No. 22 SMU Rallies Past Missouri State, 34-24, as Jennings Rewrites School Record Book
DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 26: Southern Methodist University Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) scrambles during the game between SMU and Missouri State on September 26, 2026 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire)
DALLAS — SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings delivered a record-setting performance Saturday night at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The Mustangs recovered from a sloppy start to beat Missouri State 34-24 in a nonconference game that was closer than oddsmakers expected.
A fast start for the underdog
Missouri State came in as a heavy underdog. Pregame lines had SMU favored by 34.5 points. The Bears still led 10-0 after one quarter, and SMU’s mistakes set up both scores. Missouri State forced a fumble from receiver Yamir Knight at the Bears’ 7-yard line. Yousef Obeid then made a 35-yard field goal with 2:17 left in the first quarter. Four plays later, Jennings was hit as he threw, and the pass went directly to cornerback Joel Boamah. Boamah returned it 60 yards for a touchdown, putting Missouri State up 10-0 with 41 seconds left in the quarter.
The early lead had happened before. A year earlier, when Missouri State hosted SMU in its first home game as an FBS program, the Bears also went ahead 10-0.
SMU takes control
The Mustangs responded in the second quarter. Kendrick Raphael ran for 98 yards in the game, including a 1-yard touchdown early in the second quarter that finished a 78-yard, 11-play drive. Just before halftime, Jennings threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Theo Melin Ohrstrom. He then ran in a 1-yard touchdown himself in the third quarter. Jennings’s touchdown run came on SMU’s first drive of the second half.
After the interception, Jennings was nearly perfect. At one point he completed 21 passes in a row, a school record. In the fourth quarter, Ohrstrom caught his second touchdown, a 23-yard pass. Knight added a late 28-yard touchdown catch and finished with 11 receptions for 164 yards. Missouri State scored twice in the fourth quarter to cut into the margin but did not threaten SMU’s lead.
Records fall
DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 26: Southern Methodist University Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (7) looks for a receiver during the game between SMU and Missouri State on September 26, 2026 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire)
Jennings completed 33 of 39 passes for 464 yards and three touchdowns. The yardage was a career high, and his completion rate was 84.6 percent. He finished the night with 722 career completions and 9,162 career passing yards. Both totals passed the previous school records held by Ben Hicks, who threw for 9,081 yards and completed 718 passes from 2016 to 2018. Jennings also reached 78 career touchdowns responsible for, 67 passing and 11 rushing, breaking Tanner Mordecai’s school record of 76.
Jalen Cooper also set career highs, with eight catches for 125 yards.
“Got a lot more to be done, but this is a blessing,” Jennings said after the game.
A familiar opponent
The game also brought Jennings against a former coach. Missouri State’s first-year head coach, Casey Woods, had been SMU’s offensive coordinator for the previous four seasons and helped recruit Jennings. Woods and SMU coach Rhett Lashlee are longtime friends. They worked together at Arkansas State, and before that both were low-level assistants at Auburn when the Tigers won the 2010 national title.
“You can see why their quarterback is a Heisman Trophy candidate,” Woods said.
By the numbers
SMU outgained Missouri State 592 total yards to 239 and had 29 first downs to the Bears’ 14. The Mustangs averaged 7.5 yards per play, had 10 explosive plays, and converted 8 of 12 third downs. SMU also hurt itself. The Mustangs were penalized 12 times for 106 yards, and their two turnovers led to 10 Missouri State points.
For Missouri State, Skyler Locklear completed 15 of 19 passes for 102 yards and a touchdown. Henry Belin IV went 7 of 15 for 69 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
