Mordecai tosses 4 TDs, SMU cruises past North Texas 35-12

Updated Sep. 11, 2021 11:32 p.m. ET

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DALLAS (AP) — Tanner Mordecai passed for 312 yards and four touchdowns and SMU dominated the second half for a 35-12 victory over North Texas in nonconference play on Saturday.

Neither team had much offense in the first half. North Texas managed two Ethan Mooney field goals to grab a 6-0 lead. The Mustangs (2-0) didn't score until Mordecai found Rashee Rice for a 62-yard TD with 3:50 left in the second quarter. SMU never trailed again.

Mordecai fired a 58-yard scoring strike to Danny Gray on the Mustangs' second possession of the third quarter for a 14-6 lead. Jace Ruder had the answer for the Mean Green (1-1) — connecting with Isaiah Johnson for a 23-yard TD — before seeing his two-point pass attempt fall incomplete, leaving North Texas trailing 14-12.

Mordecai stretched SMU's lead to 21-12 by the end of the third quarter with a 29-yard TD strike to Grant Calcaterra. Ulysses Bentley IV took over in the final quarter — scoring on a 19-yard pass from Mordecai before ripping off an 85-yard TD run to cap the scoring.

Mordecai completed 21 of 33 passes with two interceptions. Bentley rushed just 10 times and finished with 141 of SMU's 226 yards on the ground.

Ruder was 32-of-51 passing for 366 yards with two picks. Roderic Burns had 12 catches for 141 yards, while Jyaire Shorter hauled in six passes for 107. The two teams combined for 1,044 yards of offense.

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North Texas Mean Green

College Football

Tanner Mordecai

Conference USA

American Athletic

SMU Mustangs

Jyaire Shorter

Rashee Rice

Ulysses Bentley IV

Ethan Mooney

North Texas Mean Green