DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Jennings passed for 285 yards and a career-high four touchdowns as SMU beat Syracuse 31-18 in the Mustangs’ ACC opener on Saturday afternoon.
Jennings completed 29 of 35 passes with one fourth-quarter interception for 82.9%, second highest in program history for 20-plus attempts to Justin Willis’ 87% (20 of 23) in 2006.
Jennings threw scoring passes of 15 yards to Yamir Knight, 16 yards to RJ Maryland, 14 yards to Derrick McFall and 9 yards to Jordan Hudson as SMU (3-2, 1-0 ACC) broke to a 31-3 lead early in the fourth quarter.
“Probably one bad play in the whole game, late, the interception,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said of his junior quarterback. “Touch when he needs touch. Driving it when he needs to drive it. You can tell he’s playing with a lot of confidence and seeing the field really well.”
Jennings, who completed 16 straight, said he did nothing special.
“Just putting the ball in those guys’ hands,” he said. “They make plays.”
Sam Keltner added a 26-yard field goal for SMU after the Mustangs’ Brandon Miyazono intercepted Rickie Collins.
Collins ran for a 6-yard touchdown and threw an 11-yard TD pass to Johntay Cook II for Syracuse (3-3, 1-2), which dropped its second straight game since losing quarterback Steve Angeli to a season-ending Achilles injury during the second half of the Orange’s 34-21 road upset of Clemson on Sept. 20.
Collins, making his second straight start, was 22-of-45 passing for 279 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. Each interception came inside SMU’s 20-yard line.
Syracuse’s Tripp Woody kicked a 38-yard field goal, and David Omopariola tackled SMU’s Dramekco Green in the end zone for a safety.
The Orange were in position to take an early lead, beginning their first possession at SMU’s 42-yard line following a 14-yard punt by the Mustangs’ Wade McSparron. They drove to SMU’s 1, where Collins was stuffed carrying up the middle short of the goal line.
Syracuse punter Jack Stonehouse took off under a heavy rush on fourth-and-10 on the Orange’s first possession of the second half and gained 11 yards. Except SMU was ruled offside, and the play didn’t count, though it wasn’t whistled dead as a pre-snap penalty.
Syracuse: The Orange have dropped consecutive games for the first time in coach Fran Brown’s two seasons.
SMU: The Mustangs have won 18 consecutive regular-season conference games, the last nine in the ACC following their final nine played in The American.
Syracuse, off next weekend, will host Pittsburgh on Oct. 18.
SMU will host Stanford next Saturday.
A pass falls incomplete to Syracuse wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons (12) as SMU defensive back Deuce Harmon (7) reaches for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Dallas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
BEAVER CREEK, Colo. (AP) — Marco Odermatt of Switzerland cruised to a World Cup giant slalom win Sunday for his second victory on the Birds of Prey course in a four-day span.
After winning Thursday's downhill, Odermatt found more speed through the tricky GS setup and finished in a combined time of 2 minutes, 20.59 seconds. He held off Alex Vinatzer of Italy by 0.23 seconds. Norwegian skier Henrik Kristoffersen finished third.
Odermatt got back on track in the GS after falling in the first run at Copper Mountain, Colorado, on Nov. 28. It ended a streak of eight straight World Cup podium finishes in the GS.
The snow at Beaver Creek always seems to bring out the best in Odermatt. He's finished in the top three on nine occasions, including five wins, at this hill. His first World Cup victory was in a super-G at Beaver Creek on Dec. 6, 2019.
For all the success he's had at the venue, though, Odermatt has struggled in the giant slalom at Birds of Prey. His best finish was 27th in the discipline at Beaver Creek — until Sunday.
That may be why he let out a scream after he saw his winning time.
“It’s very special,” said Odermatt, who now has 28 World Cup wins in GS. “The giant slalom today was somehow missing on my portfolio. Yeah, I'm super happy."
So, which win means more this weekend — the downhill or the GS?
“Those are always tough questions,” Odermatt said. “I think I still have to go with the downhill because downhill is just something different.”
It was Vinatzer's fourth career World Cup podium and first in the GS.
American racer River Radamus was 18th after the first run but moved up to sixth place with a strong final performance. His teammates, Ryder Sarchett (25th) and George Steffey (27th), also finished in the top 30.
The men's circuit moves to Val d’Isere, France, next weekend for a giant slalom and slalom.
AP Winter Olympics at https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt competes during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts at the finish line during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen shakes hands with Italy's Alex Vinatzer at the finish line during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts at the finish line during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Brazil's Lucas Pinheiro Braathen competes during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Norway's Henrik Kristoffersen competes during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Switzerland's Marco Odermatt competes during a World Cup men's giant slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025, in Beaver Creek, Colo. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
