TCU rally again falls just short

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Southern Methodist hasn't enjoyed many stampedes since the days of Eric Dickerson and the Pony Express.

The Mustangs relished one Saturday.

SMU's bench stormed the field after a fourth-down pass from No. 20 Texas Christian fell incomplete in overtime, clinching a 40-33 upset of the Horned Frogs, just the second win over a ranked team for SMU since it was banished from football by the NCAA's so-called death penalty in the 1980s.

It looked as if the Mustangs (4-1) would cruise to their biggest win in four years under coach June Jones, one of college football's most noted turnaround artists. But SMU coughed up a 16-point fourth-quarter lead in the fourth quarter before J.J. McDermott started overtime with a 19-yard scoring pass to Jeremy Johnson, McDermott's fourth TD throw.

SMU won it when TCU quarterback Casey Pachall couldn't get the Frogs into the end zone after throwing three fourth-quarter touchdown passes to rally his team. His toss on fourth-and-2 was tipped and bounced off the chest of TCU's Brandon Carter, prompting a wild SMU celebration that also marked the end of TCU's school-record 22-game home winning streak.

"What a win. It's been a long, long time coming," McDermott said. "We were up. They stormed back. I'm ecstatic, so proud of our guys."

Even though TCU (3-2) scored 23 fourth-quarter points, the Mustangs also were moving the ball behind McDermott and Darius Johnson, who repeatedly teamed for big third-down completions, starting with a 13-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive. The pair hooked up on a 21-yard score to put the Mustangs ahead 33-17 barely a minute after Pachall had thrown his first TD pass, on the first play of the fourth quarter.

TCU pulled a similar rally in the opener against Baylor, scoring 25 points in the fourth quarter to take a 48-47 lead before letting the Bears drive to the winning field goal.

■ Air Force 35, Navy 34 -- At Annapolis, Md., Tim Jefferson ran for a 1-yard touchdown in overtime, and Parker Herrington added the extra point to give the Falcons a wild victory over the Midshipmen, a significant first step in Air Force's bid to retain the coveted Commander-in-Chief's Trophy.

Air Force blew an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter and allowed a touchdown to Navy to begin the overtime. But the Midshipmen were penalized for an excessive celebration, and Jon Teague's long conversion attempt failed.

The Falcons (3-1) then got Jefferson's score and the extra point to beat Navy (2-2) for the second year in a row, following seven straight defeats.

■ New Mexico State 42, New Mexico 28 -- At Albuquerque, N.M., even a change in head coaches didn't do much for the Lobos, as the rival Aggies got three first-quarter touchdown passes from Matt Christian.

It was the first time in more than 40 years that New Mexico State (2-3) has won three straight against New Mexico (0-5).

On Sept. 25, New Mexico fired third-year coach Mike Locksley and replaced him with defensive coordinator George Barlow.

■ San Jose State 38, Colorado State 31 -- At Fort Collins, Colo., Jabari Carr hauled in a go-ahead touchdown pass from Matt Faulkner with 54 seconds remaining to help the Spartans beat the Rams and snap a 16-game road losing skid.

The Spartans (2-3) have won back-to-back games for the first time in three years.