For the third straight weekend, Louisiana Tech saw its game come down to the final seconds.
SMU’s Tanner Modecai threw a 33-yard TD on a batted Hail Mary attempt on the final play of the game to send the Mustangs (3-0) to a 39-37 win over the Bulldogs (1-2) Saturday evening at Joe Aillet Stadium.
Tech upped its lead to 37-33 on Jacob Barnes 47-yard field goal attempt with 36 seconds to play, setting the stage for the Mustangs rally.
With no timeouts remaining and 73-yards between a loss and a win, Mordecai drove SMU down to the Bulldog 33-yard line with 6 seconds remaining on the clock. On the final play, the senior quarterback rolled out of the pocket towards the Tech sideline and lofted the pass into a crowd of Bulldogs and Mustangs in the north endzone.
In the mass of humanity, SMU receiver Rashee Rice leaped into the crowd of Bulldog defenders and batted the ball sideways to teammate Reggie Roberson who snared it for the win.
“Hard to lose, especially in the manner we just lost,” said Tech head coach Skip Holtz. “There is nothing anyone can say to make the pain go away. Football is a 60-minute game. I am proud of our players. There were highs and lows, ups and downs. SMU has a good football team. It was a hard-fought football game on both sides.”
Three games into the season, Tech has seen its games decided by one, two and three-points – with both losses being decided on the final play of the games.
“You sit at 1-2 with a loss, but you are two plays away from being 3-0,” said Holtz. “I wish somebody could take the pain and hurt away from everybody in that locker room. We just have to keep banging that rock. I think this is going to make us stronger as we continue through the year. I love this team, their fight, their competitive nature. It is unfortunate we came up on the losing end.”
Mordecai finished 36-of-48 for 395 yards and five scores.
Bottom line is the Bulldogs played well. Austin Kendall threw for 351 yards and four TDs – and rushed for a fifth – as Tech amassed almost 500 yards of total offense. Freshman Tre Harris caught five balls for 102 yards and two TDs, and had another 69-yard reception in the second quarter called back on a penalty.
SMU led 16-14 at the half and built a 23-14 lead early in the fourth quarter before Tech rallied for a 28-23 lead. The two teams would go back and fourth over the final quarter and a half.
The Bulldogs defense got numerous big stops throughout the game, including a goal line stand from the 1-yard line in the first half. Tech forced back-to-back punts and got another fourth-down stop with just over three minutes to play on the SMU 40-yard line before surrendering the heart-breaking TD in the final seconds.
Tyler Grubbs led Tech with 13 tackles while Ezekiel Barnett totaled 10.
