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PONIES IN THE POSTSEASON
To track our postseason pathway, visit smumustangs.com/postseason to learn more. On the site, you will find information about the ACC Championship, potential bowl games, and the new format of the College Football Playoff. Tickets for the ACC Championship Game are on sale now and the deadline to purchase is based on priority points. The priority deadline is Monday, December 2 at 5 pm.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) -- Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia 33-7 on Saturday.

Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs (10-1, 7-0, No. 13 CFP) extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

SMU had to get there first, and Jennings led the way again, bouncing back from an interception and a fumble to complete 25 of 33 passes to six different receivers, including TD tosses to Jordan Hudson and Matthew Hibner. Brashard Smith provided a little balance on offense, running for 63 yards and his 13th touchdown of the season.

SMU's defense overwhelmed UVa's offensive line, sacking Anthony Colandrea nine times and allowing the Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4) just 173 yards. Special teams contributed, too, with Roderick Daniels Jr. returning a punt 48 yards and Collin Rogers making two field goals.

UVa's defeat made Notre Dame's opponents 2-7 in their next game after facing the Fighting Irish this season. SMU is responsible for three of those losses.

For SMU -given their schedule and the ACC's lack of strength, blowing out a mediocre opponent is not likely to strengthen the Mustangs' at-large case for the playoff. But they can only beat who they play, and this was a dominant performance that showed this team isn't collapsing under pressure.

Virginia's head coach Tony Elliott's decision to stick will Colandrea instead of starting Tony Muskett did not pay off, though it would have been difficult for most quarterbacks to get anything done under with so little time to operate. Faint chants of "We want Muskett!" from the senior day announced crowd of 36,305 came early in the fourth quarter — before Collandrea ended a streak of 20 consecutive drives without scoring by finding Malachi Fields in the end zone with 4:16 left.

SMU should remain at No. 13 and could even move up if No. 5 Indiana drops significantly following its blowout loss at No. 2 Ohio State.

SMU hosts California next Saturday to wrap up its first regular season of ACC play. Virginia visits rival Virginia Tech next Saturday night, needing to win to become bowl eligible.
 

• [13/12] SMU 33, Virginia 7
• SMU (10-1, 7-0 ACC), Virginia (5-6, 3-4 ACC)
• Scott Stadium – Charlottesville, Virginia

• Cal – Saturday, November 30 – 2:30pm CT – Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
• TV: ESPN2
• Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | SMU Mobile App / The Varsity Network

• SMU has clinched a spot in the ACC Championship Game presented by Geico, which is on December 7 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game is in prime time at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on ABC.
•  Tickets are available at https://smumustangs.evenue.net/events/FB-ACC.

• Head Football Coach Rhett Lashlee and SMU have agreed to a contract extension, the school announced Friday. | Release

• Captains: Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, So.), Kori Roberson Jr. (#92, DT, Gr.), Preston Stone (#2, QB, Jr.), Kobe Wilson (#24, LB, Gr.)
• 16 straight conference wins extends the SMU RECORD (previously 11 – last 4 of 1981 and first 7 of 1982)
• SMU has won 10 consecutive road games, the 2^nd-longest streak in program history (13 from 9/26/1981 to 9/15/1984)
  • Tied for longest active FBS streak (Texas)
  • 5-0 on the road this season - First time going undefeated on the road in the regular season since 1983
  • Average margin of 13.8 points in the five road wins this season
• This is the first time SMU has started at least 7-0 in conference play in back-to-back seasons
• SMU is 10-1
  • Best start since 1983 (10-1)
  • SMU is 28-10 under Rhett Lashlee
  • SMU is 20-3 in conference games under Rhett Lashlee
  • SMU is 18-1 in last 19 regular-season games
  • SMU is 19-2 in the last 21 games overall
• This is the 8^th 10-win season in program history.
  • 12-1 in 1935
  • 11-0-1 in 1982
  • 11-3 in 2023
  • 10-1 in 1981
  • 10-3 in 2019
  • 10-2 in 1983
  • 10-2 in 1984
  • 10-1 in 2024
• SMU is 25-1 under Rhett Lashlee when scoring at least 30 points
• SMU had 434 yards of total offense (323 passing, 111 rushing)
  • At least 434 yards in every ACC game
• SMU was 6-6 in the red zone (42-49 on the season)
• The SMU defense held Virginia to 3-15 on 3^rd downs (SMU entered the game 30^th in NCAA FBS at 33.8%)
• SMU had a season-highs of 9 sacks and 12 TFLs
  • Sacks: Jared Harrison-Hunte (2.0 - career high), Isaiah Smith (2.0), Kori Roberson Jr. (1.5), Alexander Kilgore (1.0), Jahfari Harvey (0.5), Cameron Robertson (0.5), Mike Yoan Sandjo-Njiki (1.0), Ahmad Walker (0.5)
  • Most since the SMU-RECORD of 10 at USF9/28/19
• First half notes
  • SMU led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter and has outscored opponents 111-41 in the 1^st QTR
  • SMU led 17-0 at halftime and has outscored opponents 253-105 in the 1^st HALF
  • SMU has led at halftime in every ACC game
  • First shutout in the first half this season and first since 10/20/23 at Temple (led 24-0 at half, won 55-0)
  • Total Yards: SMU 283, UVA 97
  • Passing Yards: SMU 222, UVA 53
  • Yards Per Play: SMU 7.3, UVA 2.8
  • First Downs: SMU 13, UVA 7
  • Sacks: SMU 3, UVA 0
• Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, So.) – Davey O'Brien Award Semifinalist
  • Was 25-33 passing for 323 yards with 2 TDs (6^th game this season with multiple passing TDs) plus a rushing TD
  • Has at least 250 passing yards in every ACC game this season (3^rd 300-yard game)
  • Passing TDs to: Jordan Hudson, Matthew Hibner
• Brashard Smith (#1, RB, Sr.) – Jet Award Watch List, Doak Walker Award Semifinalist
  • 19-63 rushing with 1 TD
    • 13 rushing TDs this season (15 total TDs)
  • 1,089 rushing yards ranks 15^th in a season at SMU
  • 1,533 all-purpose yards this season is 11^th in a season at SMU
• Roderick Daniels Jr. (#13, WR, Sr.)
  • 110 all-purpose yards (1-3 rushing, 5-58 receiving, 3-49 punt return)
  • 100+ in 3 of the past 4 games

• ESPN2 Highlights
  • Brashard Smith 4-yard TD rush https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42563956
  • Kevin Jennings to Moochie Dixon for 52-yard reception https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42563959
  • Kevin Jennings 17-yard TD pass to Jordan Hudson https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42563959
  • Roderick Daniels Jr. 48-yard punt return https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42565408
  • Kevin Jennings 1-yard TD rush https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42565809
  • Kevin Jennings 31-yard pass to LJ Johnson Jr. https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42565818
  • Kevin Jennings to Matthew Hibner for 16-yard TD reception https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/42566240
• 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: https://tinyurl.com/2axk7zlx
• Rhett Lashlee postgame: https://tinyurl.com/2ayz3255

• Justin Osborne (#51, OL, Gr.) – Outland Trophy Watch List, Rimington Trophy Watch List
  • Has played 56 games at SMU with 53 starts
  • T-5^th in career games at SMU

• Collin Rogers (#41, K, Jr.)
  • 9 points (3 PATs, 2 FGs)
    • Extends SMU CAREER SCORING RECORD – now at 338
    • 106 points this season ranks T-5^th at SMU
  • 3-3 on PATs
    • Extends SMU CAREER PAT RECORD to 167 (167-168)
    • 43 PATs this season ranks T-7^th at SMU
  • 2-3 on FGs (made 35, 39, missed 48)
    • Extends SMU CAREER FG RECORD to 57
    • Sets SMU SEASON RECORD for FGs at 21 (was 20 by Collin Rogers in 2023) 

• Brashard Smith (#1, RB, Sr.) – Jet Award Watch List
  • 19-63 rushing with a TD (13^th rushing TD this season)
  • 1,089 rushing yards ranks 15^th in a season at SMU
  • 1,533 all-purpose yards this season, 11^th at SMU

• Moochie Dixon (#5, WR, Sr.)
  • 4-89 receiving (ties season high receptions, season high for yards)
• Matthew Hibner (#88, TE, Gr.)
  • 3-35 receiving with a TD (2^nd in past 3 games)
• Jordan Hudson (#8, WR, Jr.)
  • 6-56 receiving with 1 TD (5^th receiving TDs this season)
• Jared Harrison Hunte (#81, DL, Sr.)
  • Had 3 tackles, including a career-high 2 sacks
• Jonathan McGill (#2, S, Gr.) – Allstate AFCA Good Works Team Nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
• Isaiah Nwokobia (#23, S, Jr.)
  • Had 8 tackles, including 6 solo and a TFL
• Logan Parr (#71, OL, Gr.) – Lombardi Award Watch List
  • 23 consecutive starts
• Kori Roberson Jr. (#92, DT, Gr.)
  • Had 2 tackles, including a career-high 1.5 sacks
• Elijah Roberts (#5, DE, Sr.) - Bednarik Award Watch List
  • Had a tackle and a pass breakup
• Isaiah Smith (#58, DE, Jr.)
  • Had 5 tackles, including 2 sacks and a QBH
• Kobe Wilson (#24, LB, Gr.)
  • Had 9 tackles
• Ahmad Walker (#34, LB, Sr.)
  • Team-high and tied career high with 10 tackles (including a TFL and half-sack)

• SMU had 33 points 

• SMU held Virginia to 65 rushing yards

• SMU held Virginia to 1.7 yards per rush attempt (39-65) 

• SMU had a season-high 9 sacks