The Mustangs pack their bags for away game number three against Navy this weekend in Annapolis, Md. It is the Ponies final non-conference game of 2010. It is Navy’s first home game after three weekends of travel.Navy is currently 3-2 on the season, after a close 28-27 victory over Wake Forest on Oct. 9. The Midshipmen are currently ranked No. 3 in the country in pass defense, 10th in rushing offense, 18th in turnover margin, 21st in kickoff returns and 23rd in scoring defense.

Last weekend, the Mids beat Wake Forest in the final seconds when senior quarterback Ricky Dobbs connected with wide receiver Greg Jones for a six-yard touchdown pass.

Dobbs had his best game of the season with 22 carries for 100 yards and two touchdowns. He has also completed eight-of-19 passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns against Wake Forest. Dobbs has tallied 14 touchdowns in Navy’s famous triple option offense this season to lead the nation in scoring.

Another Mids standout is outside linebacker Aaron McCauley who had 13 tackles against Wake Forest. He currently is second on the team for tackles (42), tied for first with seven tackles for a loss, and has two sacks this season.  

The Mids and Mustangs will battle it out for the Gansz Trophy, created in 2009 to honor coaching legend Frank Gansz who once played at Navy and coached at SMU.

SMU won their last non-conference away game in 1998 against Navy, 214-11. SMU currently has a 19-game non-conference road-losing streak.

However, the Mustangs are off to their best start (4-2, 3-0 C-USA) since 1986, when the team started 5-1.

The ‘Stangs’ only losses this season have been to non-conference competitors, Texas Tech and TCU.

Last weekend, SMU star quarterback Kyle Padron threw more than 300 yards for the fourth time in his career.

Padron threw 381 yards and three touchdowns for the 21-18 win over Tulsa last Saturday at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. He is currently ranked 18th in total offense.

The Ponies were 21-7 in the third quarter against Tulsa, however the Golden Hurricane was able to decrease the deficit following a field goal by Tulsa’s Kevin Fitzpatrick and a second touchdown by quarterback G.J. Kinne in the fourth quarte.

Mustang wide receiver Aldrick Robinson had 118 yards receiving, including five catches for the 10th 100-yard game of his career, totaling 143 receptions overall and ranking him ninth at SMU. He also ranks 20th in receiving yards per game in the country.

Defensive end Margus Hunt also set a record in the game against Tulsa, after blocking a 45-yard field goal attempt in the first quarter.

The block was Hunt’s ninth in his career, setting an SMU record and tying for sixth in NCAA history. He also tied for third in NCAA history for blocking his sixth field goal.

Last year, Navy beat SMU 38-35 in overtime, after Mids’ Joe Buckley notched a 24-yard field goal. Dobbs also rushed for 224 yards against SMU.

Kickoff in Annapolis at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday. The game will be nationally televised by CBS College Sports.

The Mustangs will return to the Hilltop the following weekend for their Homecoming game against the Houston Cougars.