DALLAS, TEXAS -- SMU turned the ball over five times, three of which led to Navy touchdowns, and dropped a 38-7 decision to the Midshipmen in head coach Phil Bennett's debut game at the school before 25,744 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on Saturday night.
"I take my hat off to Navy," said Bennett. "They run the option very well and they showed it tonight. They did some things with their formations, and we didn't make the proper adjustments. We didn't give our kids a chance for success tonight, and that's my fault."
The Mustangs actually led 7-0 before things turned sour. The SMU defense forced a three-and-out the first time it was on the field, then Jonas Rutledge returned a punt 43 yards to the Midshipman 41-yard line. Tate Wallis hit John Hampton with a 13-yard touchdown pass nine plays later to give SMU the lead.
The Mustang defense forced a second straight three-and-out but the ensuing punt was a precursor of things to come for SMU. Rutledge muffed the punt and Navy recovered the ball at the Mustang 20. Two plays later, Eric Roberts scored on a nine-yard run to knot the game.
The Midshipmen recovered a Rutledge fumble at the SMU 24 on the following kickoff, then scored six plays later on quarterback Craig Candeto's run from two yards out.
SMU answered with a 15-play, 73-yard drive and appeared poised to tie the game but Wallis' third-and-goal pass from the Navy four-yard line was deflected and intercepted by Kevin Schwind.
Four plays later, Candeto scored on a 56-yard run to push the Navy lead to 21-7.
On Navy's next drive, Candeto capped a 90-yard march with a four-yard run with 4:40 remaining before halftime to give the Midshipmen a 28-7 halftime lead.
"Offensively, what we didn't want to have happen, happened," Bennett said. "With a freshman quarterback, we didn't want to fall behind. We ended up throwing the ball a lot more than we wanted to, but I thought Tate was a competitor. He fought hard and I know he will get better."
The Mustang defense, which led the Western Athletic Conference and ranked 22nd nationally in 2001, allowed 293 yards rushing and 399 yards overall.
SMU's offense lost three fumbles and Wallis was intercepted twice. The Ponies totaled 326 yards. Keylon Kincade led the Mustang offense with 101 yards on the ground on 20 carries. Wallis completed 12-of-31 passes for 144 yards.
Game Notes
SMU committed five turnovers in the game, four in the first half, leading to 21 Navy points. The Mustangs lost three fumbles and were intercepted twice. A year ago, SMU tied for 111th nationally with 18 fumbles lost and its 29 turnovers tied for 102nd in the country...Junior tailback Keylon Kincade posted the second 100-yard rushing game of his career in the contest, finishing with 101 yards on 20 carries...Four Mustang true freshman - punter Ryan Mentzel, long snapper Grant Eidson, cornerback Rolando Humphrey and wide receiver Daniel Francis - saw action in the game. Five other SMU players - Don Ieremia-Stansbury, Chris McMurtray, Eric Neal, Cedric Vinson and Tate Wallis - also played in their first college game...Francis tied for the team lead with three catches for 37 yards...Five SMU players started for the first time -- offensive guards Brad Kieschnick and Townsend Hargis, strong safety Alvin Nnabuife, defensive end Eric Peterson and quarterback Tate Wallis...The game was just the second in the history of the SMU program played in August and matched a 17-10 win over Tulsa in 1996 as the earliest game the Mustangs have ever played...John Hampton caught three passes move into 15th place on the school's career receptions list with 84. His 1,074 career receiving yards ranks 16th on the program's all-time list...The 31-point margin of defeat was the second largest for SMU in a season-opener, bested only by a 43-0 loss to TCU in 1915...The loss dropped the Mustangs to 54-29-3 all-time in season-openers...The SMU and Navy programs were each represented by one of their all-time great quarterbacks during a ceremonial coin toss prior to kickoff. Don Meredith (1957-59) represented the Mustangs, while Roger Staubach (1962-64 and the 1963 Heisman Trophy winner) represented the Naval Academy. Both later played professionally for the Dallas Cowboys. SMU welcomed back its undefeated 1982 team for a 20-year reunion at halftime. Fifty-two players from that squad, including the "Pony Express" of Eric Dickerson and Craig James, were present. The Mustangs went 11-0-1 that year and finished second in the final Associated Press Top 20.
