SMU proves too much for North Texas in rivals' first conference clash

DALLAS – The residue of an evolving college football landscape was clearly visible to the naked eye when SMU (8-2) hosted North Texas (3-7) in Week 11. First off, a regional rivalry that dates to 1922 was a conference game for the first – and last – time as the Mean Green and the Mustangs pass quietly in the AAC night before SMU heads to the ACC. Second, the game was at 8 p.m. on the first Friday night of the Texas high school football playoffs so that ESPN2 could counter program the NBA aired on ESPN. 

North Texas hung tough in the first half to head into the locker room trailing 17-14 thanks to some key defensive stops. The second half was as lopsided as the rivalry’s history, however, as the Mustangs increased their all-time series lead to 36-6-1 with a 45-21 victory. Running back Jaylan Knighton enjoyed a big day against the nation’s worst rush defense by gaining 129 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. As a team, the Mustangs ran for 306 yards and four touchdowns on 54 carries. They threw the ball 20 times with only five of those attempts taking place in the second half.