Mordecai's 9 passing TDs send SMU past Houston 77-63
DALLAS -- — Tanner Mordecai set school and American Athletic Conference records with nine touchdown passes — an NCAA-record tying seven coming in the first half — and SMU's offense exploded for a 77-63 win over Houston on Saturday.
As a point of reference, Houston's men's basketball team beat SMU's 75-61 on Feb. 27.
On the gridiron, their combined 140 points set the NCAA single-game scoring record for two teams in regulation. The previous record of 137 points was set when Pitt beat Syracuse 76-61 on November 26, 2016.
SMU reached school records with 77 points in a game (which tied the AAC record), 11-total touchdowns, nine passing scored and 433 total yards in the first half.
The Mustangs (5-4, 3-2 American Athletic Conference) scored touchdowns on their first nine drives of the game and didn't punt until their 10th drive with 5:30 left before the end of the third quarter. Mordecai also had a 2-yard touchdown run with 8:43 before halftime for a 35-21 lead and his 10 total TDs set new single-game program and conference records.
The Mustangs needed to keep their foot on the pedal because Houston quarterback Clayton Tune did his best to keep the Cougars (5-4, 3-2) in it, throwing for seven touchdowns and running for another.
Tune joined David Klingler, Jimmy Klinger and Andre Ware in Houston's seven-touchdowns-thrown-in-game club. David Klingler reached the mark on three occasions in the 1990 season and holds the all-time school record of 11 also in 1990.
Tune missed touchdown number eight when he threw an interception in the end zone down 77-63 with 1:43 left. SMU secured three picks on Tune.
Tyler Lavine's 15-yard touchdown run with with 5:13 left made it 77-56 and he rushed for a career-high 146 yards.
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Game Information
2024 Big 12 Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| BYU | 5-0 | 8-0 |
| Iowa State | 4-1 | 7-1 |
| Colorado | 4-1 | 6-2 |
| Kansas State | 4-2 | 7-2 |
| Texas Tech | 4-2 | 6-3 |
| West Virginia | 4-2 | 5-4 |
| Arizona State | 3-2 | 6-2 |
| Cincinnati | 3-3 | 5-4 |
| Baylor | 3-3 | 5-4 |
| Houston | 3-3 | 4-5 |
| TCU | 3-3 | 5-4 |
| UCF | 2-4 | 4-5 |
| Utah | 1-4 | 4-4 |
| Kansas | 1-4 | 2-6 |
| Arizona | 1-5 | 3-6 |
| Oklahoma State | 0-6 | 3-6 |
2024 Atlantic Coast Conference Standings
| Team | CONF | OVR |
|---|---|---|
| SMU | 5-0 | 8-1 |
| Miami | 5-1 | 9-1 |
| Clemson | 5-1 | 6-2 |
| Pittsburgh | 3-1 | 7-1 |
| Louisville | 4-2 | 6-3 |
| Virginia Tech | 3-2 | 5-4 |
| Georgia Tech | 4-3 | 6-4 |
| Syracuse | 3-3 | 6-3 |
| Virginia | 2-3 | 4-4 |
| Duke | 2-3 | 6-3 |
| North Carolina | 2-3 | 5-4 |
| Wake Forest | 2-3 | 4-5 |
| Boston College | 2-3 | 5-4 |
| NC State | 2-3 | 5-4 |
| California | 1-4 | 5-4 |
| Stanford | 1-5 | 2-7 |
| Florida State | 1-7 | 1-8 |
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