RENO, Nev. — – Preston Stone connected on a 35-yard touchdown throw for RJ Maryland at 1:08 remaining in the fourth period. Southern Methodist avoided an upset in the opening game of the season, beating Nevada 29-24 on the night of Saturday.

A close four-touchdown winner, SMU needed a fourth-quarter fightback to get through the opening game of its debut season as a part of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

“I think as a collective we struggled in the first half,” Stone stated. “The defense did a good job in the first half of getting stops. We (the offense) were stalling.”

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

The score was 24-13. SMU comeback began with 10 minutes to go and the Mustangs were pinned on their 10-yard mark. When third down came up and the play was shorter, Stone hit a 49-yard touchdown pass to Maryland. SMU ended the drive by scoring the Brashard Smith 4 yard touchdown run, and an extra point conversion to get close to 24-21.

The following possession by Nevada, SMU defensive lineman Anthony Booker Jr. The lineman sacked Nevada quarterback Brendon Lewis in the final zone for an injury to bring the Mustangs to within one point with eight minutes to go on the clock.

SMU started its winning run at its own 17-yard line, with 3:31 remaining.

The nine-play, 83-yard drive was concluded with Maryland’s decisive catch. SMU’s junior tight end, who is 6 feet 4 inches tall and son of the former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Russell Maryland ended the game with eight catches for 162 yards.

Stone completes 17 of his 30 passes to gain 254 yards and a the score and interception.

Penalties were a major problem for players of the Mustangs which forced the team to go behind throughout in the 4th quarter. The Mustangs faced 11 penalties totaling the 125 yards, which included one unsportsmanlike foul for spitting which resulted in an expulsion from the cornerback Brandon Crossley in the third quarter.

“It’s not who we are and who we want to be,” SMU coach Rhett Lashlee told the media. “I will look at the film… anything out of character will be addressed.”

It opened the way to allow to allow the Wolf Pack to continue a 15-play drive, and then get a lead of 24-13 with 3:23 remaining during the 3rd.

“That’s probably the most undisciplined game we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Lashlee stated. “Self-inflicted wounds that made it really hard on our offense in the first half to get anything going.”

Lewis was the quarterback for in the Wolf Pack in its near defeat, completing 14 passes over 26 attempts to gain 132 yards. Lewis also led his Wolf Pack with 77 rushing yards. He was also successful all through the game, especially on draws by quarterbacks.

“I give a lot of credit to SMU,” first-year Nevada head coach Jeff Choate said. “That’s what a championship team does with their backs to the wall. They found ways to make plays with a veteran group like that. I really felt like there were a ton of positives to come out of this experience for our guys, but I think we have some strides to make in terms of competitive maturity.”

Nevada started the scoring on Lewis the 5-yard touchdown catch towards tight end Jace Henry with just a minute remaining in the opening quarter. SMU responded with a 10-play run in the second half which was capped off by a one-yard touchdown run from L.J. Johnson Jr.

Nevada along with SMU both hit field goals in the second half before Lewis the 10-yard touchdown pass towards Cortez Braham Jr. With nine seconds remaining in the first half, SMU Wolf Pack a 17-10 lead at the end of the half.

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