(Associated Press)
ESPN’s College Game day rolled into Houston Saturday morning highlighting the late season conference match up between SMU and Houston. SMU rallied against Houston without their leading rusher Zach Line in the national spotlight trying to bust Houston’s BCS run.
Houston’s quarterback Case Keenum passed for 318 yards and one touchdown. The Cougar offense struggled in much of the game despite Keenum’s completion record.
SMU forced Houston to use their defense against the Mustangs to pull off a win.
“This is the best defense I’ve ever seen,” Keenum said.
The Mustangs offense sputtered in much of the game and put up a mere 93 yards and six first downs in the first half. The Mustangs went into the locker room at the half trailing 13-0.
Houston was able to take control in the second half when SMU gave up two turnovers in the third. The Mustangs first drive out of halftime Houston picked off a touchdown pass in the end zone.
From there, Houston’s Michael Hays connected with Keenum with a screen pass. Hays turned that into a 60-yard run to the SMU 2-yard line but the SMU defense forced a field goal.
Another turnover by SMU gave Houston the opportunity to score again late in the third leaving the score 23-0 as they rolled into the fourth quarter.
The Mustangs found the end zone with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter for their first score of the game. McDermott connected with Darius Johnson for eight yards.
However, by the time SMU took it to the house Houston had scored a field goal and a touchdown in the third quarter making the game 23-7.
Houston answered the Mustangs touchdown with a score when Keenum rushed for 16 yards for the touchdown making the score 30-7 with a little over six minutes to play.
The Cougars finished off scoring two touchdowns beating SMU 37-7.
Game ball went to Keenum after he set the Football Bowl Subdivision career record for completions on Saturday passing Graham Harrell from Texas Tech who previously held the record with 1,403 yards.
Keenum now has 1,427 yards after Saturday’s game.
