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DALLAS (AP) -- Jaylan Knighton ran for 129 yards and a touchdown and LJ Johnson Jr. picked up 106 yards rushing and a touchdown as Southern Methodist cruised to its sixth straight American Athletic Conference victory, rolling past North Texas 45-21 on Friday night.

The Mustangs (8-2, 6-0) entered the game in a three-way tie with No. 23 Tulane and first-year AAC member Texas-San Antonio, each at 5-0 in conference. The Green Wave — the defending AAC champion — plays host to Tulsa and UTSA plays host to Rice on Saturday.

Preston Stone threw a pair of first-quarter touchdown passes to stake SMU to a 14-7 lead after a quarter and the Mustangs held a 17-14 lead at the half, but their strong running game took control in the second half.

Chandler Rogers threw 19-yards to Trey Cleveland for a first-quarter touchdown for North Texas. Oscar Adaway III scored on a 7-yard run in the second to keep the Mean Green close, but did not find the end zone again until Rogers hit Blair Conwright for a 29-yard touchdown with 1:27 left in the game.

SMU finished with 318 yards on the ground and had four running backs reach the end zone. Stone finished 11-of-20 passing for 234 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Chandler Rogers was 18 of 31 for 240 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. Adaway had 11 carries for 90 yards and a touchdown and the Mean Grean (3-7, 1-4) had 132 yards rushing.

SMU now has won the last five straight meetings with the North Texas and leads the all-time series 36-6-1.

 

• [rv/rv] SMU 45, North Texas 21
• SMU (8-2, 6-0 American), UNT (3-7, 1-5 American)
• Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas

• At Memphis - Saturday, November 18 – 11am CT – Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium – Memphis Stadium
• TV: ESPN2
• Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | SMU Mobile App/Varsity Network App

• Captains: Jake Bailey #12, WR, Sr.), Elijah Chatman (#40, DT, Sr.), Brandon Crossley (#1, S, Sr.), Tyler Lavine (#31, RB, Sr.), Jonathan McGill (#2, S, Sr.), Justin Osborne (#51, OL, Sr.), Preston Stone (#2, QB, So.)
• SMU is 5-0 at home this season and has won 7 consecutive home games
  • 23-4 at home since the start of the 2019 season
  • SMU is 15-3 at home in AAC games since 2019
  • First 5-0 start at Ford Stadium since 2019 (went 6-0)
  • Longest home winning streak since 8 overlapping the 2019 and 2020 seasons 
• SMU is 6-0 in conference play this season and 11-3 in AAC games under Rhett Lashlee
  • First 6-0 start in conference play since starting 7-0 in 1982 (went 7-0-1 in the SWC)
• SMU has won 7 straight AAC games, including 6 this season
  • Longest conference winning streak since 7 straight overlapping the 1983 and 1984 seasons
• SMU had 2 takeaways (1 interceptions, 1 fumble)
  • 6^th straight game the SMU defense has at least one interception
  • Multiple takeaways in 3 straight game and in 4 of the past 5
• SMU had 552 yards of total offense (234 passing, 318 rushing)
  • First time over 300 rushing yards since 350 at TCU on 9/25/21
• SMU had a season-high 318 yards rushing with 4 rushing TDs (LJ Johnson, Jaylan Knighton, Tyler Lavine, Camar Wheaton)
  • SMU had two 100-yard rushers (Knighton 17-129, Johnson 20-106) - First time since at USF 11/12/22
  • 5^th game this season with over 200 rushing yards
  • Multiple rushing TDs in 7 of past 8 games
• SMU had 4 sacks, 7 TFLs, 3 pass breakups, 2 QB hurries with 2 takeaways
  • Sacks: Alexander Kilgore (1), Elijah Roberts (1), Cameron Robertson (1), Isaiah Smith (1)
    • Now have 35 sacks on the season, 4^th in a season at SMU
    • Eljah Roberts 4^th straight game with at least one sack
  • Fumble Recoveries: JaQwondis Burns
  • Interception: Jahari Rogers
• SMU held UNT to 4-14 on third downs after holding Rice to 2-12 last week (entered the game leading the AAC and 5^th in FBS at 28.1% allowed)
• Preston Stone was 11-20 passing for 234 yards with 2 TDs
  • TDs: Moochie Dixon (8 yards), RJ Maryland (24 yards)
• SMU led 14-7 after the first quarter
  • Has scored at least 14 points in the 1^st Qtr in 8 of 10 games
  • Has outscored AAC opponents 98-17 in the first quarter
• ESPN Highlights
  • Jaylan Knighton 20-yard TD run 
  • Jaylan Knighton 23-yard rush
  • Tyler Lavine 5-yard TD run
  • Jaylan Knighton 25-yard rush
  • Preston Stone 8-yard TD pass to Moochie Dixon
  • Alexander Kilgore sack
  • Preston Stone 24-yard TD pass to RJ Maryland
  • LJ Johnson 3-yard TD run
  • Camar Wheaton 22-yard TD run
  • Elijah Roberts sack
  • Isaiah Smith sack
• SMU Radio Highlights and Head Coach Rhett Lashlee postgame radio | SMU Radio Network on KTCK "The Ticket" 96.7 FM, 1310 AM (Rich Phillips pxp, Scott Garner analyst, Steve Lansdale sideline) – Credit: Learfield / SMU Radio Network
  • Highlights
  • Rhett Lashlee postgame
• Series History vs UNT: SMU is now 36-6-1
  • SMU has won 5 straight and 8 of the past 9 matchups

•  SMU scored 45 points - Have scored at least 31 points in all 8 wins 

• SMU had 4 sacks - At least 4 sacks in each of the past 4 games

•  RJ Maryland (#82, TE, So.)
  • 2-40 receiving with a TD (6^th TD of the season, 12^th of his career) 

• Collin Rogers #41, K, So.)
  • 6-6 on PATs, now 107-108 for his career
  • 1-1 FGs (made 20) 

• Preston Stone (#2, QB, So.) - Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Class of 2023, Manning Award Watch List
  • 11-20 passing for 234 yards and 2 TDs 

• JaQwondis Burns (#8, LB, Jr.)
  • First career fumble recovery
• Ryan Bujcevski (#92, P, Sr.) – Ray Guy Award Watch List
  • 1-40 punting
• Elijah Chatman (#40, DT, Sr.) - Outland Trophy Watch List
  • Had 4 tackles
• Moochie Dixon (#5, WR, Jr.)
  • 3-99 receiving with a TD
  • Career-high 99 receiving yards
  • Has 2 TDs this season and 6 for his career
• Branson Hickman (#56, C, Jr.) – Rimington Trophy Watch List
  • Has started 29 straight games that he has played (missed one game in 2022)
• LJ Johnson (#11, RB, So.)
  • 20-106 rushing with a TD; 2^nd 100-yard game this season (128 vs Louisiana Tech)
  • 2 rushing TDs this season
  • Also had 1-12 receiving
• Jaylan Knighton (#4, RB, Sr.)
  • 17-129 rushing with a TD
  • 2^nd 100-yard game this season (150 vs Charlotte)
  • Has 5 rushing TDs this season and 15 for his career
• Tyler Lavine (#31, RB, Sr.)
  • 4-15 rushing with a TD
  • 22^nd rushing TD of his career
• Bryan Massey (#0, S, Sr.)
  • Team-high 5 tackles
• Justin Osborne (#51, OL, Sr.) - Outland Trophy Watch List
  • 38^th start at SMU (41 games played)
• Elijah Roberts (#5, DE, Sr.)
  • Had a sack; 4^th straight game with at least one sack
• Cameron Robertson (#15, DE, So.)
  • Career-high 4 tackles, including a sack
• Camar Wheaton (#0, RB, So.)
  • 7-51 rushing with a TD
  • 5^th rushing TD of the season