SMU Dominates Stanford Behind Strong Defense, Covers Spread
SMU defeated Stanford 34-10 on Saturday, covering the 19.5-point spread in a one-sided contest. The Mustangs scored touchdowns in each quarter while holding Stanford's offense largely in check.
Stanford struck first with a field goal in the second quarter, but SMU answered with a dominant offensive performance. Chris Johnson Jr. rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown, while Kevin Jennings connected on multiple scoring passes, including a 19-yard touchdown to Derrick McFall in the first quarter and a 42-yard score to Johnson Jr. in the third quarter.
The defensive showcase came in the fourth quarter when Justin Medlock intercepted Ben Gulbranson's pass and returned it 96 yards for a touchdown, effectively sealing the victory. Gulbranson led Stanford's passing attack with 278 yards, and Sam Roush caught 89 receiving yards, but it proved insufficient against SMU's balanced attack.
The game finished under the 55.5-point over-under, and Stanford managed only a third-quarter field goal in the final half to round out the scoring.
AI-generated recap · Aug 10, 2026
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Stanford | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
 SMU | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
Scoring Timeline
Drive Chart
Box Score
| Statistic | Stanford | SMU |
|---|---|---|
| Passing | 22-41 | 22-30 |
| Pass Yards | 278 | 247 |
| Rush Yards | 75 | 123 |
| Total Yards | 353 | 370 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| 3rd Down | 5-16 | 3-11 |
| Penalties | 10-95 | 7-53 |
| Possession | 36:30 | 23:30 |
Player Leaders
Player Leaders
Play-by-Play
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete
T.J. Harden run for 2 yds to the SMU 27
Kevin Jennings sacked by Scotty Edwards for a loss of 13 yards to the SMU 14
Wade McSparron punt for 36 yds
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to RJ Maryland
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Yamir Knight for no gain to the 50 yard line
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to Yamir Knight
Wade McSparron punt for 42 yds
Micah Ford run for no gain to the STAN 8
Micah Ford run for 13 yds to the STAN 21 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Bryce Farrell for 12 yds to the STAN 33 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson sacked by Isaiah Smith for a loss of 8 yards to the STAN 25
(09:29) Shotgun Gulbranson,Ben pass incomplete short right to Tabb,Cole thrown to STA20 PENALTY SMU Holding (Robertson,Cameron) 10 yards from STA25 to STA35, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson sacked by Jeffrey M'ba for a loss of 7 yards to the STAN 28
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Bryce Farrell
Ben Gulbranson sacked by Cameron Robertson for a loss of 8 yards to the STAN 20
Aidan Flintoft punt for 45 yds , Marcellus Barnes Jr. returns for no gain to the SMU 25
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Jordan Hudson for 7 yds to the SMU 32
Chris Johnson Jr. run for 4 yds to the SMU 36 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 11 yds to the SMU 47 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings pass complete to RJ Maryland for 9 yds to the STAN 44
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 2 yds to the SMU 42 SMU Penalty, Offensive Holding (Marcellus Barnes Jr.) to the SMU 44
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 8 yds to the STAN 48
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Jordan Hudson for 12 yds to the STAN 36 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 1 yd to the STAN 35
Kevin Jennings pass complete to RJ Maryland for 9 yds to the STAN 26 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 1 yd to the STAN 25
Kevin Jennings run for 6 yds to the STAN 19
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to Romello Brinson
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Derrick McFall for 19 yds for a TD (Sam Keltner KICK)
Sam Keltner kickoff for 54 yds , Caden High return for 18 yds to the STAN 29
Cole Tabb run for 6 yds to the STAN 35 Stanford Penalty, Offensive Holding (Myles Libman) to the STAN 25
(02:05) Tabb,Cole rush middle for 15 yards gain to the STA40 (Miyazono,Brandon; Nwokobia,Isaiah) PENALTY STA Holding (Anderson,Fisher) 10 yards from STA25 to STA15. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Cole Tabb for 12 yds to the STAN 27
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to CJ Williams
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Bryce Farrell
Aidan Flintoft punt for 53 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the SMU 20
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Jordan Hudson for 37 yds to the STAN 43 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings run for 1 yd to the STAN 42
Chris Johnson Jr. run for 3 yds to the STAN 39
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Jordan Hudson for 16 yds to the STAN 23 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to Romello Brinson
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Derrick McFall for 7 yds to the STAN 16
T.J. Harden run for 1 yd to the STAN 15
Sam Keltner 32 yd FG GOOD
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 13 yds to the STAN 38 for a 1ST down
Micah Ford run for 5 yds to the STAN 43
Micah Ford run for 3 yds to the STAN 46
Micah Ford run for 3 yds to the STAN 49 for a 1ST down
Cole Tabb run for 3 yds to the SMU 48
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 4 yds to the SMU 44
Micah Ford run for 6 yds to the SMU 38 for a 1ST down
Micah Ford run for 1 yd to the SMU 37
Micah Ford run for 3 yds to the SMU 34
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
(06:23) Kenney,Emmet field goal attempt from 52 yards nullified by penaltyGOOD (H: Flintoft,Aidan, LS: Warford,Peyton), clock 06:17 PENALTY SMU Offside (Harmon,Deuce) 5 yards from SMU34 to SMU29. NO PLAY.
Micah Ford run for 4 yds to the SMU 25 for a 1ST down
Micah Ford pass incomplete to Sam Roush
Micah Ford run for 9 yds to the SMU 16
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 10 yds Sam Roush fumbled, recovered by STAN Sam Roush for a 1ST down
Micah Ford run for no gain to the SMU 6
Micah Ford run for 5 yds to the SMU 1
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Benji Blackburn
Micah Ford run for a loss of 1 yard to the SMU 2
T.J. Harden run for 4 yds to the SMU 6
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to Jordan Hudson
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 15 yds to the SMU 21 for a 1ST down
SMU Penalty, Illegal Block (-10 Yards) to the SMU 11
Chris Johnson Jr. run for 2 yds to the SMU 13
Chris Johnson Jr. run for 87 yds for a TD (Sam Keltner KICK)
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 12 yds to the STAN 37 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 18 yds to the SMU 45 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Bryce Farrell for 31 yds to the SMU 14 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 14 yds for a TD (Emmet Kenney KICK)
K. Jennings takes a knee
End of 2nd Quarter
Shotgun Tabb,Cole rush middle for 4 yards gain to the STA29 (Nettles,William), out of bounds PENALTY STA Holding (Blackburn,Benji) 10 yards from STA25 to STA15. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 10 yds to the STAN 25
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Jordan Onovughe for 5 yds to the STAN 30
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 6 yds to the STAN 36 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson sacked for a loss of 6 yards to the STAN 30
Ben Gulbranson run for 12 yds to the STAN 42
Ben Gulbranson sacked by Brandon Miyazono for a loss of 14 yards to the STAN 28
Aidan Flintoft punt for 54 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the SMU 18 , Yamir Knight returns for no gain to the SMU 18
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 13 yds to the SMU 31 for a 1ST down
Jordan Hudson run for 6 yds to the SMU 37
T.J. Harden run for 6 yds to the SMU 43 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Jordan Hudson for 15 yds to the STAN 42 for a 1ST down
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Chris Johnson Jr. for 42 yds for a TD (Sam Keltner KICK)
Micah Ford run for a loss of 1 yard to the STAN 24
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Caden High
Ben Gulbranson sacked by Terry Webb for a loss of 9 yards to the STAN 15
PENALTY STA False Start (Neely III,Sam) 5 yards from STA15 to STA10. NO PLAY.
Aidan Flintoft punt for 62 yds , Yamir Knight returns for 4 yds to the SMU 32
T.J. Harden run for 6 yds to the SMU 38
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to Jordan Hudson
Kevin Jennings sacked by Omar Staples for a loss of 13 yards to the SMU 25
Wade McSparron punt for 41 yds, fair catch by Liam Thorpe at the STAN 34
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Benji Blackburn for 5 yds to the STAN 39
Cole Tabb run for 6 yds to the STAN 45 for a 1ST down
Cole Tabb run for 1 yd to the STAN 46
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 21 yds to the SMU 33 for a 1ST down
Cole Tabb run for 5 yds to the SMU 28
Ben Gulbranson run for no gain to the SMU 28 Ben Gulbranson fumbled, recovered by STAN CJ Williams
Cole Tabb run for 11 yds to the SMU 17 for a 1ST down
Micah Ford run for 1 yd to the SMU 16
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Caden High
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Brendan Doyle
Emmet Kenney 34 yd FG GOOD
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Yamir Knight for 8 yds to the SMU 33
T.J. Harden run for 4 yds to the SMU 37 for a 1ST down
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the SMU 40
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Romello Brinson for 3 yds to the SMU 43
Kevin Jennings pass incomplete to RJ Maryland
Wade McSparron punt for 52 yds, punt out-of-bounds at the STAN 5
Cole Tabb run for 17 yds to the STAN 22 for a 1ST down
Cole Tabb run for 9 yds to the STAN 31
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 36 yds to the SMU 33 for a 1ST down
Cole Tabb run for 4 yds to the SMU 29
PENALTY STA Illegal Substitution 5 yards from SMU29 to SMU34. NO PLAY.
(09:51) PENALTY STA False Start (Anderson,Fisher) 5 yards from SMU34 to SMU39. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 6 yds to the SMU 33
(08:44) Shotgun Gulbranson,Ben pass incomplete short left to High,Caden thrown to SMU28 PENALTY SMU Pass Interference (Chambers,Kyron) 4 yards from SMU33 to SMU29, 1ST DOWN. NO PLAY.
(08:45) PENALTY STA False Start (High,Caden) 5 yards from SMU29 to SMU34. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to CJ Williams for 10 yds to the SMU 24
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Myles Libman for 15 yds to the SMU 9 for a 1ST down
Micah Ford run for 2 yds to the SMU 7
(06:54) Shotgun Gulbranson,Ben pass complete short left to High,Caden caught at SMU00, for 7 yards to the SMU00 TOUCHDOWN nullified by penalty, clock 06:55 PENALTY STA Personal Foul (Brown,Ziron) 15 yards from SMU07 to SMU22. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 13 yds to the SMU 9
SMU Penalty, UNS: Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Kyron Chambers) to the SMU 5 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass intercepted Justin Medlock return for 96 yds for a TD (Sam Keltner KICK)
PENALTY STA UNS: Unsportsmanlike Conduct (Onovughe,Jordan) 15 yards from SMU35 to SMU50. NO PLAY.
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
Aidan Flintoft punt for 51 yds
T.J. Harden run for 1 yd to the SMU 25
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Link Rhodes for 10 yds to the SMU 35 for a 1ST down Stanford Penalty, Personal Foul (Matt Rose) to the 50 yard line for a 1ST down
Shaadie Clayton-Johnson run for 1 yd to the STAN 49
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Yamir Knight for 8 yds to the STAN 41
T.J. Harden run for 7 yds to the STAN 34 for a 1ST down
Chris Johnson Jr. run for no gain to the STAN 34
T.J. Harden run for 3 yds to the STAN 31
Kevin Jennings pass complete to Chris Johnson Jr. for no gain to the STAN 31
Sam Keltner 48 yd FG GOOD
Sam Keltner kickoff for 65 yds , Caden High return for 21 yds to the STAN 21
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 14 yds to the STAN 35 for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Myles Libman
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Sedrick Irvin
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Sam Roush for 11 yds to the STAN 46 for a 1ST down SMU Penalty, Defensive Offside (Yards) declined for a 1ST down
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete to Sam Roush
Ben Gulbranson pass incomplete
Ben Gulbranson pass complete to Caden High for no gain to the STAN 46