DALLAS – Marques White recovered the fumble. Kevin Jennings needed one play to turn it into a touchdown. Three other SMU possessions ended with Brendan Baird field goals, keeping the Mustangs scoring even when they could not reach the end zone.
White stripped Ethan Grunkemeyer and recovered the fumble in the first half. On the next snap, Jennings found Yamir Knight for a 46-yard touchdown, putting the Mustangs ahead 20-7 with 6:09 left before halftime.
SMU went on to win 51-28, scoring five touchdowns and three field goals on its first eight possessions. The offense kept producing points even when a drive stopped short of the end zone. Baird made kicks from 47, 26 and 50 yards.
Jennings completed 24 of 32 passes for 350 yards. Knight caught six passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns, and Jalen Cooper added a 50-yard scoring catch. The two receivers accounted for all four touchdown passes, with Knight scoring twice more from 13 and 5 yards after halftime.
The third quarter gave SMU the separation it had lacked at the break. A 23-14 halftime lead became 37-14 before Virginia Tech scored its final two touchdowns in the fourth.
Virginia Tech’s final two touchdowns came in the fourth quarter. The third-quarter shutout had allowed SMU to build a 23-point lead before those scores.
White’s contribution was especially valuable because it eliminated the need for another sustained drive. He finished with two of SMU’s four sacks, and the offense scored seven seconds after taking possession of his recovery.
SMU hosts Wake Forest on Saturday. The Demon Deacons allow 15.9 points per game and 2.7 yards per rush; Kendrick Raphael brings 755 rushing yards into that matchup. Baird’s three kicks against Virginia Tech gave Jennings points on possessions that stopped short of a touchdown.
Photo: SMU Athletics. SMU vs. Virginia Tech, Nov. 6, 2026.
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