SMU Dominates Louisiana Tech 38-14 in Season Opener Victory

SMU kicked off its final season as a member of the American Athletic Conference with a bang, defeating Louisiana Tech 38-14 last Saturday. The Mustangs dominated the game from the very start, with quarterback Preston Stone throwing three touchdown passes to lead his team to a 31-0 halftime lead. Stone, who had only one previous start and two touchdown passes in his SMU career, finished the game 23 of 37 for 248 yards and no interceptions. Running back LJ Johnson Jr. also had a great game, rushing for 128 yards on 14 carries and scoring one touchdown.

The Mustangs' defense was just as impressive, holding the Bulldogs to only 269 total yards and 28 rushing yards for the game. SMU sacked Louisiana Tech quarterback Hank Bachmeier six times, two of which were by defensive end Alex Kilgore. The Bulldogs did manage to score two touchdowns, including a 53-yard score to Koby Duru on the second half's opening possession, but it was not enough to overcome SMU's dominant performance.

This win was especially significant for SMU as they look forward to joining the Atlantic Coast Conference next year alongside Stanford and California. The conference voted on Friday to add the three schools, making for an exciting future for SMU football. Next up for the Mustangs is a tough match-up against the 20th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.