UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas, Oct. 24, 2026: For the second straight week, SMU went into halftime trailing at home. This time the second half was not close. Cal (3-5, 2-3 ACC) led 20-17 at the break before the Mustangs (6-1, 4-1) scored 42 straight points, and No. 23 SMU won 59-20 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
A strong first half for Cal
Cal had quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele back in the starting lineup, and the Bears played a strong first half. They scored on their first possession. Sagapolutele threw a wide receiver screen to Chase Hendricks, who worked his way into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
SMU answered with 10 points. Its touchdown came on fourth down: Kevin Jennings hit Kendrick Raphael with a 22-yard pass, which tied the school record for career touchdown passes. Cal coach staff then reached for trick plays. Facing fourth-and-5 at the SMU 31, Cal ran a fake field goal, and holder Dominic Ingrassia gained 7 yards and a first down at the 24. That drive ended with tight end Mason Mini’s first career rushing touchdown. Mini has now scored receiving, passing and rushing in his career.
Cal stretched the lead with a field goal. Raphael then scored on a 1-yard run on fourth down to tie the game 17-17 with 1:57 left in the half. Cal got the last word before the break. Towns McGough kicked a field goal as the half ended to give Cal a 20-17 lead. Sagapolutele completed 19 of 23 passes for 214 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions, in the first half.
The second-half turn
SMU had given up 20 points and 255 yards in the first half, which was unusual for that defense. Cal also had the ball to start the second half, with a chance to go up by two scores. That did not happen. SMU’s defense forced three-and-outs on Cal’s first three second-half drives and then stopped the Bears twice on fourth down. In the second half, Cal managed 50 total yards, two first downs and minus-1 rushing yard.
The SMU offense scored on every possession of that stretch. SMU received the second-half kickoff and drove 67 yards in seven plays, and a 5-yard run by Christian Rhodes put the Mustangs back in front 24-20. The Mustangs scored touchdowns on their first six drives after halftime. In the fourth quarter, Raphael scored from 1 yard out, Jennings threw a 17-yard touchdown to Jalen Hale, and third-string back EJ Kelly ran 10 yards for a score.
Records and individual performances
Jennings’s second-half touchdown passes set the school record. He was already SMU’s career leader in passing yards (9,766) and completions (781). He passed the 72 touchdown passes Tanner Mordecai threw in 2021-22. He finished 16 of 23 for 223 yards and three touchdowns, with no interceptions, and he ran for 26 yards.
Raphael played against the team he left. He ran for 943 yards and 13 touchdowns at Cal last season, and he scored the winning 2-yard touchdown in the final minute when Cal beat SMU 38-35 in last year’s regular-season finale. That loss kept the Mustangs out of the ACC championship game. On Saturday, he ran 22 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and he added the receiving score.
For Cal, Sagapolutele finished 27 of 37 for 265 yards and one touchdown, with no interceptions. Hendricks led the Bears with seven catches for 83 yards and the touchdown. Tyree Sams set career highs with six catches and 43 yards.
By the numbers
SMU outgained Cal 492 yards to 305 and ran for 256 yards to Cal’s 40. The Mustangs gained 306 of their total yards after halftime. SMU also played its third consecutive game without a turnover.
What’s next
The Mustangs are 11-0 at home and 18-3 overall in ACC play since joining the league in 2024. Cal has lost four of its last five games. SMU plays at Syracuse on Oct. 31, and Cal stays on the road to play NC State.
