DALLAS -- Ben Hicks threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score as SMU stunned No. 11 Houston 38-16 Saturday night for its first victory over a ranked team in five years.
The Cougars (6-2, 3-2 American Athletic) lost for the second time after a 5-0 start, which included a season-opening victory over then-No. 3 Oklahoma.
The last time the Mustangs (3-4, 1-2) beat a team ranked 11th or higher, they were No. 4 and finishing off a near-perfect 1982 season (11-0-1) with a 7-3 victory over sixth-ranked Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl. SMU tied No. 7 Texas A&M in 1994.
Greg Ward Jr. couldn't shake a persistent SMU pass rush or find receivers for big plays, finishing with 241 yards passing -- almost 100 below his average -- and just 3 yards rushing on 17 carries thanks to 7 sacks.
One of the sacks was for an 18-yard loss to the Houston 22 when Coach Tom Herman went for it on fourth down trailing 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Herman got conservative moments later, choosing a 19-yard field goal attempt on fourth down from the SMU 2. Ty Cummings hit the right upright for his second miss.
Hicks was 16 of 31 for 228 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown to a wide-open James Proche for a 28-7 lead in the final seconds of the first half. SMU appeared content to run out the clock before a 40-yard run by Braeden West, who had 115 yards rushing and a punctuating touchdown late.
In other games involving the American Athletic Conference, Will Worth rushed for a career-high 201 yards and 3 touchdowns as No. 24 Navy (5-1, 4-0) ran over Memphis (5-2, 2-1) 42-28 for its 14th consecutive home victory. ... Gunner Kiel made his first start of the season and led Cincinnati (4-3, 1-3) to its first conference victory, 31-19, over visiting East Carolina (2-5, 0-3). ... McKenzie Milton threw for a season-high 317 yards and three touchdowns to lead Central Florida (4-3, 2-1) to a 24-16 victory over Connecticut (3-5, 1-4) in East Hartford, Conn. ... Dane Evans threw three touchdown passes for host Tulsa (5-2, 2-1) in a 50-27 victory over Tulane (3-4, 0-3).
Sports on 10/23/2016