Texas Tech Athletics
SMU
Red Raiders Ride Past Mustangs, 24-14
September 07, 2002 | Football
Sept 7, 2002
Final Stats?|? Notes
By JAIME ARON
AP Sports Writer
DALLAS - Kliff Kingsbury bounced back from a brief first-half benching to lead two long fourth-quarter touchdown drives, giving Texas Tech a 24-14 victory over Southern Methodist on Saturday night.
Kingsbury was 32-of-49 for 369 yards, giving him 8,122 career yards. He passed Robert Hall, who had 7,908 yards passing from 1990-93. The senior threw three touchdown passes and was intercepted twice.
The Red Raiders (1-1) struggled the first 40 minutes, nearly giving up the lead after Kingsbury was intercepted at the 3-yard line. The Mustangs (0-2) drove all the way to Tech's 1 for the go-ahead score, but quarterback Tate Wallis was stuffed on fourth-and-inches.
Kingsbury went 5-of-7 for 97 yards on the ensuing drive, which was extended 15 yards by penalties. An 18-yard pass to Armon Dorrough got it going and made Kingsbury the school's career passing leader. A 53-yarder to Wes Welker was the key play, then Taurean Henderson turned a short pass into an 8-yard touchdown and a 17-6 lead.
Wallis tightened the game up again with a 57-yard touchdown pass to Cody Cardwell and a keeper for the 2-point conversion midway through the fourth quarter.
Again, Kingsbury answered.
He went 5-for-5 for 90 yards, including a 14-yarder on third-and-12 early in the series. A 42-yarder to Welker set up a 17-yard touchdown pass to Nehemia Glover.
An interception by Jason Wesley helped seal the victory, Tech's eighth straight against SMU in a series that used to be played annually when they were in the Southwest Conference. This was their first meeting since the SWC folded.
The game also was only the second sellout in the three-year history of SMU's Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Most of the 32,000 came to see the Red Raiders throw their way to victory over the Mustangs and avenge a 45-21 loss to Ohio State in the opener two weeks ago.
But Kingsbury started slowly and after going 15-of-24 for 112 yards he found himself on the sideline for a series late in the second quarter. He finished with the 12th 300-yard passing game of his career.
SMU coach Phil Bennett, who was trying to recover from a 38-7 loss to Navy in his debut, seemed to have a game plan based around keeping things close. On offense, the theme was running. That way the Mustangs could use as much clock as possible and try taking advantage of a Tech defense that allowed 317 yards rushing to Ohio State in the opener.
Keylon Kincade ran 37 times, tying the third-most in school history, for 160 yards, his second straight 100-yard game this season.
Wallis was 10-of-23 for 144 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions. He didn't complete a pass to a receiver until midway through the third quarter.
Before the game, a moment of silence was held in honor of former SMU great Kyle Rote, who died Aug. 14. His No. 44 was painted in white at midfield atop the red Mustangs logo.
