University of Houston
No. 16 SMU
Game Primer: Houston vs. SMU
10/22/2019 5:20:00 PM | Football
Cougars take on No. 16/17 SMU Thursday night inside TDECU Stadium
GAME 7
Houston vs. No. 16/17 SMU
Oct. 24 | 6:30 p.m. CT |Â TDECU Stadium | Houston, Texas
Broadcast: ESPN
Radio: KPRC 950-AM
TuneIn: https://bit.ly/2lz8Pp6
Game Notes: UH | SMU |Â The American
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
« Houston plays for the second time on Thursday night this season as it hosts No. 16/17 SMU inside TDECU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on ESPN with Adam Amin (pxp), Matt Hasselbeck (analyst), Pat McAfee (analyst) and Molly McGrath (sideline) on the call. Radio coverage on KPRC 950-AM begins at 5:30 p.m. CT.
« Thursday's game marks the 34th all-time meeting between Houston and SMU, with the Cougars leading the series, 21-12-1. SMU defeated then No. 17 Houston, 45-31, in last year's matchup in Dallas. Houston's 21 wins over SMU are the third-most over any program in school history.
« Houston is 5-2 against ranked opponents inside TDECU Stadium since its opening in 2014. The Cougars' last win over a ranked opponent came in 2018 as Houston defeated then No. 17 USF, 57-36. The Cougars are 36-99-5 all-time against top 25 opponents.
« SMU marks the fourth ranked opponent Houston has faced this season through eight games.
« Houston is third in The American and 22nd in FBS in rushing offense averaging 221.6 yards per game. The Cougars are one of five programs to have four different players with at least one 100-yard rushing game this season, joining Air Force, Georgia Southern, Louisiana, South Carolina, Wake Forest and Wyoming.
« Junior nickel back Grant Stuard has emerged as Houston's defensive leader in 2019. Stuard is second in The American in tackles per game (9.0) and leads the conference in solo tackles (44). The Conroe, Texas, native has three double-digit tackle games this season. Stuard entered the season with 32 career tackles after splitting time between safety and running back last season.
« Junior defensive lineman David Anenih is tied for second in The American with 5.5 sacks this year. Anenih has recorded at least one sack in three out of the last five games.
« The Cougars have been one of the least penalized teams in the country this season. Through seven games, Houston has been penalized 4.9 times per game for an average 45.7 yards per game - both marks rank second in The American.
FOR FANS
« Houston's 1989 team will be recognized at halftime of Thursday night's game, including Heisman Trophy winner Andre Ware.Â
« Thursday night's game marks Military and First Responder Appreciation Night.
« Fans can expect to see increased Wi-Fi capability inside TDECU Stadium.Â
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
« Houston boasts one of the top rushing attacks in FBS, ranking 22nd in FBS in rushing offense averaging 221.6 yards per game this season on the ground. The Cougars are sixth nationally with 58 rushes of 10-plus yards and the Cougars have 16 rushing attempts that have gone for 20 or more yards. Despite its deep Air Raid roots, Houston has recorded at least 1,500 rushing yards as a team in 18 consecutive seasons.
« Houston leads all FBS teams with four blocked kicks this season, including three blocked punts. The Cougars recorded their first blocked field goal attempt of the season against Cincinnati, their first since Dec. 24, 2017, against Fresno State in the Hawai'i Bowl. The Cougars picked up their third blocked punt of the season at UConn.
« Senior Dane Roy rides #ForTheBrand. He leads The American and is sixth in FBS with a 47.3 punt average. Roy's 47.3 punting average would set a UH single-season record, besting the previous mark held by Richie Leone set in 2012 (45.5 yards per punt). Because of Roy's efforts, Houston leads the conference and is fourth in FBS in net punting (44.4).
« Houston running back Kyle Porter and SMU quarterback Shane Buechele spent three seasons together at Texas. Both players have found plenty of success in their new homes. Porter is Houston's leading rusher with 448 yards and has logged three touchdowns. Buechele has flourished at SMU, throwing for 2,122 yards and 18 touchdowns through seven games.
« Houston's Dana Holgorsen and SMU's Sonny Dykes spent seven seasons together on staff at Texas Tech from 2000-07. During their time together in Lubbock, Texas Tech made seven straight bowl appearances and won 56 games.
SCOUTING SMU
« SMU leads The American West division with a 3-0 mark and enters Thursday's game ranked No. 16 in the latest AP poll with a 7-0 record. The Mustangs are off to their best start since 1982 when they opened the year with a 10-0 record.
« SMU is under the direction of head coach Sonny Dykes, who is 12-8 with the program. Dykes has helped revamp the Mustangs' offense into one of the top units in the nation, averaging 521.1 yards per game. SMU has scored 40-plus points in six of seven games this season.
« On offense, SMU ranks fifth in FBS averaging 44.3 points per game. The Mustangs are second in The American and 12th nationally with 315.4 yards per game through the air, while putting up 205.7 yards per contest on the ground (30th in FBS). Senior quarterback Shane Buechele leads the conference in total offense at 313.3 yards per game. The Texas transfer averages 303.1 yards per game passing, the top mark in The American (also ranks seventh nationally). Wide receiver James Proche ranks first among players in The American with 7.7 receptions per game and is second in the league with eight touchdown catches, while teammate Reggie Roberson Jr. is third in the league with six touchdown grabs.
« Defensively, the Mustangs boast one of the nation's top pass rushes. SMU is No. 1 in the league and second in the FBS with 4.14 sacks per contest, while limiting opponents to 372.3 yards of total offense per game (ranks 54th nationally). Patrick Nelson is 10th among FBS players with 1.07 sacks per contest and has 7.5 sacks this season. Nelson is also fourth in the conference with 9.0 tackles for loss this year. SMU is second in the league with eight interceptions.
LAST TIME AGAINST SMU
« SMU's Ben Hicks threw for 318 yards and four touchdowns, as the Mustangs beat then No. 17 Houston, 45-31, in Dallas last season. The Mustangs led the entire way, jumping out to a 17-0 lead after Hicks threw his second TD, a 17-yarder to Tyler Page less than a minute into the second quarter.
« After Houston trimmed the deficit down to 38-31 on D'Eriq King's 3-yard touchdown run with 9:34 left, the Mustangs used a time-consuming 13-play drive that ended with Ke'Mon Freeman's second touchdown run, an 8-yarder with 2:43 left. That drive was interrupted for about 90 minutes because of lightning and heavy rain. Freeman ran 20 times for 107 yards.
« The Cougars were limited to 365 total yards as Houston failed to reach the 40-point mark for the first time during the 2018 season. King did have at least two passing TDs and a rushing score for the ninth straight game, the longest such streak for an FBS player in the last 20 years. He also ran 12 times for 54 yards and was 11 of 22 passing for 175 yards.
« Patrick Carr led the Cougars on the ground with 75 yards on 17 carries. Marquez Stevenson led the way with three receptions for 104 yards and one touchdown. Hicks completed 28 of 43 passes for SMU, while Justin Guy-Robinson (134 yards) and James Proche (90 yards) both had nine catches.
GAME 7 RECAP: UCONN
« Houston sophomore wide receiver Jeremy Singleton hauled in two passes for 103 yards, including a 58-yard touchdown, to help lead the Cougars to a 24-17 win over UConn at Rentschler Field at Pratt & Whitney Stadium.
« Making the first start of his career, freshman quarterback Logan Holgorsen threw for 123 passing yards and a touchdown, while junior running back Kyle Porter added 63 rushing yards and a touchdown. Junior defensive back Grant Stuard made a career-high 15 tackles, including six solo stops, to lead the Cougars on defense, while sophomore linebacker Donavan Mutin recorded the first interception of his career, leading to the Cougars' first touchdown of the day.
« After both teams traded punts to open the game, the Cougars put the first mark on the scoreboard on junior kicker Dalton Witherspoon's 42-yard field goal with 9:44 left in the first quarter. Sophomore Bryson Smith put the Cougars into scoring possession with a 45-yard pass to Singleton to the UConn 18. The score remained that way until Matt Drayton hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jack Zergiotis with 13:41 left in the second quarter for a 7-3 UConn lead.
« The Cougars regained the lead on Porter's 12-yard touchdown run, which was set up by Mutin's first career interception. UConn tied the game at 10-10 on Clayton Harris' 43-yard field goal with 4:30 remaining in the third quarter.
« However, it did not stay that way long. Holgorsen connected with Singleton on a 58-yard touchdown strike down the left sideline for a 17-10 Houston lead with 3:31 left in the third quarter. The Cougars made it a two-score game late when Smith plunged into the end zone from two yards out for a 24-10 Houston lead with 3:19 left.
ON THE OFFENSIVE
« Since 2006, only Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas Tech have racked up more yards than Houston, which has 85,827 in that span. Houston has scored in 243 straight games dating back to Sept. 30, 2000.
Total Yards by One School (2006-present)
1. Oklahoma - 90,531
2. Oregon - 87,376
3. Texas Tech - 86,187
4. Houston - 85,827
5. Oklahoma State - 84,703
« In 2019, Houston has produced a strong rushing attack with four different players rushing for at least 100 yards in a game this season: D'Eriq King (twice), Patrick Carr, Kyle Porter (twice) and Clayton Tune. The Cougars are one of four programs to have four different players with at least one 100-yard rushing game along with Georgia Southern, Louisiana, South Carolina and Wyoming.
« Houston ended 2018 fifth nationally in scoring offense with an average of 43.9 points per game and seventh in total offense with an average of 512.5 yards per game.
« Houston, Oklahoma and Clemson were the only schools to rank in the top 25 for both passing offense (No. 16, 295.5) and rushing offense (No. 24, 217.1) in 2018.
« Last season, the offense ranked fifth nationally with 92 plays of at least 20+ yards and 11th with 13 plays of 50+ yards. The versatility of UH's offense was evident as 10 different players had receiving TDs, eight of which return in 2019, and nine different players across three position groups had rushing TDs, of which eight return in 2019.
« Houston opened the season with 40+ points in its first three games of a season for the first time in program history and expanded the streak through its first eight games. The eight-game streak set the Houston record for
the longest such streak.
« With 45 points at Rice, 49 at Texas Tech and 49 at Navy, Houston scored 45+ in at least three road games in a season for only the third time in program history (1989 and 2011). It was also the first time since the 2011 team accomplished the feat five times.
« Since 2015, Houston has 20 games with 500+ yards of total offense and eight games with 600+ yards. It has scored more than 40 points in 23 of 59 games and more than 50 points on seven different occasions.
THE PUNT-AH
« Thirty-year old senior punter Dane Roy is back for his fourth and final season in America as Houston's starting punter. A former ice cream salesman, Roy is the third oldest player in FBS football behind Colorado kicker James Stefanou (32) and UCLA punter Wade Lees (31), both natives of Melbourne, Australia.
« Roy currently is first in The American and sixth in FBS, averaging a career-best 47.3 yards per punt. His 47.3 yards per punt would set the Houston single-season program record if the season ended today. The senior leads the conference with 18 punts downed inside the 20 this season and has 12 punts over 50 yards. Against Cincinnati, Roy set the Houston single-game record for punting average (54.0).
« The Bunyip, Australia, native and former Australian rules football player for Richmond Central led The American in 2017 with 25 punts inside the 20 and with 43.1 percent of his punts inside his opponents 20. Twelve of his 55 punts were inside his opponents' 10-yard line.
« Prior to arriving in Houston, Roy won the longest kick competition at the AFL grand final in Melbourne, Australia,
after booting a torpedo 73 meters, which equates to 79 yards. Roy, who stands 6-7, also has a personal-best hang time of 5.4 seconds.
LENDING A HAND OR TWO
« Houston returns 82.3 percent of its receiving yards from the 2018 season to go along with 35 of its 45 touchdown receptions. Houston is one of six schools nationally, and two in The American, to have a 1,000-yard receiver each of the last four seasons as Demarcus Ayers (2015, 1,222 yards), Linell Bonner (2016, 1,118), Steven Dunbar (2017, 1,070) and Marquez Stevenson (2018, 1,019) each accomplished the feat.
« Named to The American's First Team in 2018, Stevenson has proved to be electrifying with six plays of 50+ yards and 12 plays of at least 30 yards, which ranked sixth and 11th in the nation, respectively. He led The American with five games of at least 100 receiving yards and was fifth in the league with 78.4 receiving yards per game and third with 5.8 receptions per game.
« Stevenson has made key plays for the Cougars throughout the season in the passing game. At North Texas, he finished with seven receptions for 64 yards and picked up his first career kickoff return for a touchdown against the Mean Green. He followed up with a three-catch, 120-yard performance against Cincinnati which included a 69-yard touchdown reception. Stevenson has five career 100-yard receiving games.
« Jeremy Singleton continues to build off his strong freshmen year. Singleton scored on a 50-yard touchdown pass against Cincinnati on Oct. 12 and followed up with two catches for 103 yards at UConn. Singleton's 58-yard touchdown reception marked the longest catch of the year for the sophomore. He had 19 receptions for 285 yards and two touchdowns a year ago. Tight end Christian Trahan has also earned a key role in UH's offensive system and has made nine catches this season and picked up his first career receiving touchdown against Cincinnati. Trahan entered the season with one career reception.
« Sophomore Bryson Smith finished 2018 with 30 receptions for 285 yards and four touchdowns. He has made seven catches for 44 yards this season, but has also seen time at quarterback for the Cougars in recent weeks. Smith finished with nine carries for 29 yards, scoring on a 2-yard dash to the end zone against UConn.
WE LIKE NICKEL BACK
« Junior Grant Stuard has benefited the most from Houston's new scheme under defensive coordinator Joe Cauthen. After registering just 32 tackles in his first two seasons, Stuard has been an impact maker for Houston at nickel and is second in The American with 64 total tackles this year.
« The Conroe, Texas, native ranks first in the conference with 44 solo stops and has logged three double-digit tackles games this year. The junior recorded a career-high 15 tackles in the win at UConn, logging a pair of tackles-for-loss. At North Texas, Stuard posted 11 tackles including one tackle-for-loss against the Mean Green. At Oklahoma, Stuard put together a 14-tackle performance against the Sooners.
« Stuard split time last year at running back and safety, while leading Houston with 11 special teams tackles. He picked up two tackles against Tulane in 2018 and also saw time at running back, finishing with four carries for 31 yards.
« Sophomore Amaud Willis-Dalton has shown his versatility this year and finished with three stops in UH's win at North Texas. The sophomore has played snaps at nickel and also worked in with UH's linebacking corps.
A HOUSTON WIN WOULD ...
« Improve Houston's program win-loss record to 445-370-15 all-time since 1946 and give Houston its 57th win since 2013, the most in Texas in that span.
« Improve Houston's series record to 26-12-1 against SMU.
AMONG THE BEST
« Since 2013, Houston ranks first in the state of Texas with 56 wins with TCU (54) ranking second. The Cougars are four wins ahead of Texas A&M and Baylor and 12 games ahead of Texas in that span. Houston leads the state of Texas FBS schools with 10 seasons of at least eight wins since 2006. TCU is second in that span with nine.
« Houston enters 2019 second on The American's all-time win list in conference games with 34 conference wins. Since the league's inception, UCF leads with 37 wins, followed by the Cougars.
« Houston enters 2019 riding a streak of six straight bowl appearances, the 16th-longest active streak in the nation and the longest in The American. The current six-game streak is a program best, topping the previous from 2005-09.
