score.

Luca Lombardo kicked field goals of 31 and 36 yards in the final 1:11 before halftime, bringing Boston College within 17-6. Josiah Griffin’s interception and a Lonergan strike to Bond set up the latter kick as time expired.

Another big-hit play on SMU’s first offensive series after intermission extended the lead to 24-6. On first-and-20 following a penalty, Jennings aired out a 61-yard pass to Knight, who made one defender miss and marched into the end zone.

After another Lonergan interception, Matthew Hibner caught a 37-yarder to finish a seven-play series late in the third. The Mustangs forced a third turnover on downs before starting the fourth with a 6-yard McFall score to up the lead to 38-6.

Lonergan found Jordan McDonald for a 5-yard touchdown on Boston College’s next series halfway through the final frame, but McFall busted out a 48-yard touchdown run to cap a quick 4-play drive and end the scoring with 6:38 left.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee looks on during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Kevin Jennings, defense lift SMU over Stanford

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kevin Jennings passed for 247 yards and two touchdowns and Justin Medlock returned a fourth-quarter interception 96 yards for a score as SMU outlasted Stanford 34-10 on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference clash in Dallas.

Jennings hit on 22 of his 30 passes and connected with Chris Johnson Jr. and Derrick McFall on scoring tosses. Johnson added 96 yards rushing on just five carries that included an 87-yard TD run for the Mustangs (4-2, 2-0 ACC), who won their second straight game.

The Cardinal (2-4, 1-2 ACC) got 278 passing yards and a touchdown from quarterback Ben Gulbranson but was held without points twice on drives inside the SMU 5-yard line. CJ Williams hauled in seven throws for 109 yards and a TD for Stanford.

SMU took the lead on a 19-yard Jennings-to-McFall touchdown pass with 2:39 to play in the first quarter that capped a 13-play, 75-yard march. Sam Keltner added a 32-yard field goal with 12:30 left in the second quarter to expand the Mustangs’ lead to 10-0.

The game turned in a major way in the final two minutes of the second quarter. Stanford reeled off an 18-play, 73-yard march that consumed almost 10 minutes but was turned away on fourth down and goal at the SMU 1 when Micah Ford was stopped short of the goal line.

After four plays gave SMU a little room to work, Johnson rolled around right end and sprinted down the sideline for an 87-yard score to make it 17-0 with just 35 seconds to play until halftime.

That was enough time for the Cardinal to answer, with Gulbranson hitting four straight passes to move 75 yards and culminating the possession with a 14-yard TD pass to CJ Williams with two seconds left.

Jennings was Houdini-like in working his way out of trouble in the backfield before finding Johnson for a wild 42-yard catch and run for a touchdown that expanded SMU’s lead to 24-7 with 8:22 to play in the third quarter.

Emmet Kenney’s 34-yard field goal with 34 seconds left in the third got Stanford within 24-10. The Cardinal again drove to the shadow of the SMU end zone with over six minutes remaining before Medlock stepped in front of a Gulbranson pass, intercepted it and rambled nearly the length of the field to cement the win for the Mustangs.

Keltner capped the scoring with a 48-yard field goal with 1:32 to play.

–Field Level Media

Sep 6, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) runs with the ball during the game between the SMU Mustangs and the Baylor Bears at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

SMU looking to bounce back at FBS newcomer Missouri State

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After letting a potentially valuable victory slip away in the waning moments last week, SMU will try to regroup at Missouri State on Saturday afternoon.

The Mustangs (1-1) took a 14-point lead over Baylor inside the final six minutes before suffering a painful 48-45 double-overtime loss.

“For 3 1/2 quarters we were the better team,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “And then we didn’t finish.”

Now they will travel to take on Missouri State (1-1) in Springfield, Mo.

The Mustangs fell out of the Top 25 in both polls this week after failing to close out Baylor. That was a big setback in their bid to return to the College Football Playoff bracket.

“If we want to have a good football team, all our goals are still there,” Lashlee said. “This doesn’t take any goals off the table for us.”

SMU’s Kevin Jennings has passed for 555 yards and five touchdowns in two games. But he has also thrown two interceptions and suffered four sacks.

T.J. Harden (157 yards, three touchdowns) leads the ground game and Romello Brinson (11 catches, 247 yards, three touchdowns) is the top receiving target.

Missouri State is coming off a breakthrough 21-20 victory at Marshall, its first win since moving up to the FBS level. That dramatic rebound from its season-opening 73-13 loss at Southern California silenced some doubters.

“We know exactly who we are,” Bears coach Ryan Beard said. “We know how hard we work. We know the talent we have in that locker room.”

Hosting SMU is another huge step for a program making the leap from the FCS level.

“It’s been fun creating history the last five years, especially the last two years, specifically with this group as a head coach,” Beard said. “In the offseason, everybody was going, ‘It’s going to take forever, you can’t win.’ I think we can.”

Jacob Clark passed for 506 yards and four touchdowns in the Bears’ first two games. Ramone Green (180 rushing and receiving yards) and Shomari Lawrence (125 rushing and receiving yards) share running back duties. Jmariyae Robinson (six catches, 115 yards, one touchdown) is Clark’s top receiving target.

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Virginia Cavaliers during the second half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

ACC championship game capsule: SMU vs. Clemson

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Atlantic Coast Conference championship game
SMU (11-1) vs. Clemson (9-3)
Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET
Charlotte, N.C., Bank of America Stadium
TV: ABC
Early line: SMU -1.5 (FanDuel)

What’s at stake:
SMU should be part of the playoffs even with a loss but just know the Mustangs badly want to win the title game in their first season in the ACC. The Mustangs didn’t play Clemson in the regular season and this matchup will be their first-ever clash.

The Tigers landed a spot in the title game when Miami lost to Syracuse and now can play their way into the playoffs with a win. Clemson undoubtedly will be passed over if it sustains a fourth loss.

How they got here:
SMU didn’t seem like much of a playoff threat when it had to score 18 unanswered points in the final eight-plus minutes of the season opener to beat Nevada and then lost to BYU on Sept. 6. But then the Mustangs rolled up 66 points against TCU to start a stretch of nine straight games topping 30. SMU’s defense allowed a total of 13 points in wins over Virginia and Cal to end the regular season.

Clemson got whipped by 31 points by Georgia in its season opener and lost to South Carolina in Saturday’s finale to go 0-2 against ranked foes. The Tigers rolled up several easy victories along the way but never looked as ferocious as some of their other teams during the Dabo Swinney era. The loss to the in-state Gamecocks was a fitting end to the regular season.

Names to know:
–SMU
QB Kevin Jennings
Strong overall season with 2,746 yards and 19 TDs in the air and four scores on the ground.

RB Brashard Smith
Stellar runner averaging 6.0 yards per carry to go with 1,157 yards and 14 TDs on the ground.

LB Kobe Wilson
Stands out against both the run and the pass, leading the team with 95 tackles and also compiling three sacks and two interceptions.

–Clemson
QB Cade Klubnik
Has thrown for 3,041 yards and 29 touchdowns and has been intercepted just five times.

RB Phil Mafah
Tough runner has 1,078 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, topping 100 six times.

DE T.J. Parker
Has put together a stellar campaign with 15.5 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks, to lead the defense.

Xs and Os:
The Mustangs are a little overlooked on defense but have 21 takeaways (15 interceptions, six fumbles) and three players have picked off three passes. The opportunistic nature complements an offense that has scored 40 or more points five times this season.

Clemson also has done a great job creating turnovers (14 interceptions, nine fumbles) with safety Khalil Barnes being the lone player to nab three picks. Parker has forced five fumbles and he can be a game-changer if SMU has trouble blocking him.

Prediction:
SMU 31, Clemson 21

–Field Level Media

Nov 23, 2024; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers running back Kobe Pace (5) carries the ball against the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the first half at Scott Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Kevin Jennings, No. 13 SMU blow out Virginia

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Kevin Jennings passed for 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as No. 13 SMU added to its case to be a part of the College Football Playoff with a 33-7 win over Virginia on Saturday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference matchup in Charlottesville, Va.

The Mustangs (10-1, 7-0 ACC) have won eight straight games and clinched a berth in the ACC championship game against either Miami or Clemson in their first year in the league. The winner of the ACC championship earns an automatic berth in the 12-team CFP.

Jennings hit on 25 of his 33 passed as SMU outgained the Cavaliers 434-173 and averaged 6.4 yards per snap.

Anthony Colandrea passed for 108 yards and a score for Virginia (5-6, 3-4 ACC), which has lost five of its past six games. The Cavaliers need to win at Virginia Tech on Nov. 30 to play in their first bowl game since the 2019 season.

The Mustangs struck first as Brashard Smith scored on a 4-yard run. It came seven minutes into the game at the end of a 78-yard, seven-play march.

Both teams missed field goals in the second quarter, with Collin Rogers pulling a 48-yard attempt for SMU on the opening play of the period, and the Cavaliers’ Will Bettridge missing from 41 yards at the 9:19 mark.

SMU added to its advantage when Jennings hit Jordan Hudson on a 17-yard catch and run with 5:52 to play before halftime. That was more than enough time for Rogers to make amends for his earlier miss when hit a 35-yard field goal with 1:25 left in the second quarter.

Rogers converted again, this time from 39 yards, on the Mustangs’ opening possession of the third quarter to extend the lead to 20-0. Jennings then made it 26-0 with a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 12:21 left in the game. It capped a 14-play, 74-yard drive that chewed up more than seven minutes.

Virginia finally lit the scoreboard on Colandrea’s scrambling 4-yard scoring pass to Malachi Fields on fourth-and-goal with 4:16 left. Jennings capped the scoring with a 16-yard touchdown throw to Matthew Hibner with 1:42 to play.

–Field Level Media

Nov 16, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; SMU Mustangs wide receiver Moochie Dixon (5) catches a pass as Boston College Eagles cornerback Bryquice Brown (19) defends during the first half at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 14 SMU keeps rolling, knocks off Boston College

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Kevin Jennings went 24-for-35 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns as No. 14 SMU held off visiting Boston College 38-28 in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday in Dallas.

Jennings found three different receivers for touchdowns as the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) remained unbeaten in their first ACC season. Jordan Hudson had seven catches for 99 yards and a score.

Brashard Smith rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.

In his first start since Thomas Castellanos was benched and entered the transfer portal, Grayson James completed 18 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown for Boston College (5-5, 2-4).

Kye Robichaux rushed for two touchdowns and 90 yards on 21 carries.

Boston College got back within 31-28 after Robichaux capped a 10-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown with 5:52 remaining in regulation. On its ensuing drive, though, James was sacked twice after a Jordan McDonald fourth-and-one conversion.

After the turnover on downs, Jennings found Key’Shawn Smith for a 5-yard score on fourth down to ice the game for SMU.

After Collin Rogers missed a 24-yard field goal at the end of an 11-play opening drive to the red zone, SMU forced a three-and-out and proceeded to score the first touchdown when Jennings completed a 15-yard pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. along the left side.

Boston College turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing drive before the teams combined to trade scores on each of the next four possessions, beginning with a Rogers 35-yard field goal late in the first.

James began to find his rhythm from there, as a 23-yard strike to Lewis Bond over the middle set up Robuchaux’s 2-yard touchdown run — capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive — with 9:49 left in the second.

Aided by a pass interference penalty on third down, the Mustangs responded with a 4-yard run by Brashard Smith to take a 17-7 lead.

James’ 13-yard strike to Kamari Morales with 1:03 left before halftime brought the Eagles within 17-14, but after both quarterbacks traded interceptions within a span of three plays, Rogers booted a 41-yard field goal as time expired.

The Eagles scored on an eight-play, 83-yard drive out of halftime as James reached the end zone on a 20-yard run, giving them their first lead at 21-20.

Halfway through the third, Jennings reversed the score again when he hit Hudson for a 38-yard touchdown and Brashard Smith added a 2-point conversion, completing a 1:53 drive.

After forcing another three-and-out, the Mustangs added Rogers’ 37-yard field goal with 4:02 left in the quarter to make it 31-21.

–Field Level Media

Oct 20, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) throws the ball against the Temple Owls during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

No. 22 SMU takes high-powered offense on road vs. Duke

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If No. 22 SMU is going to contend for the Atlantic Coast Conference championship, there obviously are going to be big games along the way.

Count Saturday night against host Duke at Durham, N.C., among those.

SMU (6-1, 3-0) is riding a four-game winning streak and is trying to stay unblemished in league play along with Clemson, Miami and Pitt.

Duke (6-1, 2-1) is in the mix as well, but the Blue Devils need to take care of business Saturday in their penultimate home game of the season.

SMU has 34 or more points in four consecutive games. The Mustangs are 22-1 under coach Rhett Lashlee when racking up 30 or more points.

Despite the production, there wasn’t a sense from the Mustangs that all of it has been smooth.

“A lot of things to clean up as we get ready to go play a big-time defense,” Lashlee said.

Much of SMU’s firepower comes from dual-threat quarterback Kevin Jennings, a sophomore who posted a career-high 322 passing yards in SMU’s 40-10 victory over Stanford last Saturday.

So disrupting what Jennings is able to do is among the priorities for Duke’s defense.

“To put pressure on somebody where they had to throw to win,” Blue Devils coach Manny Diaz said.

Part of the plan for Duke will come with using a steady diet of fresh linemen on defense.

“You got to get subs in all the time, especially with the tempo they play,” Diaz said. “They’ve got a lot of weapons on offense, but football always starts with the big guys up front.”

SMU has lost tight end RJ Maryland for the season with a knee injury, Lashlee said Tuesday.

Duke defensive back Chandler Rivers and linebacker Ozzie Nicholas were picked as ACC Players of the Week at their respective positions based on performances in a 23-16 win over Florida State last week.

On offense, there were snags for the Blue Devils, particularly with the passing attack. After reviewing the footage, Diaz said it was nothing “to hang in the passing game Hall of Fame.”

Duke is trying to figure out the tight end position after it was revealed that Nicky Dalmolin is out for the season with a lower leg injury. Jake Taylor played 55 snaps in the Florida State game as his replacement.

The Blue Devils could have receiver Jordan Moore available for a heavier workload considering he was limited to special situations against Florida State.

The Blue Devils notched a piece of history by defeating Florida State. That was the first time in 23 all-time meetings that Duke beat the Seminoles.

SMU has won eight straight road games, matching Texas for the longest streak in the country. Saturday’s game will be the Mustangs’ third straight road assignment.

Duke is 15-2 at home across three seasons.

“Wallace Wade (Stadium) is just a difficult place for folks to come and play,” Diaz said. “That’s what the facts say. … The more you win at home, the more special home games you get.”

Duke and SMU haven’t met since 1956. The Mustangs are 2-0 all-time in the series.

SMU, a first-year ACC member after being in the American Athletic Conference, is going for its 13th consecutive victory in conference play dating to November 2022. The 12-game string for league games already is a program record.

–Field Level Media