Game Report: Fresno State 38, SMU 13

[PonyPride]

Fast start unravels in 38-13 loss
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To beat Fresno State, SMU needed some breaks. The Ponies needed to play a nearly flawless game. They needed Fresno State -- particularly FSU's star quarterback, David Carr -- to make mistakes. They needed to control Fresno State's defensive terror, defensive tackle Alan Harper.

The Ponies got everything they wanted early on. On the Bulldogs' third play from scrimmage, Carr misread the SMU defense and floated a pass out into the flat, right into the waiting arms of SMU cornerback Kevin Garrett, who picked off the pass and ran it back 32 yards for the touchdown. Garrett almost didn't make it to the end zone, raising the ball above his head around the 10-yard line. Carr raced across the field and belted Garrett, but not before the SMU junior had put the Ponies ahead.

"We were in a 'Cover 2' defense," Garrett said. "I think he just didn't see me."

The Mustang defense was sensational in the first half, stuffing the FSU running game and showing so many different looks that the Fresno State offense stalled repeatedly. Carr threw his second interception of the game when his pass was tipped up at the line of scrimmage and into the arms of SMU linebacker Jarrian James.

A Jacob Crowley field goal left SMU ahead, 10-0, at the end of the first quarter, but Carr and the Bulldogs were far from ready to quit. Carr hit wide receiver Marque Davis all alone in the back of the end zone with a 9-yard scoring strike, breathing new life into the FSU offense. Less than three minutes later, he found receiver Rodney Wright sneaking through a seam in the SMU secondary, floated a perfect touch pass over James Orr, and watched Wright race 65 yards down the sideline for the go-ahead score.

"That was just a blown coverage, that's all that was," SMU head coach Mike Cavan said. "We had the perfect defense called, we just didn't execute it right. James got caught, and left Jonas (Rutledge) to try to cover, but it was too late. We couldn't have been in a better defense for that play. But you also have to give them credit -- David Carr made a great throw.

"And that's also what you have to remember about him -- all three or four of his receivers can really run. So if he makes a great throw like that, they're dangerous."

SMU rallied for another Crowley field goal with less than a minute remaining before halftime and headed into the intermission trailing, 14-13.

But the second half was all Fresno State. SMU running back ShanDerrick Charles left the game with a knee injury, finishing his day with 96 yards on the ground. Meanwhile, Carr and the FSU aerial attack picked up steam. Carr hit wideout Bernard Berrian streaking across the middle of the field with a pass that Berrian carried in for a 35-yard score. With 47 seconds left in the third quarter, FSU kicker Asen Asparuhov drilled a 37-yard field goal to put the 'Dogs ahead, 24-13, heading into the final stanza.

In the final period, Carr and Wright hooked up again, this time on a 22-yard score, and backup running back Josh Levi waltzed in untouched on a 1-yard run to account for the final score. With a safe lead, FSU abandoned the passing game, pounding running back Paris Gaines, who finished with 61 yards on the ground.

SMU safety Ruben Moodley said the 65-yard touchdown to Wright was the breaking point for the Ponies.

"Up until that point, we played a great game defensively," Moodley said. "We played well defensively all day -- they just made some great plays when they had to."

SMU (2-6 overall, 2-4 against Western Athletic Conference teams) travels to Tulsa to take on the Golden Hurricane (1-8, 0-6) this Saturday. Tulsa got thumped Saturday by Rice, 59-32.

[Hoofprint]

Great story - better than the actual game.

GO PONIES! Beat the hell out of Tulsa!

[PK]

PonyPride, are you sure ShanD injured his knee?....that could be very bad. The official story on the game on smumustangs.com stated that he suffered a rib contusion...not good, but not nearly as bad as a knee injury. Could you check on that and let us know what the real story is? Thanks.

[PonyPride]

PK, you're right -- rib contusion. I wrote knee because that's what Cavan said in the postgame press conference. I also got the report this afternoon (Sunday) that it was his knee.
Nice catch on your part!