GAME REPORT: SMU 37, Rice 20

[PonyPride]

Page, defense lead Ponies past Owls
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The SMU football team (4-6 overall, 4-4 WAC) delivered its most complete performance of the season, especially on defense, en route to a 37-20 win over the Rice Owls (8-4, 5-3) at Gerald J. Ford Stadium Saturday afternoon in the final home game of Mike Cavan's tenure as the Mustangs' head coach.

"I'm real proud of the guys, because they played real hard," said Cavan, who earned an ice-water shower from seniors Kevin Aldridge and Corey Riley in the game's waning minutes and then was carried on to the field for his post-game handshake with Rice coach Ken Hatfield on his players' shoulders. "I told them before the game 'don't play for me.' I'm going to be fine, and the coaches are going to be fine. The guys played with a lot of heart and a lot of character."

The final outcome was not apparent in the game's early stages. Rice drew first blood when a David Page pass bounced off the hands of tight end John Hampton and into the waiting arms of Rice linebacker Dan Dawson, who raced 32 yards with the interception for a touchdown, giving the Owls a 7-0 lead with 4:20 to go in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Owls showed indications that Saturday's game might be a blueprint of how to run the Rice triple-option offense. The Owls ground out a 21-play drive that culminated with a 22-yard field goal by Derek Crabtree with 9:28 left in the first half.

SMU then got on the board with exactly five minutes left in the first half. Page scrambled away from pressure and spotted Chris Cunningham streaking down the center of the field on a post pattern. Page hit Cunningham in stride with a perfect pass, and Cunningham twisted just across the goal line with a defender draped all over him.

But Rice responded immediately. After three running plays netter the Owls 19 yards, Rice quarterback Kyle Hern teamed up with wideout Gilbert Okoronkwo for two passes totalling 62 yards, the second of which went for a 30-yard touchdown. But that was the only points the Rice offense would put up all day, as the vaunted Rice ground game failed to reach the end zone. Crabtree added a 52-yard field goal -- into the wind -- to make the score 20-7 at the intermission.

Cavan said he didn't make any real adjustments at halftime, adding that he was confident the Ponies could pull out the win.

"We gave up the (first) touchdown on the interception and they hit those field goals, but other than that one touchdown pass, the defense didn't give up any points," Cavan said. "I challenged the defense. I told them that if they could stop (Rice), we could score."

The SMU defense clearly took Cavan's challenge to heart, forcing the Owls to go three-and-out each time.

Meanwhile, the Mustangs' offense was picking up steam, particularly through the air. Page found Cunningham again in the end zone, floating a soft pass over Cunningham's outside shoulder that Comet twisted around to catch for his second score of the day with 11:24 left in the third quarter. Then, with just 16 seconds left in the third, wide receiver Cody Cardwell tied the score when he took an end-around handoff from Page and trotted untouched into the end zone. Senior kicker Jacob Crowley sliced the ensuing extra point wide right, preventing SMU from taking the lead.

But the tie didn't last long. After the SMU defense once again shut down the Rice offense, the offense took over again, and the Page-to-Cunningham connection put the Ponies ahead with an 18-yard touchdown strike.

"It wasn't a very good throw," Page said with a laugh, "but Chris made a great catch."

Crowley tacked on a 34-yard field goal and Page scored on a 7-yard run (with 55 seconds remaining in the game) to account for the final scoring.

The stars of the game were Page, Cunningham and the SMU defense, which allowed Rice to convert just 6-of-17 third downs and stuffed the Owls on a crucial fourth down early in the fourth quarter.

"We knew if we could stop them there," senior defensive end Kevin Aldridge said, "we could break their backs."

After the Owls gained 202 yards of total offense in the first half, they were limited to 89 yards after halftime.

"Our defense played so hard," Cavan said. "When we were able to get ahead, we were able to force Rice to do what you want to force Rice to do, and that's pass when you know they're going to pass. When you do that, you can beat Rice."

Aldridge said that the key to shutting down the Owls' offense was sticking to assignments.

"(SMU defensive coordinator) Coach (Eric) Schumann has specific calls and assignments for all of us against that offense," Aldridge said. "We knew they didn't have anything but the option and a couple of pass plays."

But despite Cavan's pleas to his players that they play for themselves, their pride, their school and their team, it was clear that the Mustangs were playing for their outgoing coach, who was informed earlier this week that he won't be returning next season.

"We just told him we love him," Aldridge said when asked what he and Riley said to Cavan after dumping the ice water on him. "He brought us here. We thanked him for giving us the chance to play college football. We told him we we're sorry we weren't able to play like that every game for him."

The team heads to Chapel Hill, N.C., next week for the season finale against the North Carolina Tar Heels in a game that was postponed from its original date, Sept. 15.

"We beat a fine Rice team today," Cavan said. "Now it's time to go get ready to play North Carolina."

Cavan said he was grateful for the chance to coach the Mustangs one more time.

"This gives me another week working with these players and these coaches, and that's what I want," he said. "I've got a lot more coaching to do, and that's what I'm going to do."

[H-E-B Mustang]

From the way the football team played, from the reactions of the players after the game, and from their comments in the newspaper, it was apparent that yesterday was an emotional day for them. It was good to see them react to the firing of their coach in such a positive manner.

I know that this goes back several years, but I couldn't help but compare that game to another time when the players responded to the firing of their coach. Back in 1972, before the season was over Coach Hayden Fry was told that he would be fired. But, he coached the final game of the season against TCU in Fort Worth. The team gave no outward display of emotion that day. They entered the field walking - not running. No jumping up and down. No hitting each other preparing themselves for the game. They meant business and they were there to win the game for their coach. TCU had no chance in that game. Although the final score was 35-22 with SMU winning, it really wasn't that close. We finished with a 7-4 record, but no bowl game.

It is interesting to note how players respond to the firing of their coach. Although the response yesterday was different from what I recall years ago, the result was similar in how we handled a good Rice team.

[PonyTales]

This team easily could have mailed it in yesterday, but didn't. That's a credit to every one of the coaches -- yes, including Cavan -- and every one of those players. Way to make us proud.

[PK]

One thing was very obvious....our guys played with a lot of emotion. Hope for Cavan's sake that he noticed that emotion is one of the things needed at the college ball level to win. Bet OSU played with a lot of emotion too. Let me make myself perfectly clear Mr. Cavan....it <B>IS</B> the coach's job to get a team up for the game!!! I wish you well at your next coaching position.