SMU
5-1 , 3-1
Virginia
4-3 , 2-2
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | 0 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| SMU | 3 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 23 |
No. 24 SMU Defeats Virginia, 23-13
Oct 17 | Football
Jennings Throws For 246 Yards, 2 TDs In Win
Box Score | Postgame Notes
Photo Gallery | Video Highlights
Condensed Game Video
Postgame Press Conference
DALLAS (AP) -- Kevin Jennings threw two touchdown passes, former SMU soccer player Brendan Baird boosted the struggling special teams with three field goals and the No. 24 Mustangs beat Virginia 23-13 on Saturday.
Kendrick Raphael ran for 124 yards as SMU (5-1, 3-1 Atlantic Coast) improved to 10-0 at home in ACC games since rejoining a power conference league in 2024. The Mustangs are 17-3 overall in the ACC.
The Cavaliers (4-3, 2-2) were held to fewer than 300 total yards for a third consecutive game by an SMU defense that led a win over Boston College two weeks ago despite Jennings' offense gaining just 218 yards. Virginia finished with 258 yards.
Jennings was 23 of 36 for 246 yards with a 6-yard TD pass to Randy Pittman Jr. on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter and a 37-yard catch-and-run score by Jalen Halen early in the fourth.
Baird had missed his only previous kick for a unit that was just 3 of 7 on field goals this season before making kicks of 23, 45 and 26 yards.
The 45-yarder gave SMU a 13-10 halftime lead on an untimed down after Billy Koudelka was called for roughing the passer when Jennings was throwing the ball away after time had expired.
Before Pittman's fourth down scoring catch, SMU converted a fourth-and-3 when Jennings was hit as he threw by Nnanna Anyanwu, but Yamir Knight caught the fluttering ball beyond the first down marker.
Quarterback Beau Pribula scored Virginia's only touchdown on a 1-yard plunge on fourth down in the first half but was limited to 13 of 22 passing for 137 yards.
The Cavaliers came in with the ACC's top passing defense, facing Jennings and the third-best passing offense in the country. Virginia did a good job controlling SMU for long stretches, but a few big plays negated all that. Yannick Smith had a 59-yard catch to set up Pittman's TD.
For SMU, the longest run of Raphael's second 100-game of the season was a 28-yarder when the Mustangs were on the verge of simply running out the clock at the end of the first half. Instead, SMU ran a quick pass to get closer for a desperation heave, then Koudelka's penalty gave the Mustangs three points instead, and the lead for good.
Up next, Virginia hosts Duke at home on Friday night. For SMU, the Mustangs will host their last of four consecutive home games against California next Saturday.
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SMU Postgame Notes – October 17, 2026
- [24/22] SMU 23, Virginia 13
- SMU (5-1, 3-1 ACC), UVA (4-3, 2-2 ACC)
- Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
- Game Captains: Jaelyn Davis-Robinson (#13, CB, 5th), Charlie Fiser (#14, QB, 5th), Alexander Kilgore (#23, LB, Sr.), Yamir Knight (#8, WR, Sr.)
NEXT GAME
- Cal - Saturday, October 24 – 11am CT – Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
- TV: The CW
- Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | SMU App/The Varsity APP | Sirius XM
- Tickets: smumustangs.com/tickets
- SMU is
- SMU is 43-17 under Rhett Lashlee
- SMU is 32-6 in last 38 regular-season games
- SMU is 34-9 in the last 43 games overall
- SMU is 39-6 at Ford Stadium since 2019
- SMU is 17-3 in ACC games
- SMU is 10-0 at home in ACC games
- SMU has 43 wins since 2022 (Entered the game with the second most in the State of Texas in that span)
- SMU has had at least one takeaway in 37 of the last 42 games
- Score: SMU 23, UVA 13
- Total yards: SMU 404, UVA 258
- First downs: SMU 23, UVA 13
- Third downs: SMU 4-13, UVA 4-13
- Rushing yards:Â SMU 158, UVA 121
- Passing yards: SMU 246, UVA 137
- Tackles for Loss: SMU 1, UVA 4
- Sacks: SMU 1, UVA 1
- Kevin Jennings had 272 yards of total offense and now has 10,197 yards of total offense for his career, extending the program record
- Entered the game 8th among NCAA FBS active players
- Kevin Jennings had 23 completions and now has 765 for his career, extending the program record
- Entered the game 10th among NCAA FBS active players
- Kevin Jennings had 2 passing TDs and now has 83 career TDs responsible for (71 pass/12 rush), extending the program record
- Entered the game 8th among NCAA FBS active players
- Kevin Jennings had 246 passing yards and now has 9543 for his career, extending the program record
- Entered the game 6th among NCAA FBS active players
- SMU scored 2 TDs
- Kevin Jennings 6-yard pass to Randy Pittman
- Kevin Jennings 37-yard pass to Jalen Hale
- SMU recorded 6 explosive plays
- Derrick McFall 16-yard rush
- Kevin Jennings 33-yard rush
- Kevin Jennings 59-yard pass to Yannick Smith
- Kendrick Raphael 28-yard rush
- Kendrick Raphael 21-yard rush
- Kevin Jennings 37-yard pass to Jalen Hale
- SMU recorded 1 offensive scoring drives in under two minutes
- SMU has recorded 28 offensive scoring drives since 2025 that resulted in touchdowns in under two minutes.
- 19-second drive from SMU18 to 45-yard field goal by Brendan Baird.
- SMU had 246 passing yards (entered game No. 3 NCAA / No. 1 ACC at 341.0 yards per game)
- Kevin Jennings was 23-36 passing for 246 yards with 2 TDs
- Yamir Kight 6-51 receiving
- Yannick Smith 5-87 receiving
- Jalen Hale 4-60 receiving with a 37-yard TD
- Randy Pittman Jr. 3-19 receiving with a 6-yard TD
- Theo Melin Ohrstrom 2-21 receiving
- Jalen Cooper 1-9 receiving
- Kendrick Raphael 1-4 receiving
- Joshua Bates 1-(-5) receiving
- SMU had 158 rushing yards
- Kendrick Raphael was 22-124
- Raphael recorded his second 100-yard rush game of the season, his fifth career.
- Kevin Jennings was 4-26
- Derrick McFall was 2-16
- Chris Rhodes 2-1
- Kendrick Raphael was 22-124
- SMU held Virginia 13 points and 258 total yards (entered averaging 32.8 points and 379.3 yards)
- SMU recorded 1 TFL (entered game 2 ACC / 1 NCAA FBS in TFLs per game at 9.2)
- TFLs: Brandon Booker
- SMU recorded 1 sack (entered game 1 ACC / 6 NCAA FBS in sacks per game at 3.40)
- Sacks: Brandon Booker
- Mustangs have 142 since 2023 (Entered the game No. 1 in the country during that time span)
- SMU recorded 1 takeaway
- Marques White fumble recovery
- Mustangs have 56 takeaways since 2024 (Entered the game No. 13 Â in the country and the most in the ACC during that span)
- Held Virginia to 4-13 on 3rd down (entered game 1 ACC / 4 NCAA FBS in 3rd-down defense at 25.7%)
- 22-83 (.265) on 3rd down this season
- SMU recorded 1 Fumble Recovery
- Marques White (1)
- White's first fumble recovery of his career
- Marques White (1)
- Brandon Baird had 3 FGM
- Baird's first made field goals of his career
- SMU was 3-3 on scoring in the red-zone (1 TD)
- The Mustangs are 25-30 on red-zone trips this season
- SMU had 8 Mustangs catch a pass
- At least 7 players have a catch in 46 of the past 50 games
- The CW
- SMU Radio Network (Highlights) – KTCK "The Ticket" 96.7 FM, 1310 AM (Rich Phillips pxp, Scott Garner analyst, Steve Lansdale sideline)
- SMU Postgame Press Conference
K7NG OF DALLAS, Kevin Jennings Heisman Campaign
- Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, 5th) – Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Second Team, DCTF All-Texas Second Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Second Team, Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List, Walter Camp Player of the Year Preseason Watch List, Senior Bowl Top 300 Watch List, Johnny Unitas Gold Arm Award Top 15, Manning Award Preseason Watch List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Preseason Watch List, Pony Express Award Watch List (w/ Yamir Knight)
- 24-8 as a starter
- 23-36 passing for 246 yards with 2 TDs plus 4-26 rushing
- TDs to:
- Randy Pittman Jr. (6 yards)
- Jalen Hale (37 yards)
- TDs to:
- 272 yards of total offense (entered the game 1st in the ACC / 3rd in the NCAA in total offense per game)
- 1,834 passing yards this season (entered the game 1st in the ACC / 2nd in the NCAA in passing yards per game)
- 16 passing TDs this season (entered the game 2nd in the ACC / 14th in the NCAA in passing TDs)
- 2 TD passes, now has 71 for his career (T-2nd at SMU)
- 2 TDs responsible for, now has 83 for his career (Extends SMU CAREER RECORD)
- 272 yards of total offense, now has 10,197 for his career (Extends SMU CAREER RECORD)
- 246 passing yards, now has 9,543 for his career (Extends SMU CAREER RECORD)
- 23 completions, now has 765 for his career (Extends SMU CAREER RECORD)
| CAREER TD PASSES | Â | Â | |
| 1 | Tanner Mordecai, 2021-22 | 72 | |
| 2 | Ben Hicks, 2016-18 | Â | 71 |
| Kevin Jennings, 2022-26 | 71 | ||
ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUAL NOTES
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- Joshua Bates (#64, OL, Sr.) - Campbell Award Semifinalist, Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC First Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Preseason Team, Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List, Rimmington Trophy Preseason Watch List
- Has started all 19 games at SMU
- Brandon Booker (#28, LB, Jr.) - Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team
- 7 tackles, 1 sackÂ
- ​​​​​​​Jalen Hale (#2, WR, Sr.) - College Football Comeback Player of the Year Preseason Watch List
- 4-60 receiving, 1TD
- First receiving touchdown of the season, second of his career
- 4-60 receiving, 1TD
- ​​​​​​​Alexander Kilgore (#54, LB, Sr.) - DCTF All-Texas First Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee, Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List
- 10 tackles, 2 QBH
- Led SMU in tackles
- 10 tackles, 2 QBH
- ​​​​​​​Yamir Knight (#8, WR, Sr.) - Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Third Team, DCTF All-Texas Second Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Second Team, Bruce Feldman's College Football's Freaks List, Pony Express Award Watch List (w/ Kevin Jennings)
- 6-51 receiving
- Led SMU in receptions
- 6-51 receiving
- ​​​​​​​Jarvis Lee (#1, S, Sr.) - Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team
- 1 tackle
- ​​​​​​​Derrick McFall (#0, WR/RB, Jr.) - Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Fourth Team
- 2-16 rushing
- Randy Pittman (#5, TE, Sr.) - Mackey Award Preseason Watch List
- 3-19 receiving, 1 TD
- Fourth receiving touchdown of the season, ninth of his career
- 3-19 receiving, 1 TD
- ​​​​​​​Addison Nichols (#63, OL, 5th) - Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Second Team
- Has started all 19 games at SMU
- ​​​​​​​Theo Melin Ohrstrom (#18, TE, 5th) - Senior Bowl Top 300 Watch List
- 2-21 receiving
- ​​​​​​​Kendrick Raphael (#6, RB, Sr.) - Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC Third Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC Third Team, Doak Walker Award Preseason Watch List
- 22-124 rushing, 1-4 receiving
- Led SMU in rushing yards
- Recorded his second 100-yard rush game of the season, his fifth career.
- 22-124 rushing, 1-4 receiving
- ​​​​​​​Yannick Smith (#3, WR, Jr.)
- 5-87 receiving
- Led SMU in receiving yards
- 5-87 receiving
- ​​​​​​​Aakil Washington (#58, DE, Gr.)
- 5 tackles
- ​​​​​​​PJ Williams (#59, OL, 5th) - Phil Steele Preseason All-America Second Team, Phil Steele Preseason All-ACC First Team, DCTF All-Texas First Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-America Fourth Team, Athlon Sports Preseason All-ACC First Team, All-ACC Preseason Team, Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List, On3 Preseason All-America Third Team, Senior Bowl Top 300 Watch List, Pro Football Network Top 100 NFL Draft Prospect, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Preseason Watch List
- Has started the last 32 games he has played
- ​​​​​​​Marques White (#16, DE, Sr.)
- 2 tackles, 1 QBH
- Athlon Sports Preseason All-American – PJ Williams
- Maxwell Award Watch List – Kevin Jennings
- Outland Trophy Watch List – Joshua Bates, PJ Williams
- Patrick Mannelly Watch List – Morgan Tribbett
- Mackey Award Watch List – Randy Pittman Jr.
- Rimington Trophy Watch List – Joshua Bates
- Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List – Alexander Kilgore
- Walter Camp Player of the Year Watch List – Kevin Jennings
- Doak Walker Award Watch List – Kendrick Raphael
- Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 15 – Kevin Jennings
- Davey O'Brien Award Watch List – Kevin Jennings
- Manning Award Watch List – Kevin Jennings
- Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watchlist – Abel Hoopii
- Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watchlist – Kevin Jennings, PJ Williams
- Comeback Player of the Year Watchlist – Jalen Hale, Jonathan Jefferson
- Pony Express Award Watch List – Kevin Jennings & Yamir Knight
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
UVA 0, SMU 3
SMU - Baird,Brendan 23 yd field goal 12 plays, 88 yards, TOP 05:07
UVA 7, SMU 3
UVA - Pribula,Beau 1 yd run (Bettridge,Will kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 06:29
UVA 7, SMU 10
SMU - Pittman Jr.,Randy 6 yd pass from Jennings,Kevin (Baird,Brendan kick) 10 plays, 87 yards, TOP 05:01
UVA 10, SMU 10
UVA - Bettridge,Will 47 yd field goal 10 plays, 45 yards, TOP 05:55
UVA 10, SMU 13
SMU - Baird,Brendan 45 yd field goal 4 plays, 54 yards, TOP 00:19
UVA 10, SMU 16
SMU - Baird,Brendan 26 yd field goal 10 plays, 38 yards, TOP 03:28
UVA 13, SMU 16
UVA - Bettridge,Will 43 yd field goal 8 plays, 49 yards, TOP 02:35
UVA 13, SMU 23
SMU - Hale,Jalen 37 yd pass from Jennings,Kevin (Baird,Brendan kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:02
