SMU football (6-4) has improved by leaps and bounds since head coach June Jones arrived on the Hilltop back in 2008. However, despite all the progress, SMU still can't find a way to beat the United State Naval Academy (4-6) on the gridiron. The 24-17 loss on Saturday marks the fifth straight victory that Navy has won over SMU. In the 16 games thet wo teams have faced each other, Navy holds a 9-7 edge.
In this day and age of college football when the spread offense dominates the landscape, it seems almost inconceivable that a team could win without completing a single pass. Yet, that's exactly what Navy did. The Midshipmen threw three passes: two were incomplete and one was intercepted by SMU. The Navy running game, ranked No. 2 in the nation, more than made up the deficit by rushing for 335 yards and three touchdowns.
Quarterback J.J. McDermott, fresh from torching the Tulane secondary last week, struggled against the Navy defense. He completed 26 of his 36 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown but was also intercepted twice and sacked twice. On the season, McDermott has thrown for 2,764 yards, 14 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Running back Zach Line was an unstoppable force on the ground, rushing 24 times for 135 yards. Line, who is a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award, would be a dark horse Heisman candidate on a BCS football team. After his performance against Navy, Line is now No. 6 in the nation in average rushing yards per game with 122.4. He has rushed for 1,224 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.
Wide receiver Cole Beasley did all the scoring for SMU. He reeled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from McDermott in the third quarter to tie the game at 10-10 and then ran in a touchdown in the four quarter to draw the Mustangs within seven. On the season, Beasley has caught 66 passes for 812 yards and two touchdowns. SMU's other top receiver, Darius Johnson, caught six passes for 59 yards. Johnson has 59 receptions for 819 yards and five touchdowns on the season.
It doesn't get any easier for SMU next week, as the Mustangs will be traveling to Houston to play the undefeated, No. 11 Houston Cougars. Following that game, SMU will return home for the final game of the year against the Rice Owls. Kick off for the Houston game is at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 19.
All photos courtesy of Rob Graham