James Madison 48, SMU 45: What We Learned

[caption id="attachment_18553" align="alignright" width="300"]Photo by Mike Williamson Photo by Mike Williamson[/caption] The SMU Mustangs are improving, that’s the good thing. They look much better than last season, but they still have adjustments to make before we can say they've turned any major corner. They certainly know how to score.  The most significant change for SMU has been in its offensive production. Junior quarterback Matt Davis runs the offense and the field well and has the Mustangs scoring often. SMU was down 10 with five minutes left in a game that looked all but over against the James Madison Dukes. Then the Mustangs executed an incredibly efficient five-play, 72 yard drive in 66 seconds to cut the lead to three. Not to be outdone, the special teams recovered an onside kick that led to a game-tying touchdown. They're not so great at stopping opponents, though. The area of SMU’s game that needs the most help is the defense, especially when it comes to stopping big plays. JMU put together an eight play, 75 yard scoring drive capped by a 17-yard game-winning touchdown pass. SMU is especially weak in the middle of the field. JMU was very successful with the run game, tallying up 440 rushing yards, and found success with lots of slant passes.  The Mustangs are balanced offensively, but when you can’t sustain drives on third down that fails to make a difference. SMU had 494 offensive yards, 262 in the air and 232 on the ground. Davis finished 18-of-30 with a passing touchdown and added two rushing touchdowns on 17 carries for 95 yards. Opponents' mistakes need to be turned into opportunities. They also need to protect the ball better and capitalize on offensive opportunities when they arise. SMU turned the ball over two times on three fumbles and was 5-for-15 on third down. Three Mustangs had an interception in the game, but the SMU defense gave up 729 yards of total offense to help James Madison win its first game against an FBS team since 2010. This was a tough loss for the Mustangs, but one that will likely make them hungrier. As SMU continues to improve, its confidence will rise and bring the program up with it. The resiliency of the team is admirable and speaks volumes about its maturity level. However, there are clearly many things that still need to be fixed when you lose to an FCS team at home.