 Benners then attended , and later Southern Methodist in Dallas, where he was part in one of the greatest upsets in college football history.On October 13, 1951, SMU beat University of Notre Dame 27-20 in a rare nationally televised game, powered by Benners' historic performance, as he hit on 22 passes in 44 attempts for 326 yards and four touchdowns.“No one could have been more adroit in picking the spot for a super-duper performance,” wrote "The New York Times".