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Richard McBryde Postgame | Ulysses Bentley IV Postgame
DALLAS (AP) — Shane Buechele threw three touchdown passes, Ulysses Bentley IV ran for two scores and No. 22 SMU rebounded from its first loss with a 51-37 victory over Navy on Saturday night.
The Mustangs (6-1, 3-1 American Athletic) scored 30 consecutive points from late in the second quarter to early in the fourth, a run that started with 10 points in the final 7 seconds of the first half.
After the first of Buechele's two scoring tosses to Rashee Rice, Nelson Smith fumbled and SMU's Gary Wiley won the scramble for the loose ball at the Navy 18 with a second remaining. Chris Naggar's 34-yard field goal made it 31-17.
The Mustangs should have been pinned inside their 5 for their first possession of the second half, but Navy's Devin Mathews stepped on the goal line while batting a bouncing punt back toward the field. SMU took over at the 20, and Buechele later connected with Austin Upshaw for a 42-yard TD.
A week after finishing with a passer efficiency rating below 100 for the first time in two seasons at SMU, Buechele was at 207.5 after completing 23 of 28 passes for 300 yards with no interceptions.
Smith had 55 yards rushing and a touchdown by early in the second quarter but finished with 54 for the Midshipmen (3-4, 3-2) as SMU controlled the triple-option attack in the second half a week after giving up 313 yards rushing in a 42-13 loss to No. 7 Cincinnati.
Bentley finished with 149 yards on 25 carries and set up Rice's second TD with a 61-yard catch when he came out of the backfield as Buechele was faking a run up the middle and the quarterback hit his lead back in stride over the middle.
Tyler Lavine put SMU in front for the first time at 21-14 on a 10-yard run midway through the second quarter. He had another TD on a 48-yard run when his knee never touched the ground as he rolled over a pile. Lavine popped up and ran the final 40 yards untouched and finished with 74 yards. Rice had 46 yards receiving.
SMU finished with 255 yards rushing to 191 for Navy, the first time the Mustangs have had more yards on the ground than the Midshipmen since 1998.
The Mustangs slowed Navy's vaunted running game with several big plays in the backfield against the option. SMU finished with 12 tackles for loss.
Perhaps the biggest came from Trevor Denbow on the first drive of the second half. Navy had a first down at the SMU 36 when the linebacker dropped Carlinos Acie for a 6-yard loss. Navy ended up punting, and SMU soon had a three-touchdown lead. Denbow was one of four SMU players with two tackles for loss.
SMU plays at Temple next Saturday at 11 AM CT on ESPN+.
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SMU Postgame Notes – October 31, 2020
[22/23] SMU 51, Navy 37
SMU (6-1, 3-1 American), Navy (3-4, 3-2 American)
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
TEAM NOTES
- Â Attendance 7,898 (Sellout)
- Captains: Shane Buechele (#7, QB, Sr.), Reggie Roberson, Jr. (#8, WR, Sr.), Hayden Howerton (#75, OL, Sr.), Delano Robinson (#3, LB, Sr.), Brandon Stephens (#23, CB, Sr.)
- SMU is 6-1
- 16-4 in last 20 games overall
- 21-8 in last 29 games overall
- Has won 9 of last 10 games at Ford Stadium
- SMU had 31 points in the second quarter, that is the most for SMU in a quarter since scoring 31 points in the 3rd quarter of a 72-42 home win against Houston on Oct. 18, 2012.
- Third time this season SMU has scored 50+ points. Only other time SMU had 3 games of 50+ was 1928.
- The Mustangs had 4 rushing TDs (have 18 Â this season after an SMU-record 35 rushing TDs in 2019)
- SMU outrushed Navy 255-191; first time since 11/21/1998 (274 to 131 in a 24-11 win at Navy)
- SMU had 4 sacks and 12 TFLs, now has 19 sacks and 55 TFLs on the season
- The Mustangs had 1 takeaways (1 fumble)
- Had at least one takeaway in 9 straight games and 29 of past 31 games
- Fumble Recoveries: Gary Wiley
- Forced Fumbles: Terrance Newman Â
- SMU led 31-17 at halftime
- SMU has been tied or leading at halftime in 15 of the past 19 games.
- SMU had 555 total yards (300 passing, 255 rushing)
- 5th time this season with 500+ yards
- 11th time in past 20 games with at least 500 yards
- SMU had 7 plays of 20+, 4 of 30+, 3 of 40+, 1 of 60+
- SMU was 6-6 in the red zone (Now 35-39 for the season 25 TDs, 10 FGs)
- Has been perfect in 4 games this season (8-8 at UNT, 6-6 vs SFA, 5-5 at Tulane)
- Series History: SMU is 9-13 vs Navy
- Winner gets the Gansz Trophy
- Has won 2 of the last 3 games (both at Ford Stadium)
- Video Highlights (via ESPN)
- SMU Radio Network Highlights https://soundcloud.com/user-274538678/sets/2020-10-31-22-smu-51-navy-37
- Rich Phillips (PxP), Scott Garner (Analyst)
- Head Coach Sonny Dykes postgame https://soundcloud.com/user-274538678/32300-sonny-dykes-postgame-interview
SMU INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
-  Ulysses Bentley IV (#26, RB, Fr.) – CFPA Watch List, Doak Walker Award Watch List, FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List
- 25-149 rushing with 2 TDs
- Ties the SMU freshman record for rushing TDs (Xavier Jones 10 TDs in 2015)
- 4th game this season with multiple rushing TDs
- 3rd 100-yard rushing game this season
- 4-68 receiving (both career highs) with a career-long 61-yard reception
- 217 all-purpose yards (2nd 200+ game this season)
-
SMU FRESHMAN RUSHING TDs |
1 |
Xavier Jones, 2015Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â |
10 |
|
Ulysses Bentley IV, 2020 |
10 |
3 |
Jeff Atkins, 1983 |
|
7 |
|
ShanDerrick Charles, 2001 |
7 |
|
DeMyron Martin, 2005 |
7 |
|
Zach Line, 2009 |
|
7 |
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SMU SEASON 200+ ALL-PURPOSE YARD GAMES |
|
1 |
Jerry LeVias, 1968 |
|
|
|
4 |
2 |
Mike Richardson, 1968 |
|
|
3 |
|
Gary Hammond, 1969 |
|
|
3 |
|
James Proche, 2018 |
|
|
|
3 |
5 |
Arthur Whittington, 1976 |
|
|
2 |
|
Eric Dickerson, 1982 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
ShanDerrick Charles, 2001 |
|
|
2 |
|
Ulysses Bentley IV, 2020 |
|
|
2 |
- Shane Buechele (#7, QB, Sr.) – Maxwell Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, CFPA Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Gold Arm Award Watch List
- 23-28 passing for 300 yards and 3 TDs and was 3 for 16 rushing
- Has multiple passing TDs in 16 of the past 19 games
- 12th career 300-yard game; 10th at SMU (2nd at SMU)
- 6155 SMU career passing yards is 5th at SMU
- 80 career TD passes, 50 TD passes at SMU (3rd career at SMU)
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SMU CAREER PASSING YARDS |
|
|
1 |
Ben Hicks, 2016-18 |
|
9081 |
2 |
Chuck Hixson, 1968-70 |
7179 |
3 |
Garrett Gilbert, 2012-13 |
6460 |
4 |
Mike Ford, 1977-80 |
|
6239 |
5 |
Shane Buechele, 2019- |
6155 |
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SMU CAREER COMPLETIONS |
|
|
1 |
Ben Hicks, 2016-18 |
|
718 |
2 |
Chuck Hixson, 1968-70 |
642 |
3 |
Garrett Gilbert, 2012-13 |
603 |
4 |
Mike Romo, 1989-92 |
|
601 |
5 |
Mike Ford, 1977-80 |
|
475 |
6 |
Shane Buechele, 2019- |
472 |
- Kylen Granson (#83, TE, Sr.) - Biletnikoff Award Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List
- 3-39 receiving
-
SMU CAREER RECEPTIONS - TIGHT ENDS |
1 |
John Hampton, 2000-02 |
|
114 |
2 |
Kylen Granson, 2019- |
|
67 |
3 |
Ryan Kennedy, 2004-06 |
|
55 |
4 |
Oscar Roan, 1972-74 |
|
48 |
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SMU CAREER RECEIVING YARDS - TIGHT ENDS |
1 |
John Hampton, 2000-02 |
|
1485 |
2 |
Kylen Granson, 2019- |
|
1057 |
3 |
Oscar Roan, 1972-74 |
|
888 |
ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES
-  Alan Ali (#77, C, Jr.) – Rimington Trophy Watch List - 25th straight start
- Chace Cromartie (#18, S, So.) - Career-high 6 tackles (was 5) with 2 TFLs
- Tyler Lavine (#31, RB, So.)
- 5-74 rushing with 2 TDs (career high for yards and TDs)
- 2-22 receiving
- Richard McBryde (#50, LB, Sr.) - Career-high 2 sacks
- Chris Naggar (#34, K, Sr.) – Ray Guy Award Watch List
- 6-7 PATs
- 1-1 FGs (35), now 13-16 on the season (13 FGM ties for 9th in a season at SMU)
- Tyler Page (#4, WR, Sr.) – Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
- 6-61 receiving (career high receptions – was 5 vs Memphis 10/3/20)
- Rashee Rice (#11, WR, So.) - 5-46 receiving with 2 TDs; first career multi-TD game
- Delano Robinson (#3, LB, Sr.) – Team-high 9 tackles with 1 sack and 2 TFLs (led SMU in tackles in 5 of last 6 games)
- Jaylon Thomas (#71, OL, Jr.) - Outland Trophy Watch List - 26th straight start
- Austin Upshaw (#6, WR, Jr.) - 2-45 receiving with his first career TD