SMU Football: 3 takeaways from big Week 11 win over East Carolina

1. Xavier Jones was the difference-maker for SMU

In the end, one team could run the football and one team could not. That might not be entirely fair, as East Carolina eventually finished with 146 rushing yards on 35 carries as a team. But it was nowhere near enough to keep pace with Xavier Jones and the Mustangs backfield.

Jones singlehandedly outgained the Pirates backfield, running for 157 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries. It was a standout performance from the workhorse back that showed what a difference a strong running game can make when welded to a prolific passing attack. That meld made all the difference for the Mustangs.

In addition to his big day on the ground, Jones also caught two passes for 15 yards. While he doesn’t chip in a ton to the passing game, Jones always provides a sound safety valve for Buechele out of the backfield. That security makes a huge difference for a team that needed all hands on deck in the close victory.

After Memphis held him to just 22 yards on 11 carries, Jones came out on Saturday hungry to show that result was a total fluke. He did just that in Week 11, reasserting his presence among the best running backs in the American Athletic Conference with his seventh triple-digit game of the season.

For SMU to continue pushing Memphis for the AAC West, they need to win out against Navy and Tulane and see the Tigers lose just once. If things play out right, there is still plenty of room for magic in Dallas this season thanks to the magic that players like Jones and Buechele make on the field.