Halftime Report: SMU faces uphill battle at the intermission

Halftime recap of the SMU Mustangs vs. Nevada Wolf Pack season opener!

Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

The SMU Mustangs find themselves trailing the Nevada Wolf Pack 17-10 as they head into the locker room at halftime.

It's been a challenging first half for the Mustangs, with starting quarterback Preston Stone struggling to find his rhythm. Stone was pulled early in the game after going 3-10 for just 41 yards and throwing an early interception.

Backup quarterback Kevin Jennings has taken over at quarterback and led the Mustangs on a 7-play, 51-yard drive. LJ Johnson finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.

LJ punches it in to tie it up!#PonyUpDallas pic.twitter.com/Y10By5oobK

— SMU Football (@SMUFB) August 25, 2024

On the other side of the ball, Nevada's offense has been efficient, led by quarterback Brandon Lewis. Lewis has completed 7 of 12 passes for 67 yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 67 yards on the ground.

The Wolf Pack will be looking to maintain their momentum in the second half and put more points on the board.

SMU's defense will need to make some adjustments to contain Lewis and the Nevada offense.

Offensively, the Mustangs will need to find a way to get their running game going and create some big plays in the passing game to close the gap.

It's still anyone's game, but the Mustangs will need a strong second-half performance to come away with a victory in their season opener.