Who’s Playing
No. 19 SMU @ Houston
Current Records: SMU 7-0; Houston 6-1
What to Know
The Houston Cougars and the SMU Mustangs will face off in an American Athletic clash at 7 p.m. ET Oct. 30 at TDECU Stadium. Houston is out to keep their three-game home win streak alive.
It may have taken overtime to finish the job, but the Cougars ultimately got the result they were hoping for last week with a 31-24 win over the East Carolina Pirates. The team ran away with 24 points in the first half and mostly just sat on those in the second to pick up the victory. No one had a standout game offensively for Houston, but they got scores from WR Nathaniel Dell, TE Christian Trahan, and RB Alton McCaskill.
Meanwhile, SMU made easy work of the Tulane Green Wave last Thursday and carried off a 55-26 win. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 31-7. Nobody on SMU really separated themselves from the pack offensively, but they got scores from WR Reggie Roberson Jr. and RB Brandon Epton Jr..
This next matchup is expected to be close, with Houston going off at just a 1-point favorite. Those burned by picking them against the spread last week might want to keep in mind that the squad has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
The wins brought the Cougars up to 6-1 and the Mustangs to 7-0. A pair of numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: Houston is stumbling into the game with the 193rd most thrown interceptions in the nation, having thrown six on the season. SMU has experienced some struggles of their own as they are 211th worst in the nation in thrown interceptions, having thrown seven on the season. It’s possible one of these Achilles’ heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Saturday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: TDECU Stadium — Houston, Texas
- TV: ESPN2
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
Odds
The Cougars are a slight 1-point favorite against the Mustangs, according to the latest college football odds.
Over/Under: -106
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Series History
SMU have won three out of their last five games against Houston.
- Oct 24, 2019 – SMU 34 vs. Houston 31
- Nov 03, 2018 – SMU 45 vs. Houston 31
- Oct 07, 2017 – Houston 35 vs. SMU 22
- Oct 22, 2016 – SMU 38 vs. Houston 16
- Oct 08, 2015 – Houston 49 vs. SMU 28
