Will Ferrin's late field goal gives BYU 18-15 win over SMU

Field Level MediaField Level Media|published: Fri 6th September, 23:02 2024
NCAA Football: Brigham Young at Southern MethodistSep 6, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brigham Young Cougars place kicker Will Ferrin (44) kicks the game winning field goal against the Southern Methodist Mustangs during the second half at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Will Ferrin kicked a 26-yard field goal with 1:58 left Friday night to give BYU an 18-15 non-conference win over SMU in Dallas.

The Mustangs' last gasp ended with 1:25 remaining when Kevin Jennings' 4th-and-10 pass from their 40, intended for Jordan Hudson, fell incomplete at the

Cougars' 20. The result enabled BYU to improve to 2-0 and dropped SMU to 2-1.

Jake Retzlaff completed 15 of 28 passes for the Cougars for 202 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions, while Jennings was 15 of 32 for 140 yards with an interception. Mustangs starter Preston Stone played just three series and was 2 of 4 for 4 yards, absorbing three sacks.

SMU led 12-7 in the third quarter after Collin Rogers' fourth field goal of the game when BYU answered with a 61-yard touchdown march. Enoch Nawahine scored on a 9-yard run at the 1:15 mark, followed by a two-point conversion pass.


Rogers' fifth field goal, a 45-yarder with 6:17 remaining in the game, evened the score at 15. The Cougars responded with a 67-yard drive, getting a 37-yard run from Miles Davis on 4th-and-1 from their 48 to tee up Ferrin.

BYU initiated scoring on its second drive, marching 75 yards and finishing it with Retzlaff's 16-yard touchdown pass to tight end Mata'ava Ta'ase, the second time the duo hooked up for a score in as many games.

That was it for the Cougars' attack until their last drive of the half. They had four straight 3-and-outs, then were stoned on a 4th-down run at the 26 by an SMU defense that kept them from scoring points after BYU recovered a fumbled punt at the Mustangs' 35.

SMU took a 9-7 lead at halftime thanks to Rogers' three second quarter field goals. He boomed a career-long 53-yarder at the 13:06 mark, connected from 52 about seven minutes later and nailed a 38-yarder in the last minute.

The Cougars had a chance to take the lead at halftime but Ferrin misfired from 55 as time expired.

--Field Level Media

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