Dallas, TX—No. 20 SMU made a powerful statement in their Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) debut, defeating previously unbeaten and 18th-ranked Pittsburgh 48-25 on Saturday night. Brashard Smith commanded the charge and scored three touchdowns, including a 71-yard dash and impressive toe-tap catch in the end zone.
The team’s high-paced style was credited with the win by Smith. We’re just going fast like we normally do, and they couldn’t keep up,” he said.
The Mustangs (8-1, 5-0 ACC), who were champions in The American last season, broke a record by starting 5-0 in their inaugural season in a Power Five conference after moving up and making history. The team’s disciplined focus was a crucial factor in achieving the milestone, according to head coach Rhett Lashlee.
“It just shows when you worry about taking care of your own business, what can happen,” he said.
Quarterback Kevin Jennings contributed to SMU’s dominance, completing 17 of 25 passes for 306 yards, including a deep 80-yard touchdown pass to tight end Matthew Hibner. SMU was up 48-11 after Jonathan McGill’s timely interception.
Pittsburgh (7-1, 3-1 ACC) entered the game aiming for an 8-0 start, a feat not accomplished since 1981, when the legendary Dan Marino was under center. Redshirt freshman quarterback Eli Holstein, who was returning from an injury, had trouble finding consistency. Holstein threw 29 passes for 248 yards and left the game in the final 9 1/2 minutes due to the score margin.
Pitt Head Coach Pat Narduzzi stressed the importance of resilience following the loss.
“The message is it’s one game,” Narduzzi said. “It’s hard to win every week… Our guys will handle adversity. This is adversity, and our guys will bounce back.”
The weekend also saw No. 11 Clemson’s surprising defeat, putting SMU in a tie for the ACC lead with No. 5 Miami (9-0, 5-0). The Mustangs are fortunate to avoid facing Miami during the regular season, which keeps their conference championship hopes within reach.
SMU began the game with a strong start, as LJ Johnson scored a 2-yard touchdown on the opening drive. Roderick Daniels Jr. Scored again with a quick 3-yard run, hurling a defender at the goal line.
Just before Smith’s impressive 71-yard run, Pittsburgh kicker Ben Sauls failed to make a 47-yard field goal, his first miss in 16 attempts. Shortly after, Jennings connected with Smith again for a 3-yard touchdown on a third-and-goal, with Smith making an acrobatic inbounds catch to extend SMU’s lead to 28-3.
An injury to SMU cornerback AJ Davis caused the game to be briefly overshadowed, as Davis suffered a concussion after colliding with a Pittsburgh returner and being taken off the field in an ambulance after a tense few moments. Fortunately, he returned to the sideline before the game ended.
“When it happened, they felt like he was OK,” Lashlee said. “From what I was told briefly, all the scans and everything were good, and he should be OK. So that’s a big blessing.”
With the win, SMU solidifies its status as a rising force in the ACC, demonstrating their readiness for the high-competition that comes with Power Five play.
UP NEXT:
Pittsburgh’s next two games are at home, next Saturday against Virginia and Nov. 16 against No. 11 Clemson.
SMU plays Boston College on Nov. 16.
