SMU vs Houston NCAA Football Picks & Predictions 10/24/2019

Thursday, October 24, 2019

TDECU Stadium

TDECU Stadium is the venue where Clayton Tune and the Houston Cougars will play the SMU Mustangs on Thursday. The odds on this matchup have SMU as 13-point favorites. The Mustangs are 6-1-0 ATS and 7-0-0 when betting on the total. The Cougars are 3-3-1 when wagering on the over/under and 3-4-0 against the spread.

In their last game, the SMU Mustangs played the Temple Owls and earned the victory by a score of 45-21. Leading the way at QB for the Mustangs was Shane Buechele who went 30/53 with 457 yards through the air and tossed 6 touchdowns. He gave away 1 pick during the game. Xavier Jones paced the team on the ground during the game. His longest run of the day went for 19 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He ran for a total of 105 yards via 29 carries which means he ran for an average of 3.6 yards per run. Reggie Roberson Jr. led the team in receiving yardage by earning 250 yards on 8 receptions. He notched an average of 31.3 yards per reception during the game. The Mustangs ran the ball a total of 55 times and added 198 yards giving them an average of 3.6 yards per rush. In the game, they ran 109 plays for a total of 655 yards. For the contest, the Mustangs had a total of 34 first downs and they had a total of 5 penalties for 45 yards which tells us their heads weren't always in the game. On the defensive side of the ball, SMU allowed 21 completions on 36 throws for a total of 204 yards, and a completion percentage of 58.3%. Overall, they gave up 273 yards and forced 1 turnover. In the running game, the Mustangs allowed 69 yards on 33 attempts which gave them an average of 2.1 yards per carry allowed.

The Mustangs step onto the field holding a record of 7-0 for this season. They are one of the most potent offenses in the country with an average of 44.3 points per contest, putting them 6th in the country. As a team, they are averaging 205.7 yards on the ground per contest which is 5th in the AAC. For total yardage, they are currently ranked 2nd in the AAC and 7th in the country with 3,648 yards. The Mustangs have one of the average defenses in college football, giving up 27.3 points per game which has them at 8th in the AAC. In regard to yards rushing, SMU is allowing 118.6 yards per contest ranking them 2nd in the American Athletic Conference and 32nd in D-1. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 3.5 yards per carry ranking them 3rd in the conference and 33rd in college football overall. In total, they have allowed 830 rushing yards through 7 contests. When it comes to yards through the air, the Mustangs have conceded 2,208 yards. Teams are completing 56.9% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 6.3 yards per try.

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In their last game, the Houston Cougars played the Connecticut Huskies and ended up getting the win by a score of 24-17. Leading the way at QB for the Cougars was Logan Holgorsen who went 7/15 with 123 yards through the air and threw 1 TD. He ended the game without an interception. Kyle Porter paced the team in rushing for the game. His longest run of the day went for 18 yards and he added 1 touchdown for the contest. He ran for a total of 68 yards on 18 carries which means he ran for an average of 3.8 yards per run. Jeremy Singleton led the team in receiving yardage by earning 103 yards on 2 catches. He earned an average of 51.5 yards per catch for the game. The Cougars ran the football 34 times and earned a total of 108 yards which gave them an average of 3.2 yards per rush. On the day, they ran 52 plays which gave them a total of 286 yards. Overall, the Cougars had a total of 16 first downs and they totaled 2 penalties for 11 yards which is telling in terms of how disciplined they are. In terms of defense, Houston gave up 27 catches on 44 throws totaling 270 yards, and a completion percentage of 61.4%. On the ground, the Cougars gave up 168 yards on 31 attempts which gave them an average of 5.4 yards per carry allowed. For the game, they allowed 438 yards and earned 1 turnover.

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The Cougars step onto the field holding a record of 3-4. Houston has shown the nation they have a formidable rushing attack by averaging 223.4 rushing yards per game, putting them 22nd in the country. As a unit, they have compiled a total of 1,564 yards rushing through 7 contests, so they'll look to continue their dominance on the ground to grind out wins. The Cougars average 395.4 yards per contest overall which has them at 75th in Division 1 and 7th in the conference. The Cougars are allowing 30.7 points per contest ranking them 10th in the American Athletic Conference and 94th in the nation. Their pass defense is one of the middle of the road units in college football. They are conceding 299.9 passing yards per game. For passing yards allowed per game, the Cougars currently sit at 12th in the American Athletic Conference. When talking about points allowed, they have given up 215 total points. In discussing yards rushing, they are giving up 170.4 yards per contest ranking them 81st in college football and 8th in the American Athletic Conference. For the 2019 season, they have conceded a total of 1,193 rushing yards and 9.1 rushing TDs.

Who will win tonight's Mustangs/Cougars college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Mustangs -13

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