DALLAS — Pony up-tempo is real, dangerous and one of the most explosive offenses in college football.
Southern Methodist University took a step towards becoming the best team in the American Athletic Conference — in Texas or otherwise — after its 49-28 win against Connecticut on Saturday at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
Under the steady hand of Ben Hicks, who threw for 280 yards and four touchdowns, as well as Xavier Jones, Braeden West and key special teams play, the Mustangs turned a 7-point advantage into a conference-opening victory.
The Huskies and Mustangs combined for 77 points in four quarters and Hicks found Courtland Sutton (7 rec, 112 yds) and Trey Quinn (15 rec, 116 yds), an LSU transfer, two times each in the end zone. They were two of the six receivers that had at least one reception during the game.
(Photo courtesy USA Today Sports)
Three different SMU backs — Jones, West, and Ke’Mon Freeman — had touchdown runs.
SMU (4-1, 1-0 AAC) landed a final air strike after Hicks found Sutton in the end zone on a 34-yard touchdown with 11:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs’ surged defensively on during each of its eight sacks and after Ryan Becker’s blocked punt on UConn’s next possession, setting up Freeman’s 3-yard run that made it 42-28. The Huskies (1-3, 0-2) then turned it over on downs deep in their own territory and Braeden West’s 25-yard run capped the scoring on the next play.
Bryant Shireffs (22-28, 408 yds, 2 TD) and the Huskies may have made their most costly mistake on the ensuing drive, turning the ball over on downs deep in their own territory. West’s 25-yard run capped the short-field drive a play later.
UConn (1-3, 0-2 AAC) trailed 21-10 at halftime but found its defensive footing in the second half, managing to cut the deficit to a single point after 10 unanswered points in the third quarter to deadlock the game at 28 early in the fourth. On this day of firsts and career-highs, Shirreffs and his receiving options marched down the field despite the near absence of a running game.
SMU’s defense held Nate Hopkins, Kevin Mensah, and the Husky backfield to -8 yards on 36 carries. Shirreffs rushed for -36 yards on 10 carries and Hopkins, the team’s leading rusher, gained only 27.
The Mustangs rebounded from their Sept. 16 shootout to current Associated Press No. 10 Texas Christian University with a 44-21 blowout of Arkansas State and the homestand against Connecticut.
