SMU cornerback transported via ambulance following injury during special teams action

DALLAS — In a concerning incident during a football game, SMU cornerback AJ Davis was transported off the field in an ambulance following a special teams play late in the first half of the contest between the No. 20 Mustangs and the No. 18 Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday night.

The ambulance, dispatched by the University Park Fire Department, traveled nearly the full length of the field to reach Davis, who was surrounded by medical staff at the scene. He was secured on a stretcher, and an oversized neck support device was used to immobilize his head as he was loaded into the ambulance.

At this time, there has not been any official update from SMU regarding the specifics of Davis’s injury or its severity. The incident occurred after the Mustangs had executed a kickoff following a commanding 28-3 lead. Davis was seen lying face down on the field, with footage revealing that his head collided with the returner as he lunged to complete a tackle, and subsequently, another player fell onto his back.

Several individuals, believed to be family members of Davis, wearing his jersey number 14, were present on the field, visibly emotional. They were consoled by SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee, who gathered his team around the 35-yard line, close to where Davis was being treated before being transported.

In a show of sportsmanship, Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi approached the scene and engaged in a brief conversation with Lashlee at the center of the field, emphasizing the camaraderie and concern shared among those involved in college football during such troubling moments.

As the situation develops, the focus remains on AJ Davis’s well-being and recovery.