The three-point option became dependable
Brendan Baird made field goals from 23, 45 and 26 yards in SMU’s 23–13 win over Virginia on October 17. They were his first three career makes. A kicking unit that entered the game three for seven received a very different afternoon from the former SMU soccer player.
The 45-yarder came on an untimed down after a roughing-the-passer penalty and sent the Mustangs into halftime ahead 13–10. Baird converted a second chance into an actual lead. The offense and kicking operation did not leave that gift as a footnote.
Perfect red-zone scoring has another column
SMU scored on all three red-zone opportunities, but only one ended in a touchdown. Kevin Jennings supplied that score on fourth-and-one with a six-yard pass to Randy Pittman Jr. A later 37-yard touchdown connection with Jalen Hale helped create the final separation.
The distinction matters because scoring percentage counts a field goal and a touchdown as successful trips without treating their value as equal. Baird’s accuracy makes a stalled possession less costly. It should not make the stall desirable. A reliable kicker lets an offense retain points when a defense wins near the goal line; the offense still benefits from keeping more touchdown options alive before fourth down arrives.
The rest of the attack supplied enough movement
Jennings completed twenty-three of thirty-six passes for 246 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Kendrick Raphael rushed for 124 yards, and SMU finished with 404 total yards. The Mustangs improved to 5–1 overall and 3–1 in the ACC, then reached No. 23 in the October 18 AP poll.
California visits next. SMU can carry forward confidence in the new kicking evidence while asking its offense for a better return on the ground it gains. That is a healthier combination than treating every field-goal attempt as an emergency or every successful kick as proof the possession reached its ideal ending. Baird repaired an important floor against Virginia. The next offensive challenge is spending less time standing on it.
Sources & reporting
- SMU Athletics: Virginia recap, October 17 ↗
- SMU Athletics: official Virginia box score ↗
- SMU Athletics: October 18 rankings update ↗
This article adds independent analysis to publicly available reporting. We did not conduct the interviews or report the game firsthand. Report a factual error.