The Mustangs will open up conference play this weekend and, surprise, there is a lot riding on the final eight games of the season.

UTEP

The Miners enter the game with a 2-2 record, but that might be the best thing the the team has going for it right now.

Youth and injuries have exposed the UTEP defense and there are some holes in the UTEP offense. But the Miners will also have a weapon in the backfield: Marcus Thomas.

Thomas averages 88 yards a game and has five touchdowns in four games.

This is a home game against one of the weaker teams in SMU’s west division of the conference. The Mustangs need to win this game to gain momentum headed into the rest of the conference schedule.

Southern Miss

The Golden Eagles are the favorites not only to win their east division, but to win the conference overall. Southern Miss won its division last season and fell to Houston in the conference championship game.

This game is a test for the Mustangs. It is against the toughest conference opponent they will face, but more importantly it is on the road. The road has given the Mustangs problems over the past two seasons. Last year SMU was just 1-5 in road games, and is 0-2 so far this season.

This is not a game SMU needs to win, but if they come out strong it could be a good game moving onto Tulane.

Tulane

The Mustangs got their only road win against Tulane a season ago. This year, the Mustangs face the Green Wave at home.

Tulane has struggled so far this season, and wont get better this week against LSU. The Green Wave is another team that the Mustangs must defeat. It is a home game against a team struggling worse than the Mustangs are right now.

The Mustangs must take care of business at home and against teams that they need to beat. This is one of those games.

Tulsa

The first game of the only two-game road trip the Mustangs take this season is against a tough divisional opponent.

Last year, people expected the Golden Hurricane to win the west division. The Mustangs surprised Tulsa and were instrumental in knocking them out of the divisional chase.

This year the game is on the road, and Tulsa has once again been chosen to win the west. If the Mustangs want to make a run at the division they will have to come out prepared for this game. They will either need to win this game or the next weeks’ match against Houston. But a good game against Tulsa is necessary going into the next game versus the Cougars.

Houston

When the Mustangs faced the Cougars last season, SMU still had control of its own destiny. After coming back from an early deficit, the Mustangs went into the locker room with a lead.

That lead slipped through SMU’s fingertips as they lost the game and a shot to win the division. This year’s game will be played in front of the second ESPN audience the Mustangs have this year, and on a Sunday.

The Mustangs will be coming off another tough road divisional challenge in Tulsa. The team will either be playing after a big win, a tough loss or reeling after a blowout.

Houston is a different team this year mostly because of the loss of one player, Kevin Kolb. But that player was a four-year starter at quarterback and led to the improvement of the team.

That being said, they still have Anthony Alridge, and a dangerous running game.

Rice

There is no better situation for the Mustangs to come home to. After back-to-back games on the road, SMU will celebrate Homecoming against Rice.

And the Mustangs have a rather large bone to pick with the team that kept SMU out of the post season last year. But already the Owls are in a world of trouble.

Yes, it is early in the season and the Mustangs aren’t showing themselves to be much better. But after last season, few people expected a 0-4 start. But that’s where they are, and one of those losses came against a former 1-AA team.

This is another home game the Mustangs need to win. It’s at home, against a divisional opponent and a seemingly less talented team.

UCF

The Mustangs will play their last game at home against UCF. The Knights struggled last season, but have had a strong showing so far this season, especially against Texas.

This will be the first time SMU has played UCF as a conference opponent. Not too much has happened so far this season and it’s going to be the same in the next-to-last game.

Best-case scenario for the Mustangs: they have momentum entering the game and use that to their advantage. But as of now, SMU needs to win pretty much every home game, and this is no exception, unless this team turns it around and wins games on the road(not likely).

Memphis

The Mustangs could be in the same situation as they were last year – a do or die road game to end the regular season. They lost the game to Rice, and squandered away a bowl bid. SMU will have to realize that the season isn’t over until the final whistle blows.

That whistle will take place in Memphis and the Mustangs will be looking to be on top, hopefully with at least the seventh win to gain bowl status.

The Mustangs have proven this season that nothing can be predicted and to expect the unexpected, especially in the games late in the season. The Mustangs can surprise, but they can also disappoint. Hopefully this season ends on a higher note than last year’s.

Or else there are going to be a lot of changes over at Ford Stadium.