STANFORD – It didn’t take long for chants of “S-M-U” to ring out at Stanford Stadium for the first time.
In its first-ever game at Stanford, No. 21 SMU scored on an 87-yard touchdown pass on the first play from scrimmage and rolled to a 40-10 win Saturday night.
Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings took advantage of a depleted Cardinal secondary and threw for 205 yards and three TDs in the first quarter as SMU (6-1, 3-0) went up 21-0.
The Cardinal (2-5, 1-3) suffered their fourth straight blowout loss – the closest game in that stretch was decided by 24 points – though three of the opponents are ranked.
After gaining just 25 yards on its first three drives under two-year starter Ashton Daniels, Stanford coach Troy Taylor switched to freshman Elijah Brown, whose only previous experience was in mop-up duty against Cal Poly.
Brown threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Elic Ayomanor but was otherwise ineffective, completing 16 of 32 passes for 153 yards and two interceptions and being sacked six times, including once for a safety.
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Stanford was missing three regular starters in the secondary — safeties Jay Green and Scotty Edwards and cornerback Zahran Manley. Edwards threw touchdown passes of 87, 45, and 38 yards in the first quarter and SMU finished with 501 yards of offense.
Edwards was intercepted by safety Mitch Leigber at the Stanford 14, setting up the Cardinal’s only touchdown. Stanford’s field game also came in a short field after a fumbled punt return.
The teams are protected rivals in the ACC, meaning they will play every season. Their only previous meeting was in the 1936 Rose Bowl.
The Cardinal will attempt to beat an FBS opponent at home for the first time since Oct. 22, 2022 when Wake Forest (3-4, 1-2) visits next Saturday.