"Kid sucks": Fans go wild after SMU QB Kevin Jennings chokes with 3 interceptions in first half against Penn State
To say that SMU Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings had a rough first half in the College Football Playoff against the Penn State Nittany Lions would be an understatement. The sophomore from Oak Cliff, Texas, threw three interceptions, two returned for a touchdown.
Jennings’ mistakes put the Mustangs in a tough spot, going into the break in Happy Valley down by 28-0. The SMU quarterback went into halftime, completing nine of his 19 passing attempts for 77 yards and three picks. He also ran the ball six times for minus three yards.
The Nittany Lions surrendered 466 yards and 45 points in their last game, a 37-45 loss to the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship.
Fans With the Mustangs falling behind quickly, fans reacted on social media to Kevin Jennings’ struggles on the On3 X post showing the third interception.
“Kid sucks,” a fan wrote.
"Get better kid," another fan added.
"The rest of the team is showing up. This is a horrible performance. But…he got us here. I don’t want to hear that we didn’t have the horses. Bullshit. Two drives in the red zone with turnovers..." another fan reflected.
"QB is singlehandedly blowing every opportunity for SMU," another fan said.
Other fans focused on whether SMU deserved a berth in the CFP. The Mustangs beat out Alabama in the CFP poll to earn the last playoff berth after dropping the ACC Championship to Clemson.
“Still prefer this over Bama being in,” a fan’s opinion stated.
“Playoff caliber team though,” an Alabama fan said.
Kevin Jennings had a strong season, leading the SMU Mustangs to the College Football Playoff
After opening the season on the bench, Kevin Jennings took the field in Week 2, replacing Preston Stone.
The Mustangs won Jennings’ first eight games as the starter and made it to the ACC Championship. However, after a mistake-filled start, SMU’s 17-point fourth-quarter comeback fell just short, costing the team a conference title and a bye in the CFP.
Against Clemson, Kevin Jennings brought the Mustangs back into the game and finished with 310 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. He will be looking to do the same against Penn State.
Jennings finished the season with 3,050 passing yards, 22 scores, and eight interceptions. He also ran for 379 yards and five touchdowns.
SMU finished the year with an 11-2 record in their first season in the ACC. However, their place in the CFP was controversial, as they didn’t beat any ranked teams in the final CFP poll. Alabama, South Carolina, and Ole Miss all had three losses but also better wins during the season.