San Diego, December 29, 2023 – SMU delivered a stunning performance, dismantling no. 21 Arizona 24-19 in Friday night’s Holiday Bowl. The victory snapped a frustrating five-game postseason losing streak for the Mustangs, a skid that included a lopsided 38-10 defeat to penn State last season.
Mustangs Maul Arizona in Holiday bowl Showdown
SMU’s explosive offense and a dominant first half propelled them to a decisive win over a ranked Arizona team.
- Kevin Jennings showcased his arm talent with 278 passing yards, completing 21 of 32 passes. He ignited the game with an 80-yard completion on a razzle-dazzle play, setting the tone for a dominant Mustang performance.
- T.J.Harden and Stone Eby each contributed a rushing touchdown, further solidifying SMU’s control.
- A blistering first-half performance and a resilient defense were key to SMU’s victory.
SMU raced to a 24-0 lead by halftime, a cushion that proved crucial in weathering three second-half interceptions thrown by Jennings and a determined comeback effort led by arizona’s Noah Fifita. The Mustangs, haunted by a blown lead in a previous Holiday Bowl appearance, refused to let history repeat itself.
The specter of the 1980 Holiday Bowl loomed large for SMU fans. that year, led by the “Pony Express” of Eric Dickerson and Craig James, the Mustangs held a seemingly secure 45-25 lead over BYU with just four minutes remaining. However, a miraculous comeback orchestrated by Jim McMahon, capped by a last-second Hail Mary, resulted in a heartbreaking 46-45 defeat.
Arizona attempted to mount a late charge, with Fifita connecting with Cameron Barmore for a 15-yard touchdown with 33 seconds left. However, SMU recovered the ensuing onside kick, sealing their victory.
The Mustangs wasted no time establishing their dominance. On second-and-8 from their own 19-yard line, Jennings initiated a trick play, handing off to Harden, who then pitched it to Yamir Knight, who flipped it back to Jennings. The quarterback then found Matthew Hibner, who was brought down at the 1-yard line, setting up Harden for a speedy touchdown.
SMU continued to pour on the offense, scoring on four of their first five possessions.Harden added another 3-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, Eby punched in a 1-yard run midway through the second, and Sam Keltner added a 24-yard field goal.
Arizona’s comeback attempt began in the third quarter when Michael Dansby intercepted a Jennings pass at the Arizona 4-yard line. Fifita capitalized, connecting with Jayin Whatley for a 28-yard touchdown. The two-point conversion attempt failed.
Jennings threw another interception,this time to Riley Wilson,giving Arizona a first down on the SMU 14-yard line. Though, the Wildcats were unable to convert, turning the ball over on downs.
Fifita found Tre Spivey for a 10-yard touchdown pass, narrowing the gap to 24-12 midway through the fourth quarter. Wilson intercepted Jennings again, but SMU regained possession when Alexander Kilgore intercepted Fifita’s pass.
Fifita finished the game with 28 of 43 passes completed for 265 yards.
Notably, both Jennings and Fifita, redshirt junior quarterbacks, have demonstrated loyalty to their respective programs, choosing to remain with their schools amidst the current landscape of the transfer portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.
This was SMU’s first postseason win as 2012.
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