No. 17 Houston (7-1, 4-0 American, No. 17 CFP) at SMU (3-5, 2-2), 7 p.m. EDT (ESPNU)
Line: Houston by 14½.
Series record: Houston leads 21-11-1.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Back in the Top 25 for the first time since 2016, Houston is going for its sixth consecutive victory. The Cougars can take a step closer to claiming a spot in the American Athletic Conference championship game. The Mustangs are trying for their first win in four games this season against Top 25 opponents. They lost the previous three by an average margin of 28 points, but are coming off a 26-20 overtime home loss to Cincinnati, which had been undefeated and ranked before losing the previous week.
KEY MATCHUP
If the Mustangs are going to have a chance to keep up with a Houston team that has scored at least 41 points in every game, they are going to have to do it through the air. Houston is the worst among 129 FBS teams allowing 325 yards passing per game. Ben Hicks threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns against Cincinnati. True freshman quarterback William Brown has also gotten significant action, and already has multiple TD passes in three games.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Houston: QB D’Eriq King has at least two passing touchdowns and one rushing score in every game this season. He is responsible for 39 touchdowns overall, 28 passing and 11 rushing.
SMU: CB Jordan Wyatt is SMU’s career leader with five defensive return touchdowns (four interceptions, one fumble). He had his first takeaway of the season last week against Cincinnati, with an interception at the SMU 3.
FACTS & FIGURES
Houston is the nation’s top offense with 571 total yards per game, and ranks second with 49.8 points a game. … The eight 40-point games in a row by the Cougars make up the nation’s longest active streak, and a school record. … Hicks, SMU’s junior quarterback, last week became the school’s career leader in total offense at 7,720 yards. … Houston and No. 7 Oklahoma are the only schools that rank in the top 20 for both passing offense and rushing offense.
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