The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

The Independent Voice of Southern Methodist University Since 1915

The Daily Campus

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Fried Rice

Mustangs rely on special teams in narrow escape over Rice
Tara Hemphill, Matt Olson, Loren Sharp, Marc Bullock won the Homecoming Spirit Award for their efforts during the week. CASEY LEE/The Daily Campus
The Daily Campus, SMU
Tara Hemphill, Matt Olson, Loren Sharp, Marc Bullock won the Homecoming Spirit Award for their efforts during the week. CASEY LEE/The Daily Campus

Tara Hemphill, Matt Olson, Loren Sharp, Marc Bullock won the Homecoming Spirit Award for their efforts during the week. CASEY LEE/The Daily Campus

Despite the Rice Owls gaining their only lead of the season against the Mustangs, SMU stepped it up in the second half, coming back to beat the winless Rice Owls, 31-28.

Now with a 4-1 record in Conference USA and a 5-4 overall record, the Mustangs still find themselves in a two-way tie for the lead in the West division with No.15 Houston. A 4-1 C-USA record puts SMU at their highest conference record since 1986.

“We’re not used to winning around here,” senior wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. “The emotions are running pretty high.”

“They have to understand we’re not that good right now,” head coach June Jones said. “We’re winning, but we’re not that good. Eventually we’re going to be pretty good, but we’re young and we’re still learning how to win.”

Making his first collegiate start at Ford Stadium, freshman quarterback Kyle Padron threw for 234 yards and one touchdown, bringing his season total to four. Padron also completed 17 of his 24 attempts, but struggled at times, throwing one interception and taking five sacks for a combined loss of 25 yards.

The Mustangs quickly progressed to the Owls’ seven-yard line, courtesy of a 36-yard reception by Sanders. One play later, junior running back Shawnbrey McNeal rushed seven yards to put the Mustangs on the board first at 7-0.

Rice climbed into the lead in the first half, scoring three touchdowns in a row to put the Owls at 20-7 before Sanders stepped up for the Mustangs with his fourth touchdown of the season and 30th of his career.

The 23-yard touchdown pass from Padron brought the Mustangs within one score of the Owls in the second quarter, to put him in the lead of active NCAA players for most career touchdowns.

“How do you spell win? F-u-n,” Sanders said. “I’m having the time of my life right now. I’m happy with what coach Jones is doing. We’re right around the corner of making a bowl game.”

Down 14-20 with less than one minute remaining in the first half, SMU’s Sterling Moore blocked a Rice field goal, leading to a 74-yard touchdown return for senior defensive back Bryan McCann. Recovered on the SMU 26, McCann quickly picked up the blocked ball, running past the Rice special team players to put SMU up 21-20 at the end of the first half.

McCann’s touchdown against Rice marked his second returned kick for a touchdown, his first coming after a 63-yard return on a blocked field goal against East Carolina last month. McCann is now in 10th place in SMU history with 773 kickoff return yards, passing Doak Walker with 757 yards.

In addition to Moore’s first block of the season, defensive end Margus Hunt added two more, one on a Rice point after attempt and the other from a field goal attempt, bringing SMU’s season total to six blocked kicks. Hunt alone has six blocks on the season, setting a new SMU record and tying him for fifth in NCAA history for most blocks in one season. Hunt needs just three more to set a new NCAA record.

McNeal lit up in the second half, giving the Mustangs their final touchdown to win the game. Capping off an 88-yard night with two touchdowns, McNeal ran nine yards into the endzone to put SMU up 31-20. The University of Miami transfer improved to 727 yards on the season.

Rice tried to answer back with 1:47 remaining, going for a lateral play in the final seconds, but a fumble by Toren Dixon forced by SMU’s Chris Banjo and recovered by Chase Kennemer sealed the win, returning the Mayor’s Cup trophy to Dallas. Kennemer’s recovery marked the Texas A&M transfer’s fourth fumble pick-up on the season.

Banjo’s fumble, his third of the season, brought the SMU game total to three turnovers, a season-high for the Mustangs and the most by SMU during Jones’ time on the Hilltop.

“Well we’re pretty close to where I envisioned us to be,” Jones said. “This season is interesting in that we’ve won some of the games we shouldn’t have won, and those have led to more wins. The guys are believing and playing together. They are starting to understand what it takes to win.”

The Mustangs will continue in their pursuit for a bowl game this weekend as they host University of Texas El Paso (3-6, 2-3) on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Ford Stadium.

Senior wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders walks off the field after scoring a touchdown for SMU in the Mustangs’ win over Rice. CASEY LEE/The Daily Campus

The Mustangs celebrate their 31-28 defeat of the Rice Owls last Saturday at Ford Stadium hoisting the Mayors’ Cup overhead. CASEY LEE/The Daily Campus

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