DALLAS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Kevin Jennings went 24-for-35 passing for 298 yards and three touchdowns as No. 14 SMU held off visiting Boston College 38-28 in Atlantic Coast Conference action Saturday in Texas.
Jennings found three different receivers for touchdowns as the Mustangs (9-1, 6-0) remained unbeaten in their first ACC season. Jordan Hudson had seven catches for 99 yards and a score.
In his first start since Thomas Castellanos was benched and entered the transfer portal, Grayson James completed 18 of 32 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown for Boston College (5-5, 2-4).
Kye Robichaux rushed for two touchdowns and 90 yards on 21 carries.
Boston College got back within 31-28 after Robichaux capped a 10-play drive with a 3-yard touchdown with 5:52 remaining in regulation. On its ensuing drive, though, James was sacked twice after a Jordan McDonald fourth-and-one conversion.
After the turnover on downs, Jennings found Key’Shawn Smith for a 5-yard score on fourth down to ice the game for SMU.
After Collin Rogers missed a 24-yard field goal at the end of an 11-play opening drive to the red zone, SMU forced a three-and-out and proceeded to score the first touchdown when Jennings completed a 15-yard pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. along the left side.
Boston College turned the ball over on downs on the ensuing drive before the teams combined to trade scores on each of the next four possessions, beginning with a Rogers 35-yard field goal late in the first.
James began to find his rhythm from there, as a 23-yard strike to Lewis Bond over the middle set up Robuchaux’s 2-yard touchdown run — capping a 13-play, 75-yard drive — with 9:49 left in the second.
Aided by a pass interference penalty on third down, the Mustangs responded with a 4-yard run by Brashard Smith to take a 17-7 lead.
James’ 13-yard strike to Kamari Morales with 1:03 left before halftime brought the Eagles within 17-14, but after both quarterbacks traded interceptions within a span of three plays, Rogers booted a 41-yard field goal as time expired.
The Eagles scored on an eight-play, 83-yard drive out of halftime as James reached the end zone on a 20-yard run, giving them their first lead at 21-20.
Halfway through the third, Jennings reversed the score again when he hit Hudson for a 38-yard touchdown and Brashard Smith added a 2-point conversion, completing a 1:53 drive.
After forcing another three-and-out, the Mustangs added Rogers’ 37-yard field goal with 4:02 left in the quarter to make it 31-21.
–Field Level Media