Stone-to-Maryland connection leads SMU to 29-24 win over upset-minded Nevada | Texas News

RENO, Nev. – Preston Stone connected on a 35-yard touchdown pass to RJ Maryland with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter and Southern Methodist avoided an upset to open the season, beating Nevada 29-24 on Saturday night.

A near four-shot favorite, SMU needed a fourth-quarter comeback to survive the first game of its inaugural season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“I think as a team we fought in the first half,” Stone said. “The defense did a good job in the first half of the stops. We (the offense) were stalling.”

He added: “Unfortunately for Nevada they played man against RJ, and they just can't do that.”

Down 24-13, SMU's comeback began with 10 minutes remaining and the Mustangs were pinned at their own 10-yard line. On third down and short, Stone connected on a 49-yard pass to Maryland. SMU finished the drive with a 4-yard Brashard Smith run and a two-point conversion to pull within 24-21.

On Nevada's next possession, SMU linebacker Anthony Booker Jr. tackled Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis in the end zone for a safety to pull the Mustangs within a point with eight minutes left in the game.

SMU began its winning drive at its own 17-yard line with 3:31 remaining.

A nine-play, 83-yard drive ended with Maryland's game-winning catch. The 6-foot-4 SMU junior tight end and son of former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Russell Maryland finished the game with eight receptions for 162 yards.

Stone completed 17 of 30 passes for 254 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Kitan Crawford, a John Tyler High School graduate who played at Texas the past four years, is in his fifth year at Nevada. The senior defensive back had five tackles for the Wolf Pack, including three solo stops. He also returned a kickoff 19 yards.

Penalties plagued the Mustangs and forced them to come from behind in the fourth quarter. The Mustangs had 11 penalties for 125 yards, including an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for spitting that led to an ejection for cornerback Brandon Crossley in the third quarter.

“It's not who we are and who we want to be,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. “I'll watch the film…anything out of character will be addressed.”

The penalty opened the door for the Wolf Pack to go on a 15-play drive and take a 24-13 lead with 3:23 left in the third.

“This is probably the most undisciplined game we've played since I've been here,” Lashlee said. “Self-inflicted injuries that really made it difficult for our offense in the first half to do anything.”

Lewis led the Wolf Pack in its near upset, completing 14 passes on 26 attempts for 132 yards. He also led the Wolf Pack with 77 rushing yards and found success throughout the game on quarterback draws.

“I give a lot of credit to SMU,” said first-year Nevada coach Jeff Choate, who came to the Wolf Pack after serving as Texas' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach since 2021. “That it's what a championship team does with their backs against the wall. They found ways to play with a veteran group like that. I really felt there were a lot of positives to come out of this experience for our guys, but I think we have some steps to take towards competitive maturity.”

Nevada opened the scoring on Lewis' 5-yard pass to tight end Jace Henry with a minute left in the first quarter. SMU responded with a 10-play drive to open the second quarter, capped by a one-yard run by LJ Johnson Jr.

Nevada and SMU both kicked field goals in the second quarter before Lewis' 10-yard pass to Cortez Braham Jr. with nine seconds left in the first half gave the Wolf Pack a 17-10 halftime lead.

The Mustangs next play at home on August 31st against Houston Christian. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas.

The Wolf Pack travels to Troy, Alabama to take on Troy in a 4:00 pm game on August 31st at Veterans Memorial Stadium.