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SMU Mustangs (4-4, 3-1 C-USA) versus Rice Owls (0-8, 0-4 C-USA)
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SMU hosts Rice Saturday (SMU)
When: Saturday, November 7, 2 p.m. (CST)
Where: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000)
Television: TWC Metro Sports
Radio: The Ticket – 1310 AM
Series: SMU leads 45-40-1
Line: SMU -18/57
There’s no place like home and there’s no better time to play a game than homecoming.
The SMU Mustangs, who have played homecoming games at Houston and Tulsa the last two weeks, will host the Rice Owls in their own homecoming game Saturday at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The Mustangs have won five of their last nine homecoming games.
SMU leads the series 45-40-1, but Rice has won the last three games and six of the last seven. But the Owls have been grounded so far this season – losing all eight of their games – so it’s time for the “All Grit, No Quit” Mustangs to exact some revenge.
The Mayors' Cup is a recent addition to the SMU-Rice rivalry. The traveling trophy is awarded to the winner of each year’s football game. The award was initiated in 1998 when Ron Kirk was mayor of Dallas and Lee Brown was the Houston mayor.
SMU, 4-4, is tied with Houston for first place in the Conference-USA West standings with a 3-1 record. The Mustangs are trying to post their first winning record since 1997. They have not played in a bowl game in 25 years.
SMU has outscored opponents 31-27 at home while Rice has scored an average of 18 points while allowing 47 on the road this season.
Bo Levi Mitchell, who started at quarterback in SMU’s first seven games, suffered a separated shoulder against Houston and is questionable for the Rice game. He completed 56% of his passes for 1,725 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Kyle Padron, who led the Mustangs to a 27-13 upset over Tulsa in his first collegiate start last week, will probably start against Rice. The freshman from Southlake Carroll completed 20 of 31 passes for 354 yards and turned a pair of broken plays into touchdowns. The 6-4, 210-pounder scrambled away from the rush to complete a 49-yard touchdown pass to Cole Beasley and a short pass to Shawnbrey McNeal that turned into a 36-yard score. McNeal’s 639 yards rushing through seven games is 142 more than SMU gained as a team in 2008.
Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders is the Mustangs’ career leader in receptions with 251 and receiving yards with 3,159. His 29 touchdown receptions rank him No. 1 at SMU and among active NCAA players. Sanders also ranks third in the nation with a 17.8 punt return average.
Although starting left tackle Kelvin Beachum missed some practice this week, Coach June Jones said he expects him to play against Rice. Jones added that second-stringers like Blake McJunkin, who will play most of Saturday’s game while center Mitch Enright nurses an ankle injury, have performed well.
SMU’s defense is ranked third with 15 interceptions and ninth in the nation with 22 turnovers. Senior linebacker Chase Kennemer has recorded six 10-plus tackle games and ranks 12th nationally with 10.6 per game.
Rice was 10-3, including a victory in the Texas Bowl, with a veteran team in 2008. The Owls are young this season, however, with 18 players making their collegiate debuts.
Last year, Chase Clement threw six touchdown passes – three to Jarett Dillard – as Rice defeated SMU 56-27. Clement was 24-of-37 for 258 yards as the Owls overcame an early 13-point deficit. Dillard caught 21-, nine- and eight-yard touchdown passes. Mitchell completed 25 of 43 passes for 244 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Aldrick Robinson and Bradley Haynes on 26- and 19-yard touchdown passes as the Mustangs took a 13-0 lead in the first 13 minutes. Mitchell hit Emmanuel Sanders with a 22-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the second half to give SMU a 28-20 lead, but threw an interception Andrew Sendejo returned 55 yards for a touchdown as Rice scored three times in 97 seconds to take control of the game.
Saturday’s homecoming game should be much different … a 38-20 SMU victory perhaps..jpg)
SMU's 'All Grit, No Quit' Mustangs head out of the tunnel (Photo courtesy of SMU Athletics)
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