SMU hung on for a 34-31 victory at Houston on Thursday night that moved the Mustangs to 8-0 through the first two months of the season. The Mustangs defense struggled to contain Clayton Tune and the Cougars offense, giving up more than 400 passing yards and over 500 total yards of offense in the close call at TDECU Stadium. But SMU also forced three fumbles to secure the critical road win in AAC West action.
Shane Buechele had a relatively quiet day at quarterback, throwing for just 203 yards and two scores on 20-of-38 passing. Buechele threw an interception late in the first half that allowed Houston to kick a field goal before the intermission and pull within eight points. Xavier Jones had a big game on the ground, finishing with 133 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 22 carries.
Things don’t lighten up for SMU in November. The month begins with a road game at Memphis that could give the Mustangs a three-game lead over the Tigers in the division, but they also have to play Navy on the road. The regular-season finale at home against Tulane could potentially be a trap even if they do stay undefeated against Memphis and the Midshipmen.