Over 50,000 fans packed AT&T Jones Stadium on Sunday to watch Texas Tech and SMU battle it out in their season openers.
Texas Tech defeated SMU 35-27, marking Coach Tommy Tuberville’s first win with the Red Raiders, and the Mustangs’ first loss of the season.
Big 12 Conference team Texas Tech has defeated SMU in the last 14 games in which they have competed, dating back to 1989.
The Red Raiders ended the first half with a fourteen-point lead over the Mustangs.
Margus Hunt blocked a field goal in the second quarter, marking the eighth in his career, and tying the SMU record for combined blocked kicks and tying for ninth in NCAA history.
SMU quarterback Kyle Padron led a 13- play drive in the final drive of the first half, resulting in the Ponies’ first touchdown of the game scored by Zach Line. SMU and Texas Tech were 21-7 at halftime, Tech with the lead.
Texas Tech scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to go up 35-14.
However, SMU defense stepped up their game and shut out the Raiders in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs blocked two field goals during the game.
The Mustangs’ special teams drastically helped improve the team’s score during the final quarter. Darryl Fields returned a 92-yard kickoff, tying the tenth longest in SMU history. Fields also had 157 kickoff return yards on four returns during the game.
Fields set up the ‘Stangs for the field goal, raising the tally to 35-17.
Later on, SMU senior kicker Matt Szymanski kicked a school- record 61-yard field goal with 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter. His 61- yard kick set an SMU record, and is the second longest in C-USA history.
Szymanski was named C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday.
During the game, Padron threw two touchdowns to Cole Beasley, one of which cut the Mustangs’ deficit in the fourth quarter. The ball bounced off Tech safety Cody Davis into the arms of Beasley for the mark.
Texas Tech’s quarterback Taylor Potts threw four touchdowns and 359 yards that led the Red Raiders to a 35-27 victory over the Mustangs.
“We showed it’s going to be some ups and downs this year,” Tuberville said after the game.
Kyle Padron threw 218 yards with a total of three interceptions by Texas Tech.
Coach June Jones said that “Padron was a little flustered,” but the team played a good game.
SMU will host their home opener Saturday, Sept. 11 against C-USA rival UAB at 7 p.m. at Ford Stadium.
SMU is encouraging fans to dress in red, white and blue in honor of the United States, the Mustangs and the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.
