Conference USA Update

Houston and SMU continue their lopsided rivalry--Cougars have won six straight--tonight and the question may be whether anyone on a busy Thursday sports night tunes into this promising match-up.  Although we have yet to see the results on the field the Mustangs have gradually closed the talent gap on Houston and will look to derail the road team's hopes of hanging with Tulsa in the West standings.  The key to the game just might be a player who was injured for last year's game, big RB Zach Line of SMU, who must help his offense move the chains and keep the explosive Houston offense off the field.  To pull off the win, a win that could jump-start a second half surge to a bowl bid, Mustangs QB Garrett Gilbert must stop throwing picks (11 on the year including at least one in every game).  Not sure he can do that.  Meanwhile, QB Dave Piland has already attempted 309 passes for Houston including a whopping 77 in a loss to Louisiana Tech.  Piland has already reached the 2,000y mark (2,084y) for the season as the Coogs continue to air it out under new coach Tony Levine. The pressure will be on an injury-riddled SMU secondary.