Nevada
SMU 29-24 Nevada (Aug 24, 2024) Game Recap – ESPN
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, defeating Nevada 29-24 on Saturday night.
A near four-touchdown 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 collective we struggled in the first half,” Stone said. “The defense did a good job in the first half of getting 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, the SMU comeback started with 10 minutes left and the Mustangs 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 Brashard Smith 4-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion to pull within 24-21.
On Nevada’s next possession, SMU defensive lineman 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 on its own 17-yard line with 3:31 left.
The nine play, 83-yard drive ended with Maryland’s winning catch. SMU’s 6-foot-4 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 a touchdown and an interception.
Penalties plagued the Mustangs and forced them to play from behind into the fourth quarter. The Mustangs had 11 penalties for 125 yards, including one unsportsmanlike 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 will look at the film… anything out of character will be addressed.”
The penalty opened the door for the Wolf Pack to continue a 15-play drive and take a 24-13 lead with 3:23 left in the third.
“That’s probably the most undisciplined game we’ve played since I’ve been here,” Lashlee said. “Self-inflicted wounds that made it really hard on our offense in the first half to get anything going.”
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 draw plays.
“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 opened the scoring with Lewis’ 5-yard touchdown 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 from L.J. Johnson Jr.
Nevada and SMU both made field goals in the second quarter before Lewis’ 10-yard touchdown pass to Cortez Braham Jr. with nine seconds left in the first half gave the Wolf Pack a 17-10 lead at the break.
—— Get alerts on the latest AP Top 25 poll throughout the season. Sign up here —— AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Coronado’s Vera Lee finishes first in the girls “South of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Leaders of the boys “North of Sahara” section begin the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Shadow Ridge’s Elynn Okuda lays on the pavement after finishing the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Desert Oasis’ Kenan Dagge finishes first in the boys “South of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Sky Pointe’s Aislin McMahon finishes first in the girls “North of Sahara” section of the the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Shadow Ridge’s Carson Wetzell finishes first in the boys “North of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners compete in the boys “South of Sahara” section during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Coronado girls cross country warms up for the Red Rock Running Company Invitational at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The girls “South of Sahara” section lines up to start the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Runners cheer for their peers during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Durango’s Chloe Segmiller (771) competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Girls runners cheer for their boy teammates during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Green Valley’s MaryJane Gutierrez-Hess competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Shadow Ridge’s Dylan Bailey competes during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Green Valley’s Lola DeCania, center, leads a cheer before her team competes in the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Foothill’s Reed Richards powers through the last steps of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Desert Oasis’ Kenan Dagge finishes first in the boys “South of Sahara” section of the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Moapa Valley’s Mordechai Yadegar crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The “South of Sahara” girls section begins their race, including Coronado’s Vera Lee, center, during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Coronado’s Brooke-Lynn Miller crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Doral Red Rock’s Annalise Echavvaria leads a pack during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Sky Pointe’s Katherine Hodges, center, smiles while running in the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Sky Pointe’s Mackenzie Teal crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Faith Lutheran’s Scarlett Cotrone crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Sky Pointe’s Kaden Lay takes his final steps during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Green Valley’s Andrew Poirier reaches the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Shadow Ridge’s Carson Wetzel, right, leads the pack during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
Liberty’s Sienna Maisano crosses the finish line during the Red Rock Running Company Invitational cross country meet at James Regional Sports Park on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Ellen Schmidt/Las Vegas Review-Journal)
The SMU Mustangs are set to kick off the 2024 college football season in style as they face the Nevada Wolf Pack this Saturday at Mackay Stadium. This game is more than just a season opener, it’s a historic moment as the Mustangs take the field for the first time as members of the ACC.
The Mustangs are coming off an impressive 11-3 season, capped by an AAC Championship, though their Fenway Bowl appearance ended in a loss to Boston College. All eyes will be on Preston Stone, who returns under center after a strong season where he threw for 3,197 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. Stone is back from a season-ending ankle injury, and he’s ready to lead SMU’s high-octane offense once again.
WATCH: Click here to Stream SMU vs. Nevada Live
The Wolf Pack will have new leadership in coach Jeff Choate, who comes from FCS powerhouse Montana State. Running backs Sean Dollars and Boston College transfer Pat Garwo add some punch to the offense. However, Nevada’s defense, which struggled mightily in 2023, will need to step up big-time against SMU’s explosive attack.
Will SMU start their ACC era with a bang, or can Nevada pull off an early-season upset? Tune in on Saturday to find out!
WATCH: Click here to Stream SMU vs. Nevada Live
SMU Mustangs (-27.5) vs. Nevada Wolf Pack
O/U: 55.5
The Little League World Series in again wrapping up in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, where another Nevada team was able to qualify. That makes three in the state’s history.
Here is a closer look at how each fared when competing in the event:
Mountain Ridge (2014)
The first team in Nevada history to qualify for the Series certainly made the most of its trip. Led by star players like Austin Kryszczuk, who would go onto play collegiately at UNLV, the team moved through the bracket with wins against South Dakota, Chicago and Pennsylvania.
Mountain Ridge fell to Chicago 7-5 in the United States final, but later was crowned U.S champion when it was learned Chicago used ineligible players.
After a journey that began with thousands of All-Star teams across the country earlier in the summer, things ended for Mountain Ridge on the final day of the Little League season when it lost to Japan 5-0 in a consolation game.
“I want the team to be remembered for the motto on the back of the shirts we wore — ‘Always Earned, Never Given,’” said Ashton Cave, the Mountain Ridge manager speaking five years following the tournament. “I hope they learned there is so much more to life than baseball. Work hard. Make a difference in the lives of those you come in contact with. Be mentors to young kids who, to this day, still look up to you. Be good, quality people. Be good fathers and husbands.
“Don’t be remembered for just a moment in time, but for the young men you have become in society because of that time.”
Henderson (2023)
The second team from Nevada to make the World Series lost just twice by a total of three runs. In each defeat, Henderson ran into some of the best pitching the tournament offered.
It first encountered Connor Curtis and his 15 strikeouts in a 3-1 loss to Rhode Island. Then, in an elimination game, Henderson was held to just two hits by Tennessee pitcher Lucas McCauley in a 2-1 defeat.
“At some point, everything must come to an end, right?” said an emotional Ryan Gifford, the Henderson manager. “I couldn’t be prouder of these boys. Great kids, great families, great baseball. When we started this thing back in May, we knew we were pretty good. To be one of the final six teams in the (United States) still playing — we definitely exceeded our expectations. It was an amazing run. We’ll take this with us forever.
“My message to the kids was to keep their heads up, keep working, keep battling, keep getting better every day. I love these kids, and I’m very grateful for having the opportunity to have done this with them. I’m very proud how they represented the state of Nevada.”
Paseo Verde (2024)
Adam Johnson took time away from his job as assistant equipment manager for the Raiders to manage Paseo Verde. Needless to say, the NFL team was fine with his absence given the reason.
Paseo Verde finished the World Series with a 2-2 record, eliminated by Lake Mary, Florida, 6-3 one win away from the U.S. championship game.
“It hurts right now,” Johnson said. “But these boys showed up as a team, and they’re leaving as a team. They definitely need to have their heads up. They played well, and they represented our area well.”
Contact Ed Graney at egraney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @edgraney on X.
Notes from the Enemy: Denver Broncos name Bo Nix starer, Sean Payton talks rebuild, Zach Allen talks defense and more
3 Stars For Cleveland Browns Versus Seattle Seahawks
The IRS has a method of ‘last resort' to collect overdue taxes: Revoking your passport
Milwaukee City football kicks off as Bradley Tech mounts a comeback against Washington to win 34-22
Man in critical condition after fiery car crash, medical emergency in Atlanta
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
VP Harris' tiebreaker votes in Senate were key to inflation-boosting Biden policies: expert
Photos: 300,000 in emergency shelters after Bangladesh floods
Danny Jansen is set to make MLB history by playing on both teams in the same game
Judge rules RFK Jr. can sue Biden administration over alleged censorship of charity that questions vaccines
German police arrest man suspected of killing three people in Solingen
-
Minnesota1 week agoReaders and writers: Plenty of thrills and danger in these Minnesota author’s mysteries
-
Fitness1 week agoA Guide to Pottruck Health and Fitness Center
-
Politics1 week agoTrump assassination attempt: Secret Service makes big change to former president's outdoor rally security
-
News1 week agoVideo: Biden and Harris Announce Deal to Lower Drug Prices
-
Technology3 days agoBreakthrough robo-glove gives you superhuman grip
-
Politics1 week agoYoungkin takes victory lap against 'losing states' as Virginia marks $1B surplus: 'The playbook works'
-
Politics1 week agoHouse Oversight investigating Walz over 'longstanding connections' to China
-
News1 week agoOver 100 of Donald Trump’s companies make no money: Financial disclosures