SMU’s Emmanuel Sanders (left) gets tripped by Houston’s Brandon Brinkley (right) during Saturday’s game. Despite the record breaking efforts of Sanders, the Mustangs were unable to come away with a win.

The Mustangs will look for win number six for the second time this season as the Tulsa Golden Hurricane come to Ford Stadium on Saturday.

SMU lost in its first chance at the six win landmark last week against Houston when the Mustangs fell for the first time at Ford Stadium this season The Mustangs will play their last home game of the season Saturday afternoon.

It will be the last time 20 seniors will play a game at Ford Stadium. Jamar Bey, Brandon Bonds, Bobby Chase, Randy Denman, Joseph Ferguson, Johnnie Fitzgerald, Randall Goode, Duke Hasson, Adrian Haywood, Darrin Johnson, Ryan Kennedy, Victor Makinde, Dustin Morton, Reynaldo Pellerin, Chris Phillips, Justin Rogers, Joe Sturdivant, Troy Therien, Blake Warren and Ryan Wolcott.

The Mustangs will have to play a full game against Tulsa if they hope to come away with a victory.

SMU beat Houston in the first half by 10, but lost the second half by 20, falling 37-27.

The Mustangs have shown problems holding onto a lead this season. SMU shutout Tulane in the first half and took a 17-0 lead into the break. But with just under eight minutes left in the game, the Mustangs allowed the Green Wave to come back and take a one point lead. SMU narrowly escaped with a 33-28 win.

Against UAB the Mustangs only had a one point lead at halftime, but early in the fourth quarter, after going scoreless in the third quarter, allowed UAB to take the lead. The Mustangs were able to regain and hold onto the lead to win the game.

And it was the same story with a different ending last weekend. The Mustangs had the lead at halftime, gave it up, but this time they were unable to take it back.

The three-second half points scored by the Mustangs were the fewest since being shutout in the first half against North Texas.

The Mustangs, with the exception of the North Texas game, have bounced back from a loss with a win, and are 3-0 at home after a loss.

It is imperative that the Mustangs keep this trend going this weekend.

The Mustangs will rely on another strong performance by quarterback Justin Willis. Willis has been key in the games following a loss. Against Sam Houston, following Texas Tech and North Texas, Willis threw for five touchdowns, against Marshall, following UTEP, Willis threw for four touchdowns and against UAB Willis threw just one touchdown pass, but was 18 of 23 passing.

The SMU rushing game stalled against Houston last weekend. The Mustangs were only able to run for 44 yards on 35 carries, resulting in an average of just 1.3 yards a rush against the fifth rushing defense team in the conference.

This weekend the Mustangs face the fourth rushing defense team in the conference. The Mustangs need a stronger performance from all the runners they have used this season.

DeMyron Martin has been plagued by injuries all season long. James Mapps, Johnnie Fitzgerald and Cedrick Dorsey have all stepped up, but none have been consistent.

Mapps, the most consistent of the three, had a costly fumble at the end of last weeks’ game, and hasn’t been able to get in a rhythm in the last three games.

Fitzgerald has seen fewer carries in each of the past four games. His carries have gone from 11 against Marshall, to three against ECU, to one against UAB and finally none against Houston.

Emmanuel Sanders already has the record for most touchdown receptions for a freshman, with nine, and is two away from tying the overall record of 11.

The Mustang defense will look to rebound after allowing 504 yards to Houston’s offense. With the absence of Adrian Haywood and the limited play of injured Brandon Bonds, the Cougar offense ran past the defensive line.

The Mustangs also lost the turnover battle last week 2-1. SMU will have to to a better job of holding onto the football, especially late in the game, and will have to get the ball out of the hands of the high powered offense of the Golden Hurricane.

The Mustangs proved in the first half against Houston that they can play with the conference elite, but they will have to play a better second half and hold onto their lead to defeat Tulsa.

The Mustangs will need to play better on both offense and defense, but can do it to earn their sixth win, and gain bowl eligibility.

Blake Warren had a career high seven receptions in last week’s loss to Houston. Warren now has 10 receptions on the season. (Christina Parrish)