No. 16 SMU holds a 21-13 lead over Houston at the break in Space City.
The Mustangs accepted the ball to open the game and breezed down to a 1st-and-goal in just seven snaps, but then stalled out. Shane Buechele threw incomplete on first down, and Xavier Jones was stuffed for a 1-yard gain on second down from the Houston 8-yard line. Buechele found Kylen Granson for six yards on third down, taking the ball to the 1, where Sonny Dykes elected to roll the dice. Buechele hit Reggie Roberson, Jr., on a pick play, but Roberson dropped the ball and SMU came up empty.
The teams traded punts on the next three possessions before SMU finally broke through, moving 85 yards in seven plays -- aided by 30 yards of Houston penalties -- setting up a 3rd-and-10 strike from Buechele to James Proche for a 15-yard touchdown.
Houston then raced down the field even faster than SMU, gaining 31-yards on a pop pass from Clayton Tune to tight end Christian Trahan on the final play of the first quarter and then a 44-yard run by Mulbah Car on the first snap of the second quarter. Car’s run was ruled a touchdown, but replay brought it out to the 1. Bryson Smith completed the 5-play, 88-yard drive with a zone read keeper one play later, tying the game at 7-7 at the 14:28 mark of the second quarter.
The teams exchanged three-and-outs before Jones zigged and zagged 62 yards for a touchdown, putting SMU up 14-7, and then the Ponies’ defense brought out the bottle service when they recovered a backward pass by Smith, which slipped out of his hands just behind the Houston 47 and was recovered at the Cougars’ 32. Buechele put SMU up 21-7 five plays later with an 11-yard scoring toss to Granson.
Just as it seemed SMU had control of the game, a long drive and a turnover put Houston back in the game.
The Cougars gobbled up 6:18 of the 8:14 remaining in the second quarter to set up a 25-yard Dalton Witherspoon field goal, pulling Houston within 21-10. Amaud Willis-Dalton picked Buechele at the SMU 46 on the next offensive snap, allowing the Houston offense to set up a 34-yard Witherspoon field goal as time expired in the half.
Buechele closed the half 12-of-22 for 130 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, while Jones rushed 10 times for 111 yards and a 62-yard touchdown.
Car, thanks to a handful of missed tackles, has carried Houston’s offense, rushing nine times for 98 yards.
Houston will receive to open the second half.