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DALLAS (AP) -- Brashard Smith ran for 161 yards with a 71-yard sprint for the first his two rushing touchdowns and made a nifty tiptoe catch for another score as No. 20 SMU overwhelmed previously undefeated and 18th-ranked Pittsburgh 48-25 on Saturday night to remain tied for the conference lead in their Atlantic Coast Conference debut.

The Mustangs (8-1, 5-0 ACC), last year's champions in The American, are the first team to start 5-0 in their first season in a power conference after moving up from a Group of Five league.

Kevin Jennings was 17-of-25 passing for 306 yards with two touchdowns. He hit tight end Matthew Hibner for an 80-yard score on his final pass, one play after Jonathan McGill's interception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

Pitt (7-1, 3-1) was trying to open 8-0 for the first time since 1981 — when Dan Marino was quarterback of the Panthers. Redshirt freshman QB Eli Holstein, who left late in their previous game with an undisclosed injury, completed 29 of 47 passes for 248 yards, and didn't play the final 9 1/2 minutes because of the lopsided score.

The losses Saturday night by Pitt and No. 11 Clemson left the Mustangs tied with No. 5 Miami (9-0, 5-0) for the lead in the expanded 17-team ACC. SMU doesn't play the Hurricanes during the regular season.

SMU went ahead to stay on LJ Johnson's 2-yard TD run to cap the game's opening drive. Roderick Daniels Jr. added 3-yard TD on a reverse, getting around a defender in the backfield and leaping another to get over the goal line.

Smith's long TD run came on the first play after Ben Sauls, who had already made a 44-yard field goal, was wide right on a 47-yarder for his first miss in 16 attempts since last season. The Mustangs led 28-3 after Jennings rolled right on third-and-goal from the 3 and threw to Smith, who kept his feet inbounds while reaching out to make the catch at the far side of the end zone.

On the ensuing kickoff, SMU cornerback AJ Davis stayed face down on the field, and video of the play showed his head making contact with the returner while lunging trying to make a tackle. Davis was immobilized on a stretcher before being put into an ambulance that drove onto the field.

SMU officials said later in the game that Davis had full movement, and was at a hospital.

The Panthers didn't finish some early tackles, resulting in big plays that helped set up touchdowns, and were down 34-3 before scoring a touchdown in the final minute of the third quarter. Three of their wins this season were by four points or fewer.

Jennings had an impressive rebound a week after accounting for five of SMU's six turnovers in an overtime win at Duke. The Mustangs have won five in a row since an 18-15 home loss without a touchdown against still-undefeated BYU. That is their only loss in their past 13 home games, a stretch when they have averaged just more than 50 points a game.

Pitt went into the weekend as the lowest-ranked undefeated Power Four team. The Panthers were 5-0 before getting in this season, and one loss could have them on the verge of falling out of the poll. The Mustangs will certainly move up, and could challenge the No. 15 ranking they reached in 2019, their highest since being third in 1985.

Pittsburgh's next two games are at home, next Saturday against Virginia and Nov. 16 against No. 11 Clemson. SMU has an open date before hosting Boston College on Nov. 16.
 

• [20/20] SMU 48, [18/17] Pitt 25
• SMU (8-1, 5-0 ACC), Pitt (7-1, 3-1 ACC)
• Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
• SMU Homecoming

• Boston College – Saturday, November 16 – TBD. – Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
• TV: TBD
• Radio: TBD | SMU Mobile App / The Varsity Network 

• SMU won 48-25 - The second-largest margin of victory for SMU over a ranked opponent (44-14 over No. 19 Texas 10/26/1985)
• Second ranked win this season – won 34-27 at No. 22 Louisville on 10/5
• This is the first time SMU has won a ranked vs ranked HOME game since 1949 (No. 11 SMU def. #19 Texas 7-6 on 10/29/1949)

• SMU had a sellout crowd of 34,648
  • This is the second straight sellout (34,879 vs Florida State 9/28)
  • The first back-to-back sellouts at Ford Stadium (opened in 2000) 

• The coin toss was done by two-time US Open golf champion and SMU alum Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau was part of the 2014 conference championship team that was honored during the game. He also won the 2015 NCAA individual title and 2015 US Amateur while at SMU.
  • Photos (Courtesy SMU Athletics)
  • ACC Network

• Captains: Anthony Booker Jr. (#10, DT, Gr.), Carter Campbell (#30, WR, Gr.), Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, So.), Kobe Wilson (#24, LB, Gr.)
• 14 straight conference wins extends the SMU RECORD (previously 11 – last 4 of 1981 and first 7 of 1982)
• This is the first time SMU has started at least 5-0 in conference play in back-to-back seasons since 1947 (5-0-1) and 1948 (5-0-1)
• SMU is 8-1
  • Best start since 2019 (8-1)
  • SMU is 26-10 under Rhett Lashlee
  • SMU is 18-3 in conference games under Rhett Lashlee
  • SMU is 16-1 in last 17 regular-season games
  • SMU is 12-1 in last 13 home games
• SMU is 23-1 under Rhett Lashlee when scoring at least 30 points
• FIRST HALF: SMU led 31-3 at halftime
  • Total Yards: SMU 299, Pitt 143
  • Rushing Yards: SMU 135, Pitt 21
  • 3^rd downs: SMU 5-7, Pitt 1-7
  • Sacks: SMU 3, Pitt 0
• The SMU defense allowed 103 rushing yards on 32 attempts for a 3.2 average
  • SMU entered the game 1^st in the ACC and 5^th in NCAA FBS, allowing 88.4 rush yards per game
  • For the season, SMU is allowing 89.8 rushing yards per game and 2.8 yards per rush

• Big Plays
  • Brashard Smith had a 71-yard TD run at 10:43 2^nd Qtr - Longest run for SMU this season (was 59-yard TD by Kevin Jennings at Louisville 10/5)
  • Matthew Hibner had an 80-yard TD reception from Kevin Jennings – 3^rd straight week with a TD pass of at least 80 yards
• SMU had 467 yards of total offense (306 passing, 161 rushing)
  • At least 450 yards in every ACC game
• SMU had a season-high tying  4 rushing TDs
  • 5^th time this season with at least 3 rushing TDs
• Hot Start – SMU scored on 5 of 7 first-half possessions
  • At the end of the first quarter, SMU led 7-3
    • For the season SMU has outscored opponents 94-41 in the first quarter
  • SMU led 31-3 at halftime, for the season SMU has outscored opponents 216-91 in the first half
    • SMU has led at halftime in 8 straight games, including all 5 ACC games
• SMU scored a TD on its opening drive (LJ Johnson 2-yard run – drive 7-75, 2:41)
  • SMU has scored a TD on its first drive in 4 of 5 ACC games
• SMU was 5-5 in the red zone (31-37 on the season)
• SMU held Pitt to 5-16 on third downs and 2-4 on 4^th down
  • SMU stopped a pair 4^th-down attempts by Pitt in the 3^rd QTR
• Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, So.)
  • Was 17-25 passing for 306 yards with 2 TDs (4^th game this season with multiple passing TDs)
  • Has at least 250 passing yards in every ACC game this season
  • Had an 80-yard TD pass to Matthew Hibner
    • 3^rd straight game with a TD pass of at least 80 yards
  • Career-high receiving yards for Matthew Hibner (3-108 with a TD) and Key'Shawn Smith (3-89)
• SMU had 8 receivers catch a pass
  • SMU has had at least 7 different receivers catch a pass in 25 of the past 26 games\
• Brashard Smith (#1, RB, Sr.) – Jet Award Watch List
  • 23-161 rushing with 2 TDs and 4-21 receiving with a TD
    • Career-high 161 rushing yards
    • 4^th multi-rushing TD game of the season
    • 5^th 100-yard rushing game of the season
  • 182 all-purpose yards (161 rushing, 21 receiving)
  • 1307 all-purpose yards this season (145.2 per game)
    • 1307 ranks 28^th in a season at SMU
  • 100+ all-purpose yards in 8 of 9 games this season (13^th career game with 100+)
• SMU had 2 takeaways (1 fumbles, 1 interception)
  • 19 takeaways this season – multiple takeaways in 6 games
  • Forced Fumbles: Jahfari Harvey (strip sack), Alexander Kilgore
  • Fumbles Recovered: Cameron Robertson
  • Interceptions: Jonathan McGill (2^nd this season, 7^th in career)
• SMU had 3 sacks, 9 TFLs and 3 QB hurries plus 9 pass breakups
  • Sacks: Jared Harrison-Hunte, Jahfari Harvey, Isaiah Smith
  • TFLs: Ahmad Walker (2.5 - tied career high), Isaiah Smith (1.5)
• ACC Network Highlights
  • Key'Shawn Smith 44-yard reception and LJ Johnson Jr. 2-yard TD run
  • Roderick Daniels Jr. 3-yard TD run
  • Brashard Smith 71-yard TD run
  • Brashard Smith 3-yard TD reception from Kevin Jennings
  • Key'Shawn Smith one-handed 43-yard catch
  • Brashard Smith 18-yard TD run
• SMU Highlights and Head Coach Rhett Lashlee postgame radio | SMU Radio Network on KTCK "The Ticket" 96.7 FM, 1310 AM (Rich Phillips & Scott Garner)
  • Highlights
  • Rhett Lashlee postgame

• Matthew Hibner had an 80-yard touchdown reception from Kevin Jennings at 10:07 of the 4^th QTR
  • Career-long reception for Matthew Hibner
  • Kevin Jennings has a TD pass of at least 80 yards in 3 straight games 

• Justin Osborne (#51, OL, Gr.) – Outland Trophy Watch List, Rimington Trophy Watch List
  • Has played 54 games at SMU with 51 starts
  • Tied for 7^th in career games at SMU 

• Collin Rogers (#41, K, Jr.)
  • 12 points (6 PATs, 2 FGs)
    • Extends SMU CAREER SCORING RECORD – now at 317
  • 6-6 on PATs
    • Extends SMU CAREER PAT RECORD to 161 (161-1162)
  • 2-2 on FGs (made 50, 27)
    • Extends SMU CAREER FG RECORD to 52
    • Extends SMU SEASON RECORD of 50+ FGs to 7 and CAREER RECORD to 9

• Roderick Daniels Jr. (#13, WR, Sr.)
  • 1-3 rushing with a TD (3^rd rushing this season)
  • 2-30 receiving
• Jared Harrison-Hunte (#81, DL, Sr.)
  • Had 3 tackles, including a sack plus 2 QB hurries
• Jahfari Harvey (#6, DE, Sr.)
  • Had 2 tackles, including a sack and forced fumble
• Matthew Hibner (#88, TE, Gr.)
  • 3-108 receiving with an 80-yard TD
  • Career high 108 receiving yards, including a career-long 80-yard TD reception
  • LJ Johnson (#11, RB, Jr.)
  • 6-6 rushing with a TD
    • 5 rushing TDs this season and 11 in his career
• Alexander Kilgore (#54, LB, So.)
  • Career-high 9 tackles, including a half TFL with a pass breakup and a forced fumble
• Jonathan McGill (#2, S, Gr.) – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
  • Had 2 tackles and an interception (2^nd INT this season and 7^th of his career)
• Ahmaad Moses (#3, S, Jr.)
  • Career-high 10 tackles, including half a TFL
• Isaiah Nwokobia (#23, S, Jr.)
  • Had 7 tackles and 2 pass breakups
• Logan Parr (#71, OL, Gr.) – Lombardi Award Watch List
  • 21 consecutive starts
• Isaac Pearson (#49, P, So.)
  • 6 puns for an average of 44.7 (long of 52)
  • Had 1 inside the 20
• Elijah Roberts (#5, DE, Sr.) - Bednarik Award Watch List
  • Had a tackle
• Cameron Robertson (#15, DE, Jr.)
  • First career fumble recovery
• Isaiah Smith (#58, DE, Jr.)
  • Had 2 tackles including a sack (has 4.5 sacks this season and 12.5 for his career)
• Key'Shawn Smith (#9, WR, Sr.)
  • 3-89 receiving (career-high 89 receiving yards)
• Kobe Wilson (#24, LB, Gr.)
  • Team-high and career-high tying 11 tackles
• Ahmad Walker (#34, LB, Sr.)
  • Tied career-high 10 tackles
  • Tied career-high 2.5 TFLs