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Football Wins Comeback Thriller, 44-38, Over SMU
Oct. 18, 2008
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Dallas, Texas -- The University of Houston football team won a thrilling come-from-behind victory Saturday night over the SMU Mustangs, 44-38, at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas. The Cougars trailed the Mustangs by 12 points entering the fourth quarter but overcame the deficit to win the game with less than a minute left when sophomore quarterback Case Keenum connected with freshman Tyron Carrier on a 26-yard touchdown pass to take the lead, 42-38. A pass from Keenum to senior Mark Hafner on a successful two-point try, gave Houston its final margin of victory. Senior wide receiver Mark Hafner set a career-high with 160-yards receiving, while sophomore quarterback Case Keenum threw for a career-high 404 yards, marking the second 400-yard passing game of his career. Houston's comeback began on their second possession of the fourth quarter. Keenum ran in a touchdown from nine yards out, cutting the Mustangs lead to 35-30. SMU responded on its next drive with a 23-yard field goal but it would be the Mustangs only points of the fourth quarter. With 2:34 left on the clock, freshman running back Bryce Beall scored on a one-yard run to cut the Mustangs lead to two, 38-26. With a chance to tie the game, Houston's second two-point conversion of the night fell short on an incomplete pass. UH would then take the lead for the first time in the game on Carrier's touchdown pass with 0:24 left on the clock. With the win, Houston improves to 4-3 on the season. Houston has also started 3-0 in conference play for the first time in C-USA history and just seventh time in program history. Houston's last 3-0 start in conference play came in 1990 as a member of the Southwest Conference. The Mustangs wasted little time putting their mark on the scoreboard, scoring on a 17-yard touchdown pass on their first possession of the game. SMU followed that up with a 4-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, after Houston fumbled a punt on their 11-yard line. Houston scored its first touchdown of the night on a 29-yard pass from sophomore Case Keenum to freshman wide receiver Patrick Edwards in the second quarter. The drive was highlighted by a 28-yard pass play from Keenum to Beall. A 10-yard touchdown pass by the Mustangs, on the next drive, put them ahead 21-7 in the second quarter. Beall pulled the Cougars within one touchdown, after scoring on a 5-yard touchdown run in the final three minutes of the second quarter. Houston would head into the locker room at halftime trailing, 21-14. The Cougars opened the third quarter with a 23-yard field goal from redshirt junior kicker Ben Bell. A 43-yard pass during the drive from Keenum to Edwards set up the field goal. Freshman quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell of SMU connected with Alrick Robinson on a 9-yard touchdown pass to extend their lead, 28-17, with 4:17 left in the third quarter. Houston responded on the next drive when Beall scored from three yards out to cut the lead, 28-23. Houston's two-point conversion after the touchdown failed. SMU's Mitchell and Robinson connected again on a 70-yard touchdown pass to end the third quarter.
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