The Mustangs exemplified the definition of bending without breaking. They cracked, but did not break. SMU held off an offensive fury from the Tulane Green Wave and won their conference opener 33-28.
Sophomore Jessie Henderson’s 100 yard kick-off return after Tulane took a 21-20 lead gave SMU the lead for good early in the fourth quarter.
Henderson didn’t take all of the credit for the run, though.
“They basically opened the holes up and made it possible for me,” he said.
The offense didn’t get off to a great start, but the defense was solid once again. The defense held the Green Wave to only 48 total offense yards, with keeping Tulane to negative 14 yards. The only problem was the Mustang offense was only able to pick up 55 total yards. But off a failed fake punt on their own six-yard line, the Mustangs were given a golden opportunity.
The only problem is the offense struggled going six yards. It started with a fumble, an incomplete pass and was saved by an impressive catch by Zach Sledge. Quarterback Justin Willis struggled through the first half throwing the ball. Everything came out short and low, the team only had 17 passing yards in the first quarter.
It was in the second quarter that things picked up for the Mustangs. SMU threw for 69 yards in the quarter and included a 34-yard field goal by Thomas Morstead. The first half scoring was topped off by a one-yard touchdown run by Willis, his second rushing touchdown on the season.
The second half was a different story for the Mustangs. SMU had two full possessions in the third quarter, but both were three-and-outs. Tulane on the other hand hit a sign of life, its offense only threw for 40 yards, and rushed for negative 16. But with six and a half minutes left in the third quarter, it was Tulane’s defense that put the Green Wave on the scoreboard. It was on third down, inside the 20 when Willis threw a pass to Bobby Chase, that like many, didn’t quite make it to the receiver, the pass bounced off Chase and into the hands of David Skehan who ran the ball 30 yards into the end zone.
The next time the Mustangs got the ball they had to settle for a 23-yard field goal by Morstead. But the next time Tulane got the ball it was a different story than any other drive they had all game. The Green Wave began running a hurry-up offense and were able to drive the ball 90 yards in only five plays in just under a minute and a half.
This is when the Mustangs began to bend and crack.
On the next drive Morstead could not connect on a 39-yard field goal and Tulane took advantage. The Green Wave went 77 yards in 14 plays this time, giving Tulane a one-point lead.
But it was Henderson who kept it together. One hundred yards and just 19 seconds later the Mustangs were back on top. Henderson took the kick-off the length of the field and gave SMU a lead they would not give back.
Before the play Henderson said that the team was “kind of down, but everyone stayed together,” and that is what lead to the Mustangs’ victory.
The effort was helped by senior defensive lineman Adrian Haywood, who forced a fumble on the first play of Tulane’s next drive. Haywood sacked Tulane quarterback Lester Ricard and Cory Muse picked up the ball. SMU took the ball and scored on a 19-yard pass from Willis to Emmanuel Sanders. It was the third game in a row that Sanders has caught a touchdown pass.
The Green Wave wouldn’t go away quietly though. An 83 yard 10 play drive brought Tulane to within five. But that is as close as Tulane could get. The Mustangs ran out the final two and a half minutes and won their first conference and road game of the season.
The Mustangs held the Green Wave to negative 33 rushing yards, but gave up 398 yards passing. While the rush defense remained solid, the secondary opened up some questions.
Bennett noted that this game “showed some maturity [SMU] hasn’t had since I’ve been here.” And that maturity gave the Mustangs their first road conference opener since 1993.
Jessie Henderson returned three kick-offs, but it was the third that he returned for 100 yards and gave the Mustangs the touchdown that would put them on top for the rest of the game.
