DALLAS (AP) — Chris Johnson Jr. ran for an 87-yard touchdown and took a short pass 42 yards for a score after a nifty escape from quarterback Kevin Jennings as SMU beat Stanford 34-10 on Saturday.
Justin Medlock returned an interception 96 yards for a clinching TD in the fourth quarter of the 19th consecutive regular-season conference victory for the Mustangs (4-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast).
SMU is 10-0 in the ACC in the regular season since returning to a power conference last season for the first time since 1995. The Mustangs lost to Clemson in the ACC championship game last year.
The Cardinal (2-4, 1-2) answered Johnson’s long rushing score with 35 seconds to go before halftime by driving 75 yards in four plays and 33 seconds to get within 17-7 at the break. CJ Williams scored a 14-yard pass from Ben Gulbranson, the first touchdown for Williams as a Cardinal.
Stanford cornerback Aaron Morris was immobilized and taken off the field in an ambulance in the first quarter after tackling SMU receiver Jordan Hudson. Morris cleared precautionary tests and was allowed to rejoin the team before the end of the game.
Five plays after Morris' injury, Derrick McFall took a short pass from Jennings 19 yards for the game's first points. Johnson was 22 of 30 for 247 yards and two scores.
On the TD to Johnson, Jennings escaped immediate pressure from Tevarua Tafiti by pivoting out the tackle, then lobbing the pass to Johnson just before he was crunched by several defenders. Johnson was alone along the sideline before cutting toward the middle of the field.
Ben Gulbranson threw for 278 yards, including the touchdown to CJ Williams on the quick drive before halftime. The Cardinal were in position to get within a TD before his throw was intercepted by Medlock, who ran untouched down the Stanford sideline. It snapped a streak of 122 consecutive passes for Gulbranson without an interception, a career-best. Gulbranson also had trouble with SMU's pressure, getting sacked six times.
Williams caught seven passes for 109 yards, going over the 100-yard threshold for the third consecutive game. He is the first Stanford player to do so since Alex Smith during the 2004 season.
Stanford hosts No. 25 Florida State at home next Saturday for Reunion Homecoming.