Brashard Smith ran for 108 yards and two touchdowns, 348-pound nose tackle Anthony Booker Jr. returned a fumble for a score and SMU routed FCS member Houston Christian 59-7 on Saturday night.
Preston Stone threw for two TDs and Kevin Jennings had one passing and one rushing as the quarterbacks split time in the first home game for SMU (2-0) since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference.
After starting with a three-and-out, the Mustangs scored touchdowns on four consecutive possessions of their own — and one of Houston Christian's.
Jahfari Harvey crunched CJ Rogers in the chest late in the first quarter, the ball squirted loose as the QB was being slammed to the turf and Booker scooped it up and rumbled 16 yards for a 28-0 SMU lead.
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The lead was 42-7 with five minutes left in the first half a week after the Mustangs were three-touchdown favorites but didn't lead until the final two minutes of a 29-24 victory at Nevada.
The Huskies (0-1) got a 10-yard touchdown catch from Deuce McMillan but averaged just 3 yards per play with 10 first downs and had three turnovers in coach Jason Bachtel's debut.
Jordan Hudson, Jake Bailey and Key'Shawn Smith had a touchdown catch apiece, starting with Hudson's 28-yarder a play after Brashard Smith's 47-yard run. Key'Shawn Smith's 35-yard score was his only catch.
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The takeaway
Houston Christian: Rogers, a transfer who started his career at Baylor and played two seasons at Texas State, didn't return after going down hard on his lost fumble. Rogers won a Texas high school championship at Argyle in 2020 with Bachtel as his offensive coordinator. Cutter Stewart started before Rogers played two series and was 10 of 25 for 118 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
SMU: The Mustangs didn't really need anything from TE RJ Maryland. So he had a quiet night (one catch for 11 yards) after setting career highs with eight catches for 162 yards and the go-ahead 34-yard TD with 1:18 remaining against Nevada. SMU had at least seven receivers catch a pass in a 19th consecutive game.
Up next
Houston Christian: Home opener against Tarleton State next Saturday.
SMU: A visit from BYU on Friday is the second of four consecutive home games.
