GAME REPORT: SMU 24, Tulsa 14

[PonyPride]

Kincade leads Ponies to third victory
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Running back Keylon Kincade filled in for freshman ShanDerrick Charles and exploded for 169 yards and a touchdown -- almost all of which came in the second half -- to lead the SMU football team (3-6 overall, 3-4 against Western Athletic Conference competition) to a 24-14 win over Tulsa. The 169 yards were a career-high for the sophomore from Troup, Texas, and the touchdown was the first of his college career.

The game also featured the rotation of two quarterbacks by the Ponies; David Page and Kelan Luker each completed 4-of-7 passes for 42 yards and an interception. Wide receiver Billy Ford was the Mustangs' top pass catcher, hauling in three receptions for 38 yards.

The stars of the day, other than Kincade, were the Ponies' defenders. SMU forced five Tulsa turnovers, including interceptions by cornerbacks Kevin Garrett and Jonas Rutledge and a pick of a tipped ball by defensive end Johnson Patman. Rutledge returned his pick 31 yards for a score -- on a play on which SMU defensive end Kevin Aldridge annihilated Tulsa quarterback Tyler Gooch while blocking for Rutldege. Gooch left the game with what was originally called a sprained knee, and did not return. The three Tulsa quarterbacks -- Gooch, James Kilian and Josh Blankenship -- combined to complete 20-of-44 passes for 242 yards and a score, to go along with the three SMU interceptions. Senior wideout Donald Shoals, who was playing on a tender ankle, was sensational, with eight receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown. Twice he caught deflected passes while prone on the turf.

The Ponies got on the scoreboard first, when Charles scored on a 4-yard run with exactly nine minutes left in the first quarter, taking a handoff from Luker, starting left and then cutting back across the grain and scampering untouched into the end zone. The Ponies' lead doubled just under four minutes later when Rutledge picked off the errant Gooch pass and zig-zagged his way into the end zone. A 19-yard Jacob Crowley field goal with 8:04 left in the fourth quarter made it 17-0, SMU.

But Tulsa didn't go away quietly. Running back Ken Bohanon plowed in from a yard out with 4:44 left to pull the Golden Hurricane to within 10. But 80 seconds later, Kincade sealed the SMU win, and capped off his stellar day, with a 26-yard sprint through the middle of the Tulsa defense to make the score 24-7, SMU. Tulsa scored the game's final points when Blankenship hit Shoals on a 2-yard corner route in the side of the end zone.

SMU now hosts Rice next Saturday at Ford Stadium in the final WAC game of the year.

[PerunaPunch]

I'm impressed! I didn't even see you taking any notes during the game!!

Great summary.