Ponies' Defense Finally Shows Up Late, but It Mattered

After a wild third quarter where offenses took over, the Mustangs got stops for win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — SMU has finally gotten into a close game. It helped even more they found a way to win. The Mustangs had to recover an onsides kickoff with 53 seconds left for a 38-34 win over Memphis in the Liberty Bowl on Saturday afternoon.

SMU may have gotten into a shootout at the Liberty Bowl against Memphis as offenses ruled the first half. What the Mustangs have to figure out is how to stop the Tigers. In a place where they haven't gotten a win since 2013, the Ponies are hanging on, but Memphis wasn't going away.

This is a time they are looking to play like they have in second halves all year. The Tigers are trying to figure out how to stop SMU's rushing attack that put up 120 yards in the first half. LJ Johnson leads the pack with 64 yards and quarterback Preston Stone is the second-leading rusher with 27.

The Ponies started the game fast, scoring on their first drive with a 43-yard pass from Stone to wide receiver RJ Maryland, who caught the ball at the 17 and ran into the end zone with 12:16 to play in the second quarter. In this game, a 7-0 lead wasn't last very long.

Memphis answered with a 47-yard field goal by Tanner Gillis after an 11-play, 46-yard drive against the Ponies' defense that came into the game ranked in the Top 10 in the country. Memphis doesn't seem to be in awe.

The Tigers got the lead just before the end of the quarter on a 27-yard pass from Seth Henigan to DeMeer Blankumsee for a 10-7 lead with :56 left in the quarter.

SMU's Power Spread offense kicked in midway through the second quarter. Stone had a 16-yard scramble to the Memphis 43, then followed with a 15-yard run through a seam by Roderick Daniels, Jr. They ran the ball right down the Tigers' throat on the drive with Stone mixing in a little 5-yard pass on a rollout. The quarterback didn't need all the beef in North Texas to push him into the end zone, diving into a pile from a yard out for the score with 6:07 left in the half. Replay couldn't give any sort of evidence the ball's location but he was likely in the end zone under all the bodies.

Memphis put together a solid drive after the score, but ran into some big hits on short passes from Charles Woods and Kobe Wilson to force a timeout and decision with :51 to play before halftime. Gillis came on at that point for a 36-yard field goal, pulling the Tigers to 14-13.

The Ponies opened the second half with a dominating 13-play, 80-yard drive in just 5:21 with Stone passing just three times, but one of them was a 24-yarder to Jake Bailey, who was blasted making the catch.  Johnson ran the ball in from the 1 for the score with 9:35 left in the third and a 21-13 lead.

And, of course, Memphis answered right back. The Tigers drove 75 yards for a 1-yard run by Brandon Thomas and converted a 2-point conversion scoring pass.

SMU didn't need long to answer. Stone drove 75 yards in a blazing 1:10, going to the air for big gains of 27 and 31 yards to Key'Shawn Smith that set up a 1-yard run by Jaylan Knighton and the Mustangs were back on top, 28-21.

Tigers' offense now becomes the one that doesn't appear to be able to be stopped. It's been awhile since the Ponies have seen an offense like this. Memphis answers SMU's lead with a 75-yard scoring drive as Watson scored from 11 yards out to tie the game once again with 14:55 left.

Stone quickly got the Mustangs back down the field, but an incompletion in the end zone forrced Rogers to kick a 23-yard field goal with 12:25 left for a 31-28 lead and Lashlee was jumping up and down mad at the officials over something that happened in the end zone on an incomplete pass. Just guessing, but probably an underthrown jump ball to Maryland should have drawn a pass interference call.

SMU may have fininshed a narrow win with Stone hitting Jordan Hudson from the 7 with 2:41 left and a 10-point lead, 38-28.

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PONY EXPRESS:

MAY NOT MATTER HOW MANY WINS PONIES RACK UP IN MAGICAL SEASON IF COURTS RULE AGAINST THEM

SMU FANS WILL HAVE ONE OF THEIR OWN TO CHEER AT U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS

MUSTANGS' DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR CONCERNED MEMPHIS OFFENSE MAY BE TOUGHER TEST THAN OKLAHOMA

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