University of Houston
7-1 , 5-0
SMU
7-1 , 3-1
Houston Upsets No. 19 SMU 44-37 on 100-yard kickoff return touchdown
10/30/2021 9:52:00 PM | Football
Marcus Jones' 100-yard kickoff return, Tune's career day leads Cougars' victory
A career day for junior quarterback Clayton Tune led the way for the Cougars as he completed 27 passes for 412 yards and four touchdown passes in a tightly-contested conference matchup. The upset improved the Cougars to 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the AAC.
On the first drive of the game, a 55-yard completion on a 3rd-and-10 from Tune to junior wide receiver Jeremy Singleton set up the Cougars inside the SMU 15-yard line. Houston capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Tune to sophomore wide receiver Nathaniel Dell to take a 7-0 lead.
Tune found Dell on a 48-yard pass for their second touchdown connection of the game to extend the lead to 14-0. On the last play of the first quarter, SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai found wide receiver Josh Kerley on a 43-yard touchdown pass to cut the Cougars lead to 17-7.
After a Houston field goal and an SMU defensive stop on a 4th-and-1 near midfield, the Mustangs scored on the next play with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Mordecai to running back Tre Siggers to cut the lead to 20-14. Soon after a Houston fumble, SMU drove the ball downfield and tied the game 20-20 with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Mordecai to wide receiver Rashee Rice before a blocked extra point.
A late 30-yard field goal by senior kicker Dalton Witherspoon gave the Cougars a 23-20 lead heading into halftime.
SMU took its first lead of the game when Bryan Massey returned the second-half kickoff 100-yards for a touchdown to take a 27-23 lead. The Cougars responded with an 11-play, 72-yard drive capped off by a third Tune to Dell touchdown pass for 17 yards to regain the lead at 30-27. In the Mustangs first offensive drive of the second half, SMU moved down the field in eight plays for 75 yards, ending with a 2-yard rushing touchdown by Siggers to take a 34-30 lead.
On the next possession, the Cougars finished a 14 play, 75-yard drive in 7:10 with a Tune 4-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Ke'Sean Carter to take the lead 37-34. After exchanging punts, SMU converted two fourth downs on the final possession of the game and tied the game 37-37 with a 45-yard field goal by kicker Blake Mazza.
On the ensuing kickoff, Jones returned the play 100 yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds left to give the Cougars a 44-37 lead and victory.
Tune broke multiple records as he moved past David Piland to eighth all-time in completions for the Cougars and surpassed 6,000 career passing yards. Tune now sits sixth all-time in school history with 50 touchdown passes for the Cougars, tied with D'Eriq King. Tune's 412 passing yards is a new career-high, while four passing touchdowns on the night ties his career-high for one game. Tune also became the first Houston quarterback to throw 400+ yards twice vs SMU.
Dell became the first wide receiver to record three receiving touchdowns in one game for the Cougars since Bryson Smith against Temple Nov. 10, 2018.
UP NEXT
The Cougars now travel to Tampa, Florida, where they will take on South Florida on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Raymond James Stadium at 6:30 p.m. CT.
Team Stats
SMU 0, HOU 7
HOU - Dell,Nathaniel 7 yd pass from Tune,Clayton (Witherspoon,Dalton kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 03:35
SMU 0, HOU 14
HOU - Dell,Nathaniel 48 yd pass from Tune,Clayton (Witherspoon,Dalton kick) 2 plays, 56 yards, TOP 00:33
SMU 0, HOU 17
HOU - Witherspoon,Dalton 50 yd field goal 9 plays, 55 yards, TOP 04:32
SMU 7, HOU 17
SMU - Kerley,Jordan 43 yd pass from Mordecai,Tanner (Mazza,Blake kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:20
SMU 7, HOU 20
HOU - Witherspoon,Dalton 23 yd field goal 7 plays, 69 yards, TOP 03:19
SMU 14, HOU 20
SMU - Siggers,Tre 50 yd pass from Mordecai,Tanner (Mazza,Blake kick) 1 plays, 50 yards, TOP 00:09
SMU 20, HOU 20
SMU - Rice,Rashee 6 yd pass from Mordecai,Tanner () 7 plays, 35 yards, TOP 03:07
SMU 20, HOU 23
HOU - Witherspoon,Dalton 30 yd field goal 12 plays, 62 yards, TOP 02:45
SMU 27, HOU 23
SMU - Massey,Bryan 100 yd kickoff return (Mazza,Blake kick)
SMU 27, HOU 30
HOU - Dell,Nathaniel 17 yd pass from Tune,Clayton (Witherspoon,Dalton kick) 11 plays, 72 yards, TOP 05:17
SMU 34, HOU 30
SMU - Siggers,Tre 2 yd run (Mazza,Blake kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:36
SMU 34, HOU 37
HOU - Carter,KeSean 4 yd pass from Tune,Clayton (Witherspoon,Dalton kick) 15 plays, 75 yards, TOP 07:10
SMU 37, HOU 37
SMU - Mazza,Blake 45 yd field goal 10 plays, 58 yards, TOP 01:34
SMU 37, HOU 44
HOU - Jones,Marcus 100 yd kickoff return (Witherspoon,Dalton kick)
