DALLAS – Playing nationally-ranked and 2024 College Football Playoff participant, SMU, the East Texas A&M University football team began its season with a 42-13 loss to the Mustangs on Saturday night at Gerald R. Ford Stadium.
 
SMU started the season being ranked No. 16 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll and is now 1-0 on the season, while the Lions fall to 0-1, having lost their season opener for the third year in a row, though the last two have come against FBS opponents.
 
On just the third play of the game, SMU's Kevin Jennings found Romello Brinson for a 63-yard touchdown pass and put the Mustangs up early. SMU had two interceptions returned for touchdowns in the game as both Kilgore Alexander and Ahmaad Moses found the end zone following a Lion turnover.
 
Jennings threw for two touchdowns and ran for one for the Mustangs, who outgained the Lions, 400-351.
 
The Lions started Will Madonna (Lakewood, Calif.) at quarterback, though Eric Rodriguez (Fort Bend Travis) played most of the game as the Lions' passer. Rodriguez scored the lone East Texas A&M touchdown, running it in from the one-yard line. East Texas went 3 for 6 in red zone scoring drives.
 
Ozlo Rigby (Panama City, Fla.) went 2 for 3 in field goal tries for the Lions. He kicked in a 29-yard field goal in the first half and then drilled a 32-yard field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter.
 
The Lion defense forced three turnovers with Kaleb Miles (Prosper) picking off a pass in the end zone, while both Cinque Williams (Southlake Carroll) and Koby-Sebasyen Creek (Summer Creek) forced a fumble. Williams led the team with seven tackles in the game.
 

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The Lions face their second straight ACC opponent in a row as they head to Florida State for an 11 a.m. central kickoff on the ACC Network.