SMU’s Win Over Syracuse Marks a Step in the Right Direction
UNIVERSITY PARK — Early in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s 31-18 win over Syracuse, SMU found itself entering similarly dangerous territory. The Orange had just scored their first touchdown of the day on a 6-yard run by quarterback Rickie Collins. Two plays later, SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings threw an interception that gave Syracuse the ball back on the SMU 29.
A timely interception by Marcellus Barnes Jr. helped the Mustangs escape. But on the next drive, a Syracuse safety and 62-yard touchdown drive right after cut the Mustang lead that was 28 at the start of the fourth quarter to 13. If it weren’t for a failed two-point conversion attempt, it would’ve been 11.
The Turning Point
In all three of SMU’s games against power-conference opponents, it has faced comeback efforts by opponents in the fourth quarter. But unlike their first two against Baylor and TCU that ended in losses, this time the Mustangs were able to secure the win. It was a step in the right direction for an SMU team that until Saturday hadn’t proved it could finish.
“It doesn’t have to be pretty, but we finished,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “We got a win. We got a double-digit win in conference.”
Overcoming Adversity
After Syracuse made it a 13-point game, there was still 5:20 left on the clock. The Mustangs barely recovered the onside kick after but did and managed to burn 4:14 of clock before turning it over on downs. Syracuse had 46 seconds remaining, and Collins took a deep shot downfield. SMU safety Ahmaad Moses (Mansfield Summit) came up with SMU’s third interception of the day to put the game to bed.
“It got tight,” Lashlee said. “They’re kicking an onside kick that we didn’t exactly field great. But we got it. And then we didn’t run all the time off the clock, but we got it with five minutes left in the game in Week 2, and we didn’t run enough time off. We got it all the way down to one minute, no timeouts.
“It doesn’t matter how it looks or how you do it. It just matters that you do it.”
Past Experiences
Against TCU two weeks ago, SMU took a 24-21 lead with 10:30 left in the fourth quarter but just over a minute later gave up a 70-yard touchdown pass. The Mustangs didn’t score again.
Against Baylor in Week 2, SMU held a two-touchdown lead with 8:38 to play. But Baylor surged back and forced overtime, when the Bears ultimately secured the 48-45 win.
This time was different. Baby steps.
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A Reason to Celebrate
“That celebration in the locker room was good,” Lashlee said. “Our guys needed that because they work so hard, and we were in two really good contested games — one we definitely should have one, and one we could have one, and we didn’t. So to feel the reward for your work is important.”
SMU is still a ways away from being a College Football Playoff-caliber team like it was a year ago. That team knew how to win games even when it didn’t deserved to. That team knew how to finish.
But now, this group still searching for its identity no longer has to point to last year for confidence. It can look to its latest win and a 1-0 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
“You’ve got to accomplish confidence, and today, we did,” Lashlee said. “Now we’ve been there. We can say, ‘No, we’ve done it.’ Instead of ‘We almost did it.’ It’s a big step for this team.”
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Conclusion
In conclusion, SMU’s win over Syracuse marks a significant step in the right direction for the team. Despite facing challenges and setbacks, the Mustangs were able to secure a double-digit win in conference play, giving them a much-needed confidence boost. As they continue to search for their identity, this win serves as a reminder that they are capable of finishing games and coming out on top.
FAQs
Q: What was the final score of the game between SMU and Syracuse?
A: The final score was 31-18 in favor of SMU.
Q: What was the turning point in the game?
A: The turning point in the game was when SMU safety Ahmaad Moses came up with SMU’s third interception of the day to put the game to bed.
Q: What did SMU coach Rhett Lashlee say about the team’s performance?
A: Lashlee said, “It doesn’t have to be pretty, but we finished. We got a win. We got a double-digit win in conference.”
Q: What is SMU’s record in Atlantic Coast Conference play?
A: SMU currently has a 1-0 record in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
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