SMU beats Navy on OT 2-point try

DALLAS — Hunter Thedford caught a 2-point conversion pass in the first overtime on a play that led to several minutes of discussion by officials and a review before it was held up, and SMU beat Navy 31-30 on Saturday for its first win over the Midshipmen in 20 years.

After Ben Hicks threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to James Proche, new coach Sonny Dykes decided to go for his first win at SMU right then. Offensive lineman Chad Pursley went in motion from the tight end spot on the left to the slot right, and Hicks threw to Thedford over leaping linebacker Taylon Heflin in the end zone.

Hicks replaced starting quarterback William Brown for the overtime possession as the Mustangs (1-3, 1-0 American Athletic) beat Navy for the first time since 1998, ending an eight-game losing streak in the series.

NICHOLLS ST. 27 SAM HOUSTON ST. 7

Dontrell Taylor and Kendall Bussey each ran for a fourth-quarter touchdown to help the Colonels beat the Bearkats in Thibodaux, La.

Nicholls State (2-2, 1-1 Southland Conference), who had lost 11 in a row to Sam Houston State, beat the Bearkats (1-2, 0-1) for the first time since 2005.

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 24 ABILENE CHRISTIAN 21

Jake Blumrick passed for 258 yards and one score as the Lumberjacks defeated the Wildcats in Nacogdoches, giving interim head coach Jeff Byrd his first win at Stephen F. Austin.

SFA improved to 1-2 and 1-1 in the Southland.

Luke Anthony had 283 yards passing to lead Abilene Christian (2-2, 1-1).

NORTH TEXAS 47 LIBERTY 7

Loren Easly rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns as the Mean Green jumped out to an early lead and coasted to a victory over the Flames in Lynchburg, Va., to improve to 4-0.

PRAIRIE VIEW A&M 62 ARKANSAS-PINE BLUFF 13

Jalen Morton threw for two touchdowns and ran for four more, and the Panthers beat the Golden Lions in the teams’ Southwestern Conference opener at Pine Bluff, Ark. Prairie View improved to 2-3.

SE LOUISIANA 30 LAMAR 24

Chason Virgil threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns as the Lions held on to beat the Cardinals in Beaumont. Lamar fell to 1-3 and 0-2 in the Southland Conference.

UTSA 25, TEXAS ST. 21

Lorenzo Dantzler returned a fumble 27 yards for a touchdown, and Jared Sackett kicked three field goals as the Roadrunners (1-3) held off the Bobcats (1-3) in San Antonio.