The SMU Mustangs faced a tough challenge Saturday night, struggling for most of the game against Nevada. However, when it mattered most, they delivered in the final moments of the fourth quarter. Quarterback Preston Stone and tight end RJ Maryland were the key players in a clutch drive that turned the game around.
The defining moment came when Stone launched a 34-yard touchdown pass to Maryland down the left sideline, securing a game-winning touchdown with just 1:18 left on the clock.
In the end zone, Maryland made a spectacular, fully-extended catch, one of the best of Week 0. The touchdown gave SMU a 29-24 lead after outscoring Nevada 16-0 in the final quarter.
Despite a rough start with turnovers, penalties, and missed opportunities, SMU found their rhythm just in time. The Mustangs outgained Nevada by 191 yards to 54 in the fourth quarter and averaged an impressive 8.7 yards per play.
Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis had been a thorn in SMU’s side all night, amassing over 200 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns. But in the fourth quarter, SMU's defense stepped up, securing a critical safety and setting the stage for Maryland and Stone's heroics.
Maryland finished the game with eight catches for 162 yards and a touchdown, proving once again why he’s one of the top tight ends in the nation. It took some time, but when he finally got going, Nevada’s defense had no answer.
Though the game was far from perfect, SMU showed up when it mattered most, pulling off a hard-fought victory in Reno.
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