UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas — SMU scored on its first two possessions and never trailed, beating Virginia Tech 51-28 on Friday night at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The Mustangs gained 569 yards of total offense, and their lead grew to 30 points early in the fourth quarter.
DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 06: Southern Methodist University Mustangs wide receiver Jalen Cooper (10) during the game between SMU and Virginia Tech on November 6, 2026 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/DFWsportsonline)
The win puts SMU at 7-2. It also comes a week after the Mustangs lost 30-27 at Syracuse. Virginia Tech drops to 6-3. Both teams entered the ACC matchup at 6-2, and neither was ranked in the AP Poll for Week 10.
The schools had not played in a long time. Friday’s game was the first between SMU and Virginia Tech since 1974, with the Mustangs holding a 2-1 all-time edge going in.
How it unfolded
SMU went ahead early on a 12-yard touchdown run by Green. Kicker B. Baird added a 47-yard field goal, and the Mustangs led 10-0 after one quarter.
Virginia Tech came back in the second quarter. Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer scored on a 1-yard run to make it 10-7. Later, Jeffrey Overton Jr.’s 22-yard touchdown run cut SMU’s lead to 20-14 with 2:33 left in the half. In between, SMU had added a Baird field goal and a 46-yard touchdown pass from Kevin Jennings to Knight. Baird then hit a 50-yard field goal with seven seconds left in the half, and SMU went to the locker room up 23-14.
The game turned in the third quarter. SMU scored the only 14 points of the period, on a 3-yard run by Raphael and a 13-yard touchdown pass from Jennings to Knight. Jennings and Knight connected again from 5 yards out midway through the fourth quarter, which made it 44-14.
Virginia Tech scored twice in the final seven minutes. Overton ran in from 2 yards out, and the Hokies converted the two-point try. Grunkemeyer then threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Que’Sean Brown. On SMU’s next possession, Jennings threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Cooper with 3:23 left to finish the scoring.
DALLAS, TX – NOVEMBER 06: Southern Methodist University Mustangs wide receiver Yamir Knight (8) during the game between SMU and Virginia Tech on November 6, 2026 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/DFWsportsonline)
By the numbers
- Total offense: SMU 569, Virginia Tech 417
- Passing: SMU completed 24 of 32 passes for 350 yards, with four touchdowns and one interception. All four touchdown passes were thrown by Jennings: three to Knight and one to Cooper. Virginia Tech completed 28 of 38 for 291 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.
- Rushing: SMU ran 36 times for 219 yards, an average of 6.1 per carry. Virginia Tech ran 28 times for 126 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns, two of them by Overton.
- Turnovers: Virginia Tech 2 (an interception and a lost fumble), SMU 1 (an interception)
- Sacks: SMU’s defense had four sacks for 35 yards. Virginia Tech had one.
- Kicking: Baird made all three of his field goals, from 26, 47 and 50 yards. Virginia Tech did not attempt a field goal.
- Time of possession: SMU 31:17, Virginia Tech 28:43
Virginia Tech was efficient through the air. It completed nearly 74% of its passes and punted only three times. But SMU averaged 8.4 yards per play to the Hokies’ 6.3, and SMU’s three second-half touchdown drives decided the game.
Up next
SMU plays at home again next Saturday against Wake Forest. It then travels to Notre Dame on Nov. 21 and to Stanford on Nov. 28. Virginia Tech still has No. 1 Miami on its schedule on Nov. 21, followed by its annual rivalry game against Virginia in Blacksburg on Nov. 28.
