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HOUSTON – SMU coach Phil Bennett said Saturday night's game against Rice would determine how much the Mustangs have improved from their 0-12 season in 2003.

If the 44-10 score is an indicator, the answer is not much. The Mustangs (1-5 overall, 1-2 in the WAC) lost for the 10th consecutive time on the road and for the 17th time in its last 18 games.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't play better," Bennett said. "I'm disappointed we didn't coach better."

Bennett said it was not the players' fault that SMU lost.

SMU struggled on offense, run defense and special teams against the Owls (3-2, 2-1). Rice is second nationally in rushing offense. The Owls rushed for 496 yards on 77 carries. It was the most rushing yards SMU has allowed this season.

Rice started redshirt freshman quarterback Joel Armstrong. In his first college start, Armstrong rushed for 138 yards on 14 carries. He was too elusive and too fast for the Mustangs. He started in place of Greg Henderson, who missed the game with a chest injury. Bennett said SMU prepared for Henderson, who passes more and isn't as fast as Armstrong.

"They did some schemes with Joel that they don't do with Greg," Bennett said. "They ran [some different] plays that we didn't prepare for, and that's what happens when you get a different quarterback; schemes change."

Fullback Ed Bailey rushed for 158 yards and four touchdowns in the Owls' triple-option offense.

Too many times the Mustangs failed to wrap up rushers or contain the edge of the line of scrimmage.

On Rice's first scoring drive, Armstrong faked out a defender on a pitch and raced 61 yards to the SMU 16. Quinton Smith scored several plays later on an option pitch for a 7-3 Rice lead.

SMU's offense started off strong as starting quarterback Tony Eckert completed 10 of his first 12 passes for 97 yards. Eckert, a junior, led the Mustangs to a field goal on the first possession. But Rice would score 44 consecutive points to put the game out of reach.

Eckert was 14-of-22 for 138 yards and two interceptions. Jerad Romo was 3-of-7 passing for 71 yards and one touchdown pass. Romo led the team in rushing with 66 yards on 10 carries.

Rice was able to take charge of the game by taking advantage of SMU mistakes on special teams and its inability to convert on offense.

that is really a silly excuse as Henderson was in the hospital for several days last week and Armstrong has played prominent roles in making big plays in both the SJSU and UT games. Next excuse please because that is ridiculous.

Is it an excuse, or simply a statement of the truth? This coaching staff did it's usual poor job of preparing this team against an option team. We've had lopsided losses in the Bennett era against Rice and Navy that made them look (at least in the box score) like Okla St.

The sportswriters at the DMN and the Houston Chronicle don't mince words about the poor quality of the SMU football team. In Houston the term is "hapless SMU." Sunshiners, the sporting world knows who we are. Quoting Bennett was the right way to put the Rice loss into perspective. The Rice game did tell us where the team is this year didn't it - bottom ten again.

We don't seem to be showing up for the away games. We have performed much better at home, which is probably indicative of the extremely young team that we have. Bennett's biggest mistake IMO was when he inserted Romo in the first half. The offense was performing well up until that point, but his immediate performance lost all momentum that we had. Bennett needs to pick a quarterback and STAY WITH HIM!!!!!

I tend to agree. Let's go w/Eckert and don't even think about putting Phillips back in if he returns (assuming there is hope for a medical RS). Don't play Romo unless the game is out of hand or Eckert gets dinged up. And let's please try to get some kind of running game going.

that most certainly was NOT the turning point any more than the coin flip or the opening KO was. RICE RAN THE BALL FOR 496 yards. Eckert QBed close to 3 quarters and came away with zero points 2 ints one fumble plus several sacks.

Another pitiful display by an unprepared SMU team. Bennett has coached SMU in 30 games now and I can't think of but about 4 or 5 games where he has not said that he and his assistants have to do a better job.

Perhaps I should refresh everyones memory...SMU starting offensive line:
1-junior and 4-sophmores.
Back-ups: sophmores, rs freshmen and true freshmen.

You want offense? Don't expect much this year.

You want offense??? Go for another team. You want a win? Go for another team. You want good coaching???? Don't count on it with Bennett.