SMU tailback DeMyron Martin carries the ball against the Texas State Cougars on Sept. 6. Martin has rushed for 72 yards this season on 15 carries. (Stuart Palley)

The Mustangs welcome TCU to Dallas for the first time since 2005. In that game the underdog Mustangs defeated a ranked Horned Frogs team 21-10.

Freshman quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell has already had ups and downs early in the season. After throwing for 370 yards and five touchdowns in the win against Texas State, Mitchell threw for just 155 yards, no touchdowns and five interceptions at Texas Tech.

“I’m not so sure TCU isn’t the best team we’ve played so far, or going to play,” head coach June Jones said. “Fortunately, we’re playing them at home, and fortunately there seems to be a rivalry with this, that it’s my first year of feeling, but I already sense it talking with the guys, and I already know how TCU feels about SMU. So they’ll come and play their best game, and it will take our best game to beat them.”

But the Mustangs have beaten TCU only once since 1999, including last season’s 21-7 loss in Ft. Worth. In that game SMU gave TCU points through a blocked punt and an interception returned for touchdowns.

In the two losses this season, Mitchell has thrown three touchdowns and eight interceptions, compared to five touchdowns and no interceptions in the win against Texas State.

The SMU defense also is trying to find consistency early in 2008.

After giving up 466 yards and 56 points at Rice, SMU gave up 465 yards, but only 36 points against Texas State. That number soared to 693 yards against Texas Tech.

The defense has not been able to stop opponents, except when causing turnovers. Forcing turnovers gave the Mustangs the win against Texas State, and was the reason Texas Tech scored only 43 points last week.

But the Mustangs are returning home, where both the offense and defense have played their best. Yet, that was against an inferior team when compared to their other two opponents. The good news is that the only time the Mustangs have beaten TCU since 1999 was at Gerald J. Ford Stadium three years ago.

“Hopefully you’re at home playing those types of (rivalry) games, because those are the types of games that decide whether you’ll be playing in December or January,” Jones said. “You’ve got to win your home games. We’ve had one home game, and we won it, and now we’ve got some more, and if we win all of them, and steal one or two somewhere, we’ve got a chance, still, for a bowl game, and that’s what we’re shooting for.”

In order for the Mustangs to pull out a win, they need the Mitchell from two weeks ago, and the defense to play its best game of the year.

Saturday’s game will kick off at 7 p.m.