University of Houston
SMU
No. 11 Houston falls to SMU, 38-16
10/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Football
Final Stats | Notes | USATSI Gallery 
DALLAS (AP) The Houston Cougars were dealt their second loss of 2016 on Saturday, falling to SMU 38-16.
SMU quarterback Ben Hicks threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score in the Mustangs' first win over a ranked team in five years.
The last time the Mustangs (3-4, 1-2) beat a team ranked 11th or higher, they were No. 4 and finishing off a near-perfect 1982 season (11-0-1) with a 7-3 victory over sixth-ranked Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl. SMU tied No. 7 Texas A&M in 1994.
Greg Ward Jr. struggled to shake a persistent SMU pass rush or find receivers for big plays, and was sacked seven times.
One of the sacks was for an 18-yard loss to the Houston 22 when coach Tom Herman went for it on fourth down trailing 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Hicks was 16 of 31 for 228 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown to a wide-open James Proche for a 28-7 lead in the final seconds of the first half. SMU appeared content to run out the clock before a 40-yard run by Braeden West, who had 115 yards rushing and a punctuating touchdown late.
The Cougars lost two fumbles in the first quarter and never got their high-powered offense going. Houston was outgained 406-303.
SMU defensive end Jarvis Pruitt recovered one of the fumbles and had three sacks in the Mustangs' first win over a ranked team since beating No. 20 TCU 40-33 in overtime in 2011.
UP NEXT
Houston: The Cougars start a stretch of three straight home games against UCF next Saturday. That stretch ends against No. 7 Louisville.
SMU: The Mustangs visit Tulane next Saturday before a home game against Memphis, which just lost its first conference game against Navy.
