(Lindsey Perkins)

The first play of the game for the Mustangs was indicative of the rest of Saturday night’s 43-7 loss to No 12 Texas Tech.

Unfortunately that play was an interception as SMU quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell over threw his intended receiver and the ball ended up in Tech’s hands. That led to a Donnie Carona field goal and the Red Raiders never looked back.

Mitchell would go on to throw four more interceptions and no touchdowns.

“Yeah, [Mitchell] didn’t do the things he needed to do, yet at the same time, I don’t think we gave him a whole lot of help either,” head coach June Jones said. “I thought the offensive line did some good things but I thought that we didn’t do anything offensively good enough to win.”

But due to a missed extra point, a failed two-point conversion attempt and a missed field goal the Mustangs were down just 22-0 at halftime. But SMU couldn’t get anything going offensively and the defense couldn’t do enough to stop the potent Red Raider offense.

Four of the five Texas Tech touchdowns were on plays of more than 40 yards, two of which were passes to Michael Crabtree.

Turnovers have been a big part of SMU football so far this season. Against Rice the Mustangs turned the ball over five times and ended up losing. Against Texas State the Mustangs forced five turnovers and got the win. Once again against Tech, SMU turned the ball over five times and that was more than enough for the Red Raiders.

“Bo is going to be a great quarterback,” wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders said. “It’s a process, champions aren’t made over night. It’s the progress that feels the best. It’s just growing pains, for all of us, it’s not just Bo Levi Mitchell, it’s this whole team.”

The Mustangs will have a lot to work on before next week’s matchup against TCU in the Battle for the Iron Skillet.