No. 21 SMU strikes early, scores big in rout of Stanford

Kevin Jennings threw for 322 yards and three touchdowns, including an 87-yarder to Moochie Dixon on the first offensive play of the game, and 21st-ranked SMU remained unbeaten in Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 40-10 shellacking of host Stanford on Saturday night.

LJ Johnson Jr. added two rushing scores for the Mustangs (6-1, 3-0), who have won four in a row since a narrow loss to BYU. They have run up 182 points in the process.

Heralded freshman Elijah Brown came off the bench and threw for 153 yards in his first extensive playing time for the Cardinal (2-5, 1-3), who lost their fourth in a row.

Jennings followed his connection to Dixon with 45- and 38-yard scores to Key'Shawn Smith and RJ Maryland, respectively, before the end of the first quarter, giving the Mustangs a 21-0 lead just 13:13 into the schools' first-ever ACC meeting.

A Mitch Leigber interception at the SMU 14 and Brown's 18-yard TD strike to Elic Ayomanor three plays later gave Stanford life with 6:39 left in the half.

But SMU responded immediately with a 59-yard drive culminated by a Johnson 5-yard score, and when Collin Rogers drilled a 51-yard field goal on the final play of the second period, the visitors rolled into the break with a 31-7 cushion.

Jennings had 278 of his 322 passing yards by halftime as part of the Mustangs' 364-77 dominance in total yards in the first two periods. He finished 17-for-27 with the one interception.

Stanford did the game's only scoring of the third period on a 42-yard field goal by Emmet Kenney. But SMU ran up its 30-point margin of victory over the final 11:40 when Cale Sanders Jr. sacked Brown for a safety and Johnson plowed in from 2 yards out.

Brashard Smith led a balanced running attack with 67 yards on eight carries for the Mustangs, who outrushed the hosts 179-11 en route to a 501-169 advantage in total yards.

Each team had two turnovers in the schools' first meeting since the 1935 Rose Bowl.

Brown, who replaced Ashton Daniels at quarterback late in the first quarter, went 16-for-32 for 123 yards with two interceptions.

Stanford's Sam Roush was the game's top pass-catcher with six catches for 45 yards.

--Field Level Media