So far, the SMU Mustangs have managed to hang in there against the No. 11 Houston Cougars, but the Mustangs still trail 13-0 at halftime.
It's a minor miracle that the Mustangs trail only by 13, as the Cougars have out-gained SMU 260-93 in total yards. SMU's defense, to their credit, managed to hold the Cougars to a pair of field goals, before Michael Hayes rattled off a 36 yard touchdown run with less than a minute to play in the first half, giving Houston a 13-0 lead.
Houston quarterback Case Keenam has been accurate thus far, completing 16-of-23 passes for 166 yards without throwing a touchdown or interception. Houston has been effecting on the ground, rushing 22 times for 94 yards. Conversely, SMU has been awful on the ground, mustering only 11 yards on 12 carries.
The Mustangs are going to need to get their offense going, and quickly, in the second half if they're going to seriously threaten Houston for a major upset. SMU is a mere 1-of-6 on third down conversions, compared to Houston's 50% rate (5-of-10).