NEW ORLEANS — Kevin Jennings threw a touchdown pass and accounted for 266 yards from scrimmage in his first career start, Collin Rogers kicked four second-half field goals and No. 25 SMU beat No. 17 Tulane 26-14 on Saturday in the American Athletic Conference championship game.
The Mustangs (11-2) also turned in a stifling defensive performance, limiting Tulane (11-2, No. 22 CFP) to a touchdown during the final 59 minutes to snap the Green Wave’s 10-game winning streak and dethrone the defending league champs.
SMU sacked Michael Pratt seven times. Defensive back Isaiah Nwokobia’s interception in the fourth quarter all but sealed it, sending numerous fans to the exits of Yulman Stadium, where the Wave had celebrated their first AAC title a year ago.
The game was played amid reports that Tulane coach Willie Frtiz is Houston’s top candidate following the Cougars’ firing of Dana Holgorsen. Fritz declined to confirm his intentions after the game and said, “No,” when has if he had an agreement already in place with Houston.
“I put everything into this game this week to make sure there wasn’t any distractions,” Fritz said. “I‘ve got to process some things. … Just want to take a step back here.”
Had Tulane won, it could have returned to a major New Year’s Day bowl game for a second straight year, having defeated USC in last season’s Cotton Bowl. Now either Conference USA champion Liberty or SMU — which ever team winds up higher in the final College Football Playoff rankings — will play in a New Year’s Six bowl.
Liberty entered the weekend at No. 24 in the CFP and SMU was not in the CFP’s top 25, but could potentially move past Liberty after topping Tulane on the road.
Tulane head coach Willie Fritz watches from the sideline during the first half of the American Athletic Conference Championship NCAA college football game against Southern Methodist, Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023 in New Orleans. Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert
SMU’s league title was its first since…
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