SYRACUSE, N.Y. — SMU put together another strong offensive performance Saturday, but the Mustangs came up short on the road, falling to Syracuse 30-27 at the JMA Wireless Dome.
Despite producing 421 yards of total offense, SMU couldn’t find enough answers to leave Syracuse with a victory. The Mustangs outgained the Orange by 83 yards and controlled much of the passing game, but Syracuse’s ability to establish its rushing attack proved significant.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings delivered another impressive performance, completing 29 of 36 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns. His afternoon included scoring connections with Jalen Hale and Yamir Knight, while he continued adding to his place in SMU’s record book.
Jennings connected with Hale on a 9-yard touchdown pass before finding Knight for a 14-yard score. The touchdown reception extended Hale’s scoring streak to three consecutive games, while Knight finished with six catches for 80 yards.
The performance also pushed Jennings past the 10,000-yard career passing mark. He now owns SMU’s career records for passing yards, completions, touchdown passes and total offensive yards. His 76 career passing touchdowns and 10,122 passing yards further cement his place among the program’s most productive quarterbacks.
Yannick Smith was another important contributor through the air, recording five receptions for 95 yards. Jalen Cooper added five catches for 53 yards, giving Jennings multiple options throughout the afternoon.
On the ground, Kendrick Raphael supplied SMU’s third touchdown with a 13-yard scoring run. He finished with 51 rushing yards on 14 carries and has now scored in six games this season. However, the Mustangs managed just 70 rushing yards as a team, compared with Syracuse’s 138.
Defensively, SMU had some encouraging moments despite the final result. The Mustangs held Syracuse to 338 total yards and limited the Orange to four conversions on 16 third-down attempts.
Linebacker Sael Reyes led the defense with a career-high 10 tackles, while Brandon Booker recorded eight tackles to match his career best. Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder and Jakai Lang also combined for a sack.
SMU entered the matchup ranked among the nation’s top teams in third-down defense and sacks per game. Although the defense continued to generate pressure, Syracuse found enough success offensively to put 30 points on the scoreboard.
Special teams contributed a 40-yard field goal from Brandon Baird, who finished 1-for-1 on field-goal attempts and converted both extra points. Punter Wade McSparron averaged 45.2 yards on five attempts, including two punts inside the 20-yard line.
The Mustangs were also perfect in the red zone, converting all four scoring opportunities. That extended their streak to 18 consecutive successful red-zone scoring possessions.
The defeat is a setback for head coach Rhett Lashlee and the Mustangs, who entered the contest with an established record of success in ACC competition. SMU had won 18 of its previous 22 conference games under Lashlee.
Now 6-2 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, SMU will look to regroup and get back on track when it returns home next week.
The Mustangs welcome Virginia Tech to Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Friday, November 6. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT, with the game airing nationally on ESPN.
NEXT GAME
Virginia Tech at SMU
- Date: Friday, November 6
- Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT
- Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, Texas
- Television: ESPN
- Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM / 1310 AM
Tickets: https://smumustangs.com/tickets
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