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SMU football vs. Louisville - Nov. 22, 2025
6
Louisville LOU 7-4 , 4-4
38
Winner SMU SMU 8-3 , 6-1
Louisville LOU
7-4 , 4-4
6
Final
38
SMU SMU
8-3 , 6-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LOU Louisville 3 3 0 0 6
SMU SMU 7 14 3 14 38

Game Recap: Football |

Mustangs Win Big Over Louisville, 38-6

Jennings Throws For 303 Yards, 3 TDs In Big Home Victory

Box Score | Postgame Notes
Photo Gallery | Video Highlights
Condensed Game Video
Postseason Central

DALLAS (AP) -- Kevin Jennings threw for 303 yards with three touchdowns and ran for another score as SMU stayed in contention to reach another ACC title game with a 38-6 win over Louisville on Saturday.

The Mustangs (8-3, 6-1 ACC) would make the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game for the second year in a row since joining the league if they win their regular-season finale at California and get a little help.

Jennings completed 29 of 37 passes in his third consecutive 300-yard game. His nifty 5-yard TD pass put SMU up 21-3 late in the first half. Jennings initially went right, then reversed to avoid defenders and had what seemed a clear lane to the end zone when, still on the run, he flung the ball forward with his right arm to TJ Harden.

Louisville (7-4, 4-4), without starting quarterback Miller Moss and leading rusher Isaac Brown, lost its third game in a row. Moss, a transfer from USC, had started the first 10 games and was in uniform but didn't play because of a foot injury. Brown has missed all three of those losses since injuring a leg against Virginia Tech.

Adams, a redshirt freshman from Austin, Texas, was 12-of-17 passing for 94 yards in his first career start for the Cardinals, who had only 228 total yards.

SMU last year made its ACC debut by going 8-0 in league play, and still made the 12-team College Football Playoff after losing to Clemson in the conference championship game.

On Saturday, Jennings put SMU ahead to stay with his 2-yard TD on the game's opening drive, and Jordan Hudson made a spectacular leaping 7-yard TD catch while defended and being able to get his foot down in bounds. Yamir Knight had a similar 6-yard scoring catch in the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter.

The other three losses by Louisville this season were by a combined seven points, with two of those in overtime. Their biggest deficit before Saturday was 17-0 in the first quarter at Pittsburgh on Sept. 27, before they rallied to win 34-27. ... The Cardinals lost four conference games combined in 2023 and 2024, coach Jeff Brohm's first two seasons.

The Mustangs could return to the AP Top 25 for the first time since dropping out of the poll after an overtime loss to Baylor in their second game Sept. 6. To get in the ACC title game, they need one more win and for either Georgia Tech or Virginia to lose their ACC finale. For any chance to make the CFP again, SMU would then have to win that title game.

Next up, Louisville finishes its regular season at home Saturday against instate rival Kentucky. SMU is at California, which lost 38-6 to the Mustangs in last season's regular-season finale.
 



SMU Postgame Notes – November 22, 2025
  • [rv/rv] SMU 38, [rv/rv] Louisville 6
  • SMU (8-3, 6-1 ACC), UL (7-4, 4-4 ACC)
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
  • Senior Day
 
NEXT GAME SENIOR DAY ACC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME SCENARIOS
  • SMU needs to win at Cal in the regular-season finale plus a Georgia Tech loss to Pitt (6pm CT) OR a Virginia loss to Virginia Tech (11/29).
    • If GT, UVA and SMU all go 7-1, GT wins the 3-team tiebreaker due to their win over WF (SMU & UVA lost to WF). Then, UVA would win the 2-team tiebreaker over SMU due to its currently superior win percentage of conference opponents
    • SMU gets in if they win out and GT or UVA takes a second loss.
ATTENDANCE RECORDS
  • SMU set a Ford Stadium season average attendance record of 33,530 (201,182 for 6 games)
    • Breaks the 2024 record of 32,652
  • SMU also set a season record for average student attendance of 4,186
    • Breaks the 2024 record of 3,994 
FOR THE RECORD
  • SMU is 8-3 this season
    • SMU is 37-15 under Rhett Lashlee
    • SMU in 27-4 in conference games under Rhett Lashlee
    • SMU is 27-4 in the last 31 regular-season games
    • SMU is 14-1 in November under Rhett Lashlee
    • SMU is 19-2 in the last 21 home games
  • SMU is 32-3 under Rhett Lashlee when scoring 30+ points
    • 5-1 this season when scoring 30+ points
CONFERENCE WINNING
  • SMU has won a program-record 14 consecutive home conference games
    • 8-0 at home in ACC games
  • SMU is 14-1 in ACC games since joining conference in 2024
MARGIN
  • SMU's win tied for its largest margin in an ACC game
    • 32 (38-6 vs California 11/30/24)
    • 32 (45-13 at Boston College 11/8/25)
    • 32 (38-6 vs Louisville 11/22/25)
    • 30 (40-10 at Stanford 10/19/24)
    • 26 (42-16 vs Florida State 9/28/24)
    • 26 (33-7 at Virginia 11/23/24)
    • 24 (34-10 vs Stanford 10/11/25)
  • SMU held Louisville without a TD (first time SMU didn't allow a TD since the win vs Cal 11/30/24) 
SPREADING THE BALL
  • Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, RS Jr.) -- Maxwell Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
    • 18-6 as a starter
    • 29-37 passing for 303 yards with 3 TDs
    • 6-2 rushing with a TD
    • Tied career high 4 total TDs (3 passing, 1 rushing)
    • 3rd 300-yard games this season, 7th for his career
      • 3 straight 300-yard games is longest streak for a Mustang since Tanner Mordecai 4 straight in 2021
    • TD passes to: Jordan Hudson (7 yards), TJ Harden (5 yards), Yamir Knight (6 yards)
    • Entering the Game
      • 2nd ACC / 10th NCAA FBS in passing yards per game at 2,810
      • 2nd ACC / 10th NCAA FBS in passing yards per game at 281.0
      • 2nd ACC / 15th NCAA FBS in passing TDs at 21
      • 3rd ACC / 23rd NCAA FBS in total offense per game at 283.5
      • 5th ACC / 34th NCAA FBS in points responsible for at 138
  • 9 different receivers caught a pass
  • TJ Harden led SMU in rushing (18-90) plus a receiving TD 
STAT COMPARISON
  • Total Yards: SMU 485, UL 228
  • Passing Yards: SMU 307, UL 100
    • Lowest for SMU opponent since Navy 11/25/23 (71 yards)
  • Rushing Yards: SMU 178, UL 128
  • Total plays: SMU 74, UL 49
  • 3rd downs: SMU 9-13, UL 3-12 
TEAM NOTES
SEASON SACKS    
1 2019   51
2 2023   47
3 2024   43
4 1981   42
5 1983   36
6 2011   34
2025   34
 
  • SMU had a takeaways interception)
    • Interceptions: Tyren Polley Jr.
    • Have 27 takeaways this season (entered the game 1st ACC / 1st NCAA FBS in takeaways – 26)
    • Have 17 interceptions this season (entered the game 1st ACC / 4th NCAA FBS in interceptions – 16) 
INTERCEPTIONS  
1 1981   31
2 1978   24
3 1968   22
  1982   22
5 1966   21
  2012   21
7 1979   20
8 1980   19
9 1983   18
  2016   18
11 1972   17
  2001   17
  2005   17
  1984   17
  2009   17
--- 2025   17
 
TV AND RADIO HIGHLIGHTS SMU INDIVIDUAL RECORDS
  • Jordan Hudson (#2, WR, Sr.) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team
    • Gameday Birthday
    • 8-96 receiving with a TD
SMU CAREER RECEIVING TDs    
1 James Proche, 2016-19   39
2 Emmanuel Sanders, 2006-09   34
3 Courtland Sutton, 2014-17   31
4 Aldrick Robinson, 2007-10   30
5 Emanuel Tolbert, 1976-79   25
  Rashee Rice, 2019-22   25
7 Reggie Roberson Jr. 2018-21   23
8 Jerry LeVias, 1966-68     22
9 Darius Johnson, 2009-12   20
10 RJ Maryland, 2022-     19
11 Jason Wolf, 1989-92     17
Jordan Hudson, 2022-   17
 
  • Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, RS Jr.) -- Maxwell Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
    • 29-37 passing for 303 yards with 3 TDs
    • 6-2 rushing with a TD
SMU SINGLE-GAME COMPLETION PCT. (Min. 20 Completions)
1 Justin Willis (20-23), Marshall, 2006       87.0
2 Kevin Jennings (29-35), Syracuse 10-4-2025   82.9
3 Shane Buechele (23-28), Navy 2020       82.1
4 Garrett Gilbert (38-47), at Cincinnati, 2013     80.9
5 Tanner Mordecai (24-30), Abilene Christian 9/4/2021 80.0
6 Kevin Jennings (29-37), Louisville 11/22/2025   78.4
7 Kyle Padron (32-41), vs. Nevada, 12/24/2009   78.0
8 Justin Willis (28-36), Tulane 10/20/2007     77.8
  Kevin Jennings (21-27), at Louisville 10/5/2024   77.8
10 Kevin Jennings (25-33), at Virginia 11/23/2024   75.8
 
CAREER TD PASSES    
1 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 72
2 Ben Hicks, 2016-18   71
3 Shane Buechele, 2019-20 57
4 Kevin Jennings, 2022- 53
5 Justin Willis, 2006-08   51
 
CAREER TDs RESPONSIBLE FOR (Pass/Run)
1 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 (72/4) 76
2 Ben Hicks, 2016-18 (71/3)   74
3 Kevin Jennings, 2022-   62
4 Shane Buechele, 2019-20 (57/4) 61
 
CAREER PASSING YARDS    
1 Ben Hicks, 2016-18   9081
2 Kevin Jennings 2022- 7181
3 Chuck Hixson, 1968-70 7179
4 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 7152
5 Shane Buechele, 2019-20 7024
 
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 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 596
6 Kevin Jennings, 2022- 580
 
SMU CAREER TOTAL OFFENSE - YARDS (Pass | Run)
1 Ben Hicks, 2016-18   8977 9081 -104
2 Kevin Jennings, 2022- 7712 7181 531
3 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 7454 7152 302
4 Ramon Flanigan, 1992-97 7437 5640 1797
 
CAREER 300-YD PASSING GAMES
1 Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 13
2 Ben Hicks, 2016-18   12
  Shane Buechele, 2019-20 12
4 Garrett Gilbert, 2012-13 9
5 Chuck Hixson, 1968-70 8
  Kyle Padron, 2009-11   8
7  Kevin Jennings, 2022- 7
8 Mike Romo, 1989-92   6
  Bo Levi Mitchell, 2008-09 6
 
  • RJ Maryland (#82, TE, Sr.) -- John Mackey Award Watch List, College Football Comeback Player of the Year Watch List, Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
    • 3-23 receiving 
SMU CAREER RECEPTIONS - TIGHT ENDS
1 John Hampton, 2000-02   114
2 RJ Maryland, 2022-   111
 
SMU CAREER RECEIVING YARDS - TIGHT ENDS
1 John Hampton, 2000-02     1485
2 RJ Maryland, 2022-     1462
 
  • Isaiah Smith (#1, DE, Sr.) - Phil Steele All-ACC Fourth Team
    • 2 tackles, including a sack 
SMU CAREER SACKS    
1 Luke Johnson, 1997-99 23.5
2 Isaiah Smith, 2021-   23.0
3 Ja'Gared Davis, 2009-12 20.5
  Justin Lawler, 2014-17   20.5
5 Justin Rogers, 2003-06 19.5
6 Anthony Beverly, 1981-84 19.0
 
ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES
  • TJ Harden (#27, RB, Sr. ) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List
    • 18-90 rushing
    • 2-7 receiving with a TD
    • 7 total TDs this season
  • Matthew Hibner (#88, TE, Gr.) - John Mackey Award Watch List
    • 4-58 receiving
  • Alexander Kilgore (#54, LB, Jr.) - Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee, Athlon Sports All-ACC Fourth Team
    • Had 3 tackles
  • Sam Keltner (#95, K, Fr.)
    • 4-4 PAT
    • 1-1 FG (made 49)
  • Yamir Knight (#8, WR, Jr.)
    • 6-44 receiving with a TD, 1-6 punt returns
  • Derrick McFall (#0, RB, Fr.) – Doak Walker Award Watch List
    • 1-5 rushing, 2-9 receiving
  • Wade McSparron (#43, P, RS Fr.)
    • 3-112 punting with 2 inside the 20
  • Ahmaad Moses (#3, S. Sr.) -- Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, ACC DB of the Week (9/2)
    • Team-high 8 tackles
  • Addison Nichols (#63, OL, RS Jr.) -- Rimington Trophy Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Third Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
    • Started 11 games at RG at SMU (started all 12 games at Arkansas in 2024)
  • Isaiah Nwokobia (#23, S, RS Sr.) - Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, Bronco Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Chuck Bednarik Watch List, Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Walter Camp All-America Second Team, Sporting News All-America Second Team, Athlon Sports All-America Third Team, Phil Steele All-America Fourth Team, All-ACC Team, Phil Steele All-ACC First Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
    • Has played 51 games for SMU, including 41 starts
  • Logan Parr (#71, OL, Gr.) -- East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
    • Has started 36 of the 38 games played at SMU
  • Tyren Polley Jr. (#10, S, Fr.)
    • Had an interception (2nd straight game)
  • Cameron Robertson (#9, DE, Sr.) - Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
    • 3 tackles, including a TFL plus a pass breakup
  • Terry Webb (#4, DT, 5th Yr. ) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Second Team
    • Had a tackle
  • PJ Williams (#59, OL, RS Jr.) - Outland Trophy Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Phil Steele All-ACC Fourth Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Second Team
    • Has started the last 26 games he has played
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