Houston Chronicle: SMU's Record Deceiving
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2005 8:46 amMustangs have victory over TCU, 3 narrow losses
By MICHAEL MURPHY
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
A play here. A play there.
And ...
That has been the mantra at the University of Houston during past seasons (and it's even been thrown around a bit the past few weeks), but when this season comes to an end, it would be a good choice for the title of SMU's postseason video retrospective.
The Mustangs, who take a deceptive 3-6 record (2-4 in Conference USA) into Saturday's game against the Cougars at Robertson Stadium, have lost four games by seven or fewer points. A play here or a play there, and the Mustangs could easily have six or seven wins and eyeing the various bowl scenarios.
Instead, they're trying to play spoiler, hoping to deliver a blow to UH's bowl expectations. The Cougars enter Saturday's game with a 5-4 record (3-3 in C-USA) and are looking for that vital sixth victory that will make them bowl eligible.
"This has been a long process," said SMU coach Phil Bennett. "We went a stretch there where for four weeks in a row it came down to the last play of the game, and we only won one of them. I think we're a team that's vastly improved, and I think that we're a team that on any given day is capable of beating anybody."
Problem is, they haven't been able to find that magic on most days.
After a 28-23 season-opening loss to Baylor, the Mustangs handed TCU its only loss of the season (21-10). But after blowout losses to Texas A&M (66-8) and Tulane (31-10), the Mustangs endured a ridiculous four-game stretch that included:
•A 16-13 overtime loss at Marshall on Oct. 1, blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.
•A 28-27 victory at UAB on Oct. 8 that came on a 31-yard pass from Jared Romo to Bobby Chase as time expired.
•A 24-17 loss to East Carolina on Oct. 15 that was sealed when Romo threw the last of his three fourth-quarter interceptions with 11 seconds left at the ECU 21-yard line.
•A 20-13 loss at Tulsa on Oct. 22 that was iced when a bomb from Romo was intercepted with 1:16 remaining.
A rested group
After a week off, SMU rebounded to spank Rice 27-7, and with another week off before Saturday's game, Owls coach Ken Hatfield thinks UH had better be prepared for a tough game.
"I'll tell you what, Houston had better strap it on and be ready because SMU had two weeks to get ready for us and they've also had two weeks to get ready for Houston," Hatfield said. "And at this time of year, it makes a big difference to get that extra week, both in freshness and also in game preparation.
"You're not going to change much at this time of year. You're going to do what you do best anyway, so the extra week of preparation is mighty big, I know that. I thought those guys played extremely hard the whole ballgame. They were well-prepared and had a good plan. With the extra week, I wouldn't sell anybody short this time of year."
Houston coach Art Briles is fully aware of how the Mustangs' season could have gone differently, but that goes for just about every other team in the conference — including UH.
Margin thin
The Cougars saved victories at Tulsa (30-23) and against Southern Miss (27-24) by forcing last-minute turnovers, but lost close games at UTEP (44-41 in double overtime) and UCF (31-29). A play here and a play there and the Cougars could be 7-2 right now — or 3-6 — so Briles is not about to judge SMU by its record.
Not with talented players such as running back DeMyron Martin (642 yards, six touchdowns), Chase (501 receiving yards, three TDs), return specialist Jessie Henderson (28.24 yards per kickoff return, 10th in the nation) and linebacker Alvin Nnabuife (44 tackles, two interceptions), a Missouri City native.
"They're right on the edge of really having a great year," Briles said of the Mustangs. "Four of their losses have been by a touchdown or less, but that's really pretty common with how the league has gone this year when you think about it. There are a lot of teams whose records could be a lot better or a lot worse, depending on which side of that coin you're on.
"But we have a lot of respect for them because I think they've done a good job of building a solid program there. Those guys are playing hard, and any time you play hard you have a chance, and that's kind of been our theme this year. We're going to go out, play hard and hope good things happen."
[email protected]
By MICHAEL MURPHY
Copyright 2005 Houston Chronicle
A play here. A play there.
And ...
That has been the mantra at the University of Houston during past seasons (and it's even been thrown around a bit the past few weeks), but when this season comes to an end, it would be a good choice for the title of SMU's postseason video retrospective.
The Mustangs, who take a deceptive 3-6 record (2-4 in Conference USA) into Saturday's game against the Cougars at Robertson Stadium, have lost four games by seven or fewer points. A play here or a play there, and the Mustangs could easily have six or seven wins and eyeing the various bowl scenarios.
Instead, they're trying to play spoiler, hoping to deliver a blow to UH's bowl expectations. The Cougars enter Saturday's game with a 5-4 record (3-3 in C-USA) and are looking for that vital sixth victory that will make them bowl eligible.
"This has been a long process," said SMU coach Phil Bennett. "We went a stretch there where for four weeks in a row it came down to the last play of the game, and we only won one of them. I think we're a team that's vastly improved, and I think that we're a team that on any given day is capable of beating anybody."
Problem is, they haven't been able to find that magic on most days.
After a 28-23 season-opening loss to Baylor, the Mustangs handed TCU its only loss of the season (21-10). But after blowout losses to Texas A&M (66-8) and Tulane (31-10), the Mustangs endured a ridiculous four-game stretch that included:
•A 16-13 overtime loss at Marshall on Oct. 1, blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.
•A 28-27 victory at UAB on Oct. 8 that came on a 31-yard pass from Jared Romo to Bobby Chase as time expired.
•A 24-17 loss to East Carolina on Oct. 15 that was sealed when Romo threw the last of his three fourth-quarter interceptions with 11 seconds left at the ECU 21-yard line.
•A 20-13 loss at Tulsa on Oct. 22 that was iced when a bomb from Romo was intercepted with 1:16 remaining.
A rested group
After a week off, SMU rebounded to spank Rice 27-7, and with another week off before Saturday's game, Owls coach Ken Hatfield thinks UH had better be prepared for a tough game.
"I'll tell you what, Houston had better strap it on and be ready because SMU had two weeks to get ready for us and they've also had two weeks to get ready for Houston," Hatfield said. "And at this time of year, it makes a big difference to get that extra week, both in freshness and also in game preparation.
"You're not going to change much at this time of year. You're going to do what you do best anyway, so the extra week of preparation is mighty big, I know that. I thought those guys played extremely hard the whole ballgame. They were well-prepared and had a good plan. With the extra week, I wouldn't sell anybody short this time of year."
Houston coach Art Briles is fully aware of how the Mustangs' season could have gone differently, but that goes for just about every other team in the conference — including UH.
Margin thin
The Cougars saved victories at Tulsa (30-23) and against Southern Miss (27-24) by forcing last-minute turnovers, but lost close games at UTEP (44-41 in double overtime) and UCF (31-29). A play here and a play there and the Cougars could be 7-2 right now — or 3-6 — so Briles is not about to judge SMU by its record.
Not with talented players such as running back DeMyron Martin (642 yards, six touchdowns), Chase (501 receiving yards, three TDs), return specialist Jessie Henderson (28.24 yards per kickoff return, 10th in the nation) and linebacker Alvin Nnabuife (44 tackles, two interceptions), a Missouri City native.
"They're right on the edge of really having a great year," Briles said of the Mustangs. "Four of their losses have been by a touchdown or less, but that's really pretty common with how the league has gone this year when you think about it. There are a lot of teams whose records could be a lot better or a lot worse, depending on which side of that coin you're on.
"But we have a lot of respect for them because I think they've done a good job of building a solid program there. Those guys are playing hard, and any time you play hard you have a chance, and that's kind of been our theme this year. We're going to go out, play hard and hope good things happen."
[email protected]
