Buchele's 5 TDs help SMU beat North Texas 65-35

Updated Sep. 19, 2020 10:28 p.m. ET

Associated Press

DENTON, Texas (AP) — Shane Buechele threw three of his four touchdown passes in the first quarter and SMU cruised to a 65-35 win over North Texas on Saturday night.

Buechele completed 24 of 33 passes for 344 yards with no interceptions and added a 2-yard touchdown run. The senior moved into fourth on SMU's career list with seven 300-yard passing games and into fifth at the school with 39 career TD passes.

North Texas went three-and-out on the game's opening possession and then on SMU's first play from scrimmage Buechele hit Rashee Rice for a 50-yard gain. Three plays later Reggie Roberson Jr.'s 15-yard touchdown catch made it 7-0 with 12:33 less than 2 1/2 minutes into the game. Buechele hit Danny Gray for a 62-yard touchdown about three minutes later and Kylen Granson's 7-yard scoring reception gave the Mustangs a 21-0 lead with 3:27 left in the quarter.

SMU (2-0) is 33-6-1 all-time against the Mean Green, but is just 2-4 playing at North Texas.

Roberson finished with nine receptions for 103 yards and Rice had five catches for 102 yards.

The teams combined for 1,200 total yards, including 710 by SMU.

UNT (1-1) went three-and-out five times, failed two convert to fourth downs and committed two turnovers.