SOUTHWEST ROUNDUP : SMU Comes Up Short Against Arkansas, 17-6

Southern Methodist, seeking its first Southwest Conference victory since resuming football in 1989 after two years of inactivity, came close against Arkansas Saturday night.

But an inability to score deep in Arkansas territory, plus five interceptions, hurt the Mustangs’ chances, and the Razorbacks won, 17-6, at Little Rock, Ark.

SMU reached the Arkansas three, the 14 and the eight twice, but managed only two field goals by Russell Anderson. On the other two possessions, Mike Romo’s passes were intercepted by Curtis Banks and Orlando Watters.

SMU led, 3-0, in the third quarter when Michael James fielded a punt, got to a wall of blockers on the right side and raced down the sideline 56 yards to the 12. Two plays later, Carlton Calvin scored from the one.

SMU came right back, marching to the Arkansas eight as Romo completed six consecutive passes for 66 yards. But the Mustangs had to settle for a 25-yard field goal.

After Arkansas got a 20-yard field goal by Todd Wright, Romo, under pressure from MacKenzie Phillips, floated one that Ray Lee Johnson intercepted and returned 23 yards for an Arkansas touchdown with 3:55 left in the game.

Baylor 27, Texas El Paso 7--Robert Strait scored on runs of 30 and 47 yards and rushed for 112 yards in only seven carries to lead the Bears over the Miners at Waco, Tex.

The 245-pound Strait, who objected when Baylor Coach Grant Teaff converted him from tailback to fullback last season, is happy now. “This is what I’ve been waiting for,” he said. “I don’t mind fullback as much now. I had some big holes out there.”

Said Teaff: “This is what we’ve been waiting for him to do in that position. He’s the prototype.”

Strait came out of Texas’ Cuero High School as one of the nation’s most sought after running backs.

The Bears of the Southwest Conference delighted a soaked crowd of 35,127 with a solid ground game in their season opener with the Miners (1-1) of the Western Athletic Conference.

Texas Christian 60, New Mexico 7--Leon Clay passed for 253 yards and four touchdowns as the Horned Frogs breezed at Ft. Worth.

Clay, at the controls of TCU’s “triple shoot” offense, had scoring pass plays of 30 and 26 yards to wide receiver Kyle McPherson as the Horned Frogs built a 38-0 halftime lead. Clay also threw touchdown passes of five yards to Kelly Blackwell and six yards to David Lewis.