2008 Week 16

The SMU Mustangs are the 2008 Conference USA Champions. Bob Smith is in Dallas:

SMU has not won a conference championship since the now defunct Southwest Conference title in 1984. 24 long years. The wait is now over.

In the first quarter, SMU won the toss and deferred to the 2nd half, like always. ECU got the ball and SMU's defense held them to three and out. SMU got the ball and went three and out as well and punted; Morstead's incredible punt went out of bounds at the ECU 6 yard line. ECU's drive was cut short on the third play by an INT by captain Will Bonilla, who happened to be in the right place at the right time as a pass slipped off of QB Pinkney's hand. On SMU's next play they would score, with Rhodes hitting Zach Zimmerman on a 5 yard drag route. Zimmerman got 7 YAC yards, making the play a 12 yard TD pass. ECU would then get the ball back and they were having a very nice drive, when eventually SMU's defense held and the ball was given back to the Mustangs as the quarter ended, 7-0 SMU

The second quarter started with a bang. Zach Rhodes threw an interception to Hewett who ran back all the way for a TD. SMU's next drive would stall and the ball was given back to ECU. After sacking Pinkney for 9 yards, SMU got a INT TD of their own, this time coming from Pete Fleps who ran all the way back, having to dive at the end, which caused some controversy, because some did not think he was in. The refs decided that the tip of the ball had broken the plane just before he hit the ground and it was an SMU TD. In ECU's next drive the first play showed Pinkney getting picked off again, this time by safety Brian McCann. SMU's drive would end in a 1 yard rush by QB Zach Rhodes, on the QB sneak. ECU would get the ball again, only to be intercepted by Brian McCann again. SMU's drive again ended with another QB sneak by Rhodes for a TD, this one as time expired, leaving the score at the half, 28-7 SMU.

The third quarter would be more of a defensive quarter, starting out with SMU's drive stalling, and then after that, ECU's drive was ended by yet another pick. Rock Dennis broke many tackles and was just one tackle away from having a TD. It was all for naught though, because the very next play Zach Rhodes threw his second INT of the night, luckily it was not returned for a TD this time. ECU's drive would be cut short again, this time by another Pinkney INT, his 6th of the night, by safety Tyler Jones. SMU's drive went into the 4th quarter, ending the 3rd, 28-7.

The fourth quarter would show coach Jacob Roberts taking the 1st team out after the final TD of the night, a 1 yard pass from Rhodes to Zimmerman; this was their second passing TD together of the night. ECU almost had a scoring drive but was held on 4th down, just outside of their FG range. SMU got the ball and ran out the clock until 1 second remained, and then in what would only be done by Jacob Roberts SMU ran the hook and ladder. Zimmerman pitched it to Bailey, who with one less tackle would've gotten a TD; he was tackled on the 3 yard line. The final score was 35-7 SMU.

Congratulations to SMU and their C-USA Championship team.