SMU Hosts Houston For Senior Day On Saturday
Nov 24 | Football
Nov. 24, 2014
SETTING THE SCENE
| SMU (0-10, 0-6 American) vs. Houston (6-4, 4-2 American) | |
| Date & Kick Time | Friday, Nov. 28 at 11 a.m. |
| Live Stats | SMU Gametracker |
| Location | Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000) - Dallas, Texas |
| TV | CBS Sports Network | Channel Finder |
| Radio | KTCK 1310 AM/96.7 FM |
| Game Info | SMU Game Notes (.pdf) | Houston Game Notes (.pdf) |
| /SMUMustangs | /SMUFootball | |
| @SMUMustangs | @SMU_Football | @TomMason20 | |
SETTING THE SCENE
• The SMU Mustangs host Houston on Senior Day on Friday at 11 a.m. SMU will honor seniors Beau Barnes, John Bordano, Hayden Greenbauer, Chris Hipps, Jordan Miller, Stephen Nelson, Cameron Nwosu, Kevin Pope, Cody Rademacher, Gareth Riley-Ayers, Stephon Sanders, Ben Sellers, Der'rikk Thompson and Darian Wright in a pregame ceremony.
• Sophomore Matt Davis has started the last three games at quarterback for the Mustangs. Davis made the most of his first start, throwing for 212 yards and one touchdown while adding 181 rushing yards with two scores. The 181 rushing yards were the most by a quarterback in SMU history. For his effort, Davis was named to the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll on Nov. 10.
• SMU has made four bowl game appearances in the last five seasons, winning the 2009 and 2012 Sheraton Hawaii Bowls as well as the 2012 BBVA Compass Bowl (after the 2011 season). SMU also won 35 games from 2009-13, ranking as the eighth-most in any five-year span in program history. SMU also won two Conference USA Western Division co-championships (2009 and 2010) and reached the C-USA Championship game in 2010.
• Senior linebacker Stephon Sanders was selected as a semifinalist for the 2014 William V. Campbell Trophy, the National Football Foundation announced on Sept. 25. The award is given annually to an individual deemed to be the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation, and up to 16 of the candidates will be named recipients of a prestigious NFF National Scholar-Athlete Award. He was also named to the Butkus Award Watch List (nation's top linebacker) on July 14. Sanders has totaled 60 tackles (including six for loss) so far this season.
• SMU wide receiver Darius Joseph had a career-high 13 catches for 100 yards at East Carolina on Oct. 4. Joseph caught the second-most passes in SMU history last season, recording 103 receptions (second on the team, 10th in the NCAA). Among returning players, Joseph ranks fourth in the NCAA in catches from 2013. Joseph was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List on July 15 and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List on Aug. 21.
• Senior linebacker/running back Kevin Pope has started at both running back and linebacker for the Mustangs this season. Pope also started on both sides last year, making 10 starts at linebacker and one at running back to close the season.
• SMU has used four different starting quarterbacks this season - sophomore Neal Burcham (Aug. 31-Sept. 6), redshirt freshman Kolney Cassel (Sept. 20), junior Garrett Krstich (Sept. 27-Oct. 25) and sophomore Matt Davis (Nov. 8-22).
THE SERIES
• SMU and Houston will be meeting for the 30th time, with Houston holding an 18-10-1 edge. SMU's last win came on Oct. 18, 2012, a game in which the Mustangs set a new single-game scoring record in the 72-42 victory. Four Mustangs scored defensive touchdowns in the contest, including current players Darrian Wright (interception), Stephon Sanders (interception) and Kevin Pope (fumble). Houston has won seven of the last eight meetings, including a 34-0 win at Houston last season. SMU's best stretch in the series came between the 1981-86 seasons, with the Mustangs winning five of six matchups.
ABOUT THE COUGARS
• Houston is 6-4 on the season and is bowl eligible after beating Tulsa 38-28 on Saturday. Houston has been led by its defense all season, allowing just 18.7 points per game on average. Houston is also allowing just 329.2 yards per game to its opponents.
THE COACHES
• Tom Mason was named SMU's Interim Head Coach on Sept. 8. Mason is in his seventh season as defensive coordinator on the Hilltop. Mason has played a large role in the significant football resurgence at SMU, with the program tallying 35 wins from 2009-13, the eighth-most in any five-year span in program history. Mason's defense helped lead SMU to back-to-back Conference USA Western Division Co-Championships in 2009 and 2010, and led the Mustangs to four straight bowl berths from 2009-12. Mason was also the interim head coach for 10 games at Boise State in 1996.
• Tony Levine is in his third season as the head coach at Houston. In his opening game at the helm of the Cougars, Levine led Houston to a 30-14 win over No. 22 Penn State in the 2012 TicketCity Bowl. Levine holds a 20-16 overall record. Levine has coached the Cougars in two bowl games - the 2012 TicketCity Bowl and the 2014 BBVA Compass Bowl. Levine is in his seventh season on the staff of Houston overall. Prior to Houston, Levine spent one season with the Carolina Panthers after being on the staff of Louisville from 2003-05.
DAVIS ON THE RUN
SMU sophomore quarterback Matt Davis made the most of his first career start at Tulsa (Nov. 8), passing for 212 yards and adding another 181 on the ground while totaling three touchdowns (one pass, two rush). The 181 rushing yards are the most by a quarterback in SMU history, beating the previous mark set by Ramon Flanigan in 1993 by 31 yards (148 versus Navy). The rushing total is also the 22nd highest rushing total by any Mustang, and his total offense (393 yards) is tied for 17th all-time. Davis leads the team in rushing with 353 yards.
SANDERS SETTING RECORDS
Sophomore receiver/kick returner Deion Sanders, Jr., totaled 203 kick return yards at UCF on Nov. 22, setting a new SMU single-game record in that category. Sanders' day was highlighted by a 64-yard return that put SMU in great field position, leading to a Matt Davis rushing touchdown. Sanders is also currently 10th on the single-season kickoff return yards chart at 649 yards on the year.
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