SMU’s Ulysses Bentley IV already has made his mark for a program that has produced some of the biggest-name running backs in college football history.
The redshirt freshman ran for 227 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in the Mustangs’ 65-35 win over North Texas for the top rushing performance in the nation this season and the fourth-best in school history.
It’s not time for Bentley to have his name placed alongside Eric Dickerson, Craig James or Doak Walker, whose name is on the award that goes to the nation’s top running back.
But Bentley might be ready for more playing time. He spelled TJ McDaniel on SMU’s third series of Saturday’s game and ripped off consecutive runs of 14, 10 and 17 yards. With the game out of hand in the fourth quarter, Bentley broke the longest run of the season when he went 84 yards for a touchdown.
Bentley, who played in four games last season to preserve his redshirt, has 276 yards and five touchdowns through two games. Nine of his 30 carries have gone for at least 10 yards.
His 227 yards against North Texas ranks No. 2 on SMU’s single-game freshman rushing chart. The top freshman performance was by ShanDerrick Charles, who, like Bentley, was a virtual unknown before went for 243 against San Jose State in the first of back-to-back 200-yard games in 2001.
KICKIN’ IT
Miami’s Jose Borregales kicked the longest field goal so far this season when he connected on a career-long 57-yarder in a 47-34 win at Louisville.
Borregales now shares the Miami record for longest field goal with Danny Miller (1981) and Michael Badgley (2015). He also made field goals of 48, 22 and 40 yards against Louisville.
Borregales joined the Hurricanes as a graduate transfer. He’s the all-time leading scorer at Florida International and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award in 2018.
PICK SIX TO THE MAX
Texas State’s Jarron Morris had the season’s first 100-yard interception return.
Morris picked off Colby Suits in the end zone in the final minute of a 38-17 win over Louisiana-Monroe and went untouched down the sideline. He became the first Texas State player to run back an interception 100 yards since Robbie Robinson in 1959.
SAD SACK SYRACUSE
Syracuse has finished no higher than 99th since 2016 in fewest sacks allowed, and the trend doesn’t appear likely to change.
Pittsburgh sacked Tommy DeVito seven times in a 21-10 win, the same number the Orange allowed in a loss to North Carolina the week before. Pitt’s Rashad Weaver, after missing last season because of injury, played in his first game since the 2018 Sun Bowl and recorded two sacks and three tackles for loss, both career highs.
The Panthers sacked Syracuse QBs nine times in 2019, including six takedowns of DeVito.
CARRYING THE LOAD
Georgia State’s Destin Coates tied the school record for most rushing attempts when he carried 34 times for 150 yards in a 34-31 overtime loss to Louisiana-Lafayette. Last year, he carried a total of 82 times in 11 games.
ANOTHER HOME `W’ FOR IRISH
Notre Dame’s 52-0 win over South Florida marked its 20th straight home win, breaking the longest streak in modern program history (post-World War II). The Fighting Irish won 19 in a row at home from 1987-90.
Clemson owns the nation’s longest active home win streak, at 23 games. UCF has won 21 in a row, followed by Ohio State and Notre Dame at 20.
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