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SMU jumped to a 21-0 first quarter lead and stifled an uninspired Pitt team, 28-6, in the Compass Bowl.
J.J. McDermott threw a 50-yard TD pass on the Mustangs' second possession, then scored on a 1-yard run on their 3rd possession. Their next drive was a short one set up by a Tino Sunseri fumble; Rishaad Wimbley's 2-yard run made it SMU 21, Pitt 0 at the end of the first quarter.
Pitt couldn't catch a break. They finally got on the scoreboard in the 2nd quarter with a Kevin Harper field goal, and the Panthers attempted and recovered an onside kick, but an "inadvertant whistle" nullified the play and the kickoff had to be repeated. Sunseri was later intercepted inside the SMU 10-yard line on a deflection. On another drive, Harper missed a long field goal before the half ended SMU 21, Pitt 3.
The second half saw Wimbley rush for his 2nd touchdown and Harper connect on his 2nd field goal of the game. There was no scoring in the 4th quarter.
The game showed how dominant team psychology and motivation can be in bowl games. Though we picked Pitt as the winner for technical reasons, we noted each team's issues, particularly Pitt's awkward coaching transition: "we could see SMU being a lot more ready to play. Beating a Big East team might mean something, whereas Pitt has little reason to think that beating SMU will end their season on a high note." In bowl season, motivation often trumps everything else. SMU's fast start against Pitt shows that the latter wasn't ready to play, and though the defense got on track eventually, the offense never did.
SMU finshed the year 8-5 and will have June Jones as coach again, despite the fact that he tried to bolt for the Arizona State job. Pitt finished the season 6-7, and they'll have Paul Chryst next year, as first-year coach Todd Graham *did* bolt for ASU.
More previews and results: View the complete 2011-2012 bowl game schedule.
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