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Pete Thamel, ESPN
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings has been medically cleared for the top-20 clash with Pittsburgh this weekend and will start for the Mustangs on Saturday night, coach Rhett Lashlee told ESPN.
Jennings has been described as being among a “bunch of beat-up guys” by Lashlee and was listed as questionable heading into the game. His injury has not been disclosed. He required medical clearance to play Saturday night, sources had told ESPN earlier in the week. That clearance came late this week, Lashlee said.
Jennings is 5-0 as a starter this season for No. 20 SMU, which hosts a key matchup against No. 18 Pitt. Jennings is 6-1 in his career as a starter and has emerged as the engineer of one of the ACC’s most dangerous offenses.
He has thrown for 1,594 yards with 10 touchdowns and five interceptions this season. He completed 21 of 27 passes in a road win at Louisville and threw for 322 yards in a win at Stanford. Jennings has also run for 321 yards and three touchdowns.
Both quarterbacks in Saturday’s game had some ambiguity around their status. Pitt’s Eli Holstein was also cleared late in the week, coach Pat Narduzzi announced on his radio show Wednesday.
Both teams are undefeated in ACC play, as Pitt enters 7-0 overall (3-0 ACC) for the first time since 1982. SMU is 7-1 overall (4-0 ACC), with its only loss coming early in the year to undefeated BYU.
Jennings took a hit that Lashlee has called “a real shot” during SMU’s game at Duke on Saturday night. He threw three interceptions in the 28-27 SMU win.
In ACC play, SMU’s offense ranks No. 3 in scoring with 36.0 points per game. The Mustangs also rank third with 477.3 yards per league game.