Former Texas Football QB Shane Buechele, SMU, avoid Texas St upset

A former Texas football quarterback, SMU redshirt senior Shane Buechele, barely escaped a big upset big from the Texas State Bobcats on Sep. 5.

The biggest upset bid of the full opening week of action (at least so far) in the FBS for the 2020 college football season just recently came thanks to the Texas State Bobcats pushing the SMU Mustangs to the brink. SMU-Texas State was the highlight of the mid-afternoon kickoff slate of games on Sep. 5. At the same time, the North Texas Mean Green were able to knock off FCS Houston Baptist at home in their season opener. But former Texas football quarterback Shane Buechele has a lot of pressure on his shoulders to continue to push this SMU offense to new heights this fall.

The redshirt senior former Longhorn four-star dual-threat quarterback recruit Buechele and the Mustangs barely got by Texas State on Sep. 5, winning by the final score of 31-24. There wasn’t any scoring in the first quarter, and things stayed close with each team going into the locker room at halftime with 14 points.

Both teams found it difficult to keep control of the ball in this game. Buechele alone tossed two interceptions. There were a combined five turnovers on the day, with a few other fumbles recovered by the same team that coughed up the ball in the first place.

Moreover, Buechele did find it a bit easier to find some separation from stingy Texas State in the second half. SMU did have a two possession lead at a few different points in the third and fourth quarter. But Texas State continued to close the gap to a tie or one possession game throughout this showdown with SMU.

A 14-point second quarter got the Mustangs to take a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, which they didn’t relinquish in the end. An onside kick at the end of the fourth quarter officially sealed the SMU win over the Bobcats.

This game gave us some huge highlights too, that has to make fans appreciate the full return of college football (at least at the Group of Five level) this weekend.

On the day, Buechele completed 26 of his 36 passing attempts for 367 passing yards, one passing touchdown, and those two picks. He spread the ball around nicely in this game, with three wide receiver all raking in at least four catches, and more than 70 yards. Sophomore wide receiver Rashee Rice had himself a breakout game, with five catches for 101 receiving yards.

The lone touchdown pass for SMU was caught by former West Virginia transfer wide receiver and speedy senior Reggie Roberson Jr. He finished the day with that one touchdown catch on six receptions for 99 yards.

Buechele’s competition on the day, former Memphis transfer quarterback Brady McBride, had a decent showing. McBride completed 21 of his 39 passing attempts for 227 yards, two passing touchdowns, and one interception.

But that one interception for McBride in this game proved costly in the end as Texas State fell one possession short of either tying it or getting the win.

There were a couple of other former Longhorn transfers in action in this game. On the Texas State side, senior offensive tackle JP Urquidez didn’t get much playing time but did land with the Bobcats earlier in the offseason out of the transfer portal. For SMU, Buechele and senior kicker Chris Naggar both had big impacts (in various different senses) to get the Mustangs the win.

Up next for Buechele and the Mustangs was supposed to be a Sep. 11 showdown to open up the Big 12’s 2020 season, against the TCU Horned Frogs on the road in Fort Worth. But due to positive novel coronavirus tests for a few associated with the TCU program, the game is being postponed indefinitely.

Up next for Texas State is a Sep. 12 showdown against the UTSA Roadrunners. And the Longhorns are set to open up their 2020 season on Sep. 12 too, against the UTEP Miners out of Conference-USA.