Writer - Ryan Musich
HOUSTON, Texas---Coming off of a quick road trip to the Northeastto Connecticut, your the Houston Cougars comeback return home to TDECU Stadium for a brief battle against American Athletic Cconference foe and in-state rival, tThe SMU Southern Methodist University Mustangs. The Coogs Cougars are looking to improve to upon their 34-1 record on the season and are also looking to stay perfect in American Conferenceconference play. Houston is coming off of a 20-13 victory over the tough grind it out kind of win this past weekend against aand scrappy University of Temple Owls teams 20-13. This game will live at 6 pm on CBSSN on October 7 2017
SMU comes into TDECU Stadium after blowing out the UCONN University of Connecticut Huskies last week at home, 49-28. in front of their home in Fort Worth. SMU qQuarterback Ben Hicks had another marvelous game through the air as Hicks he threw for 280 yards and four4 touchdowns. Two of hisHicks touchdown passess were to Wide Receiverwide receiever Trey Quinn and the other two touchdown passess were to primary wWide rReceiver Courtland Sutton. The Houston’s secondary will really have faces a very difficult test in thee SMU offense and if they cannotto find a way to shut down Sutton and Quinn, it’ll be a long day for the or else it will be a long day for the Cougars defense. Whether or notWhat will be key for Houston is if shutdown cCornerback Alex Myres is able to get back onto the field as he will greatly improve the defense.
SMU was also able to get their three-headed monster of rRunning bBacks going last week against Connecticut. Running bBacks Braeden West, Xavier Jones, and Ke’Mon Freeman really wore down the Huskies defense and reallywhich helped open up the air attack for the Mustangs. This back-field combination may be able to do damage this week if Houston All-American dDefensive lLineman Ed Oliver is unable to play, as heOliver was injured in last weekend’s game and did not return. There hasn’t really beenhasn’t been any word from the Houston’s coaching staff this week about the status of Oliver, other than that he’s day-to-day.
Quarterback Kyle Postma will start under center for Houston this week for the second time this season, as former starter Kyle Allen was benched during the Texas Tech game and has not seen the field since. Postma is the definition of a true dual-threat quarterback and gives Houston head cCoach Major Applewhite the opportunity to open up another half of the playbook that he never reallydid not haved the chance to do with Allen.
If Houston wants to have a chance against the Mustangs this week, they’ll need to establish their running game. The Houston rRunning Back duo ofs Dillon Birden and Duke Catalon have not yet had a game this season where one of them have eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a game this season. This which has caused the Coogs Houston offense to be one dimensional and predictable at times.
If the Texas Tech game a couple weeks ago was not a test to see how this Houston team stacks up against teams with explosive offenses, this game sure will be. Especially with it being a conference game. If d Oliver happens tdoeso not play Saturday, Houston will be in trouble. This SMU team will put up points in a hurry and I just do not envision Major Applewhite’s team being able to keep up. Ben Hicks and the SMUis passing attack will have a field day away from Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the road and this will be another tough day for the Cougar’s running game. SMU runs away and hides in this one by a score of 52-21.
SMU comes into TDECU Stadium after blowing out the UCONN University of Connecticut Huskies last week at home, 49-28. in front of their home in Fort Worth. SMU qQuarterback Ben Hicks had another marvelous game through the air as Hicks he threw for 280 yards and four4 touchdowns. Two of hisHicks touchdown passess were to Wide Receiverwide receiever Trey Quinn and the other two touchdown passess were to primary wWide rReceiver Courtland Sutton. The Houston’s secondary will really have faces a very difficult test in thee SMU offense and if they cannotto find a way to shut down Sutton and Quinn, it’ll be a long day for the or else it will be a long day for the Cougars defense. Whether or notWhat will be key for Houston is if shutdown cCornerback Alex Myres is able to get back onto the field as he will greatly improve the defense.
SMU was also able to get their three-headed monster of rRunning bBacks going last week against Connecticut. Running bBacks Braeden West, Xavier Jones, and Ke’Mon Freeman really wore down the Huskies defense and reallywhich helped open up the air attack for the Mustangs. This back-field combination may be able to do damage this week if Houston All-American dDefensive lLineman Ed Oliver is unable to play, as heOliver was injured in last weekend’s game and did not return. There hasn’t really beenhasn’t been any word from the Houston’s coaching staff this week about the status of Oliver, other than that he’s day-to-day.
Quarterback Kyle Postma will start under center for Houston this week for the second time this season, as former starter Kyle Allen was benched during the Texas Tech game and has not seen the field since. Postma is the definition of a true dual-threat quarterback and gives Houston head cCoach Major Applewhite the opportunity to open up another half of the playbook that he never reallydid not haved the chance to do with Allen.
If Houston wants to have a chance against the Mustangs this week, they’ll need to establish their running game. The Houston rRunning Back duo ofs Dillon Birden and Duke Catalon have not yet had a game this season where one of them have eclipsed the 100-yard mark in a game this season. This which has caused the Coogs Houston offense to be one dimensional and predictable at times.
If the Texas Tech game a couple weeks ago was not a test to see how this Houston team stacks up against teams with explosive offenses, this game sure will be. Especially with it being a conference game. If d Oliver happens tdoeso not play Saturday, Houston will be in trouble. This SMU team will put up points in a hurry and I just do not envision Major Applewhite’s team being able to keep up. Ben Hicks and the SMUis passing attack will have a field day away from Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the road and this will be another tough day for the Cougar’s running game. SMU runs away and hides in this one by a score of 52-21.