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It wasn't always pretty, but UH did finally conform the SMU Mustangs to their will. With that mind, here are the five things that come to mind as the game comes to an end.
1.) The defense needed to have a big second half tonight:
And they did. The Coogs gave up more than 300 offensive yards in the first half. In fact, SMU was leading for a lot of the half. If it wasn't for the Mustang turnovers, UH would have been in some trouble heading into the locker room. UH only gave up 45 total yards in the third quarter.
2.) Kenneth Farrow continues to shine:
There's a reason I've been so high on the senior all year. Farrow is an absolute bruiser. He only had 40 yards on 13 carries tonight, but that included three touchdowns. He is the middle runner for the Cougars.
3.) SMU, Trust the process:
Chad Morris is going to get this thing figured out in Dallas. Matt Davis threw for more than 250 yards and had three touchdowns on the night. More surprising, is the rushing yards that the Mustangs put up in the first half. Houston made up for it with a lot of pressure and sacks in the second half, but a very good start from SMU.
4.)Tom Herman starts his UH career at 5-0:
Granted, he had a ton to work with when he got to Houston, but he has made Greg Ward an even better passer than he was a year ago. To see Ward's development from last year to now...Great.
5.) Steven Taylor have a night!:
The junior linebacker had eight tackles, including three sacks, and a forced fumble for Houston. SMU came into the night having given up 21 sacks on the year, and the Cougars used that in the second half. Taylor continually brought pressure that kept Davis running for his life. Houston, as a team, finished the game with five sacks for 45 yards.