Photo Courtesy: Mike Carnes
Brought to you by: Big Shucks
By Zach Walker
Game Info
Connecticut Huskies vs SMU Mustangs
Saturday – September 30 – 3:00 p.m.
TV: ESPNN
Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas – TX
Records before the game
SMU Mustangs: 3-1 (0-0 in AAC)
Connecticut Huskies: 1-2 (0-1 in AAC)
Who’s got the advantage?
When SMU has the ball: Ben Hicks must get his game corrected, because this is getting old. Hicks has been horribly inaccurate. Frustratingly inaccurate for stretches during games and he’s got to do something to change as the American conference schedule opens up. Hicks hones in on Courtland Sutton for spots and will just attempt to throw through heavy coverage and traffic to try and get his major playmaker the ball. Spread the love, kid. James Proche, Trey Quinn, Myron Gailliard need to become weaponized in the offense, and even still, Ben Hicks needs to be smarter. He hooked up with Proche against Arkansas State for a pair of scores, but it needs to ride. The Mustangs got a solid boost from their running game versus Arkansas State, to the tune of 314 yards from the three primary backs, Jones, Freeman, and Braeden West. UConn’s Junior Joseph had 14 tackles in his attempt to keep his Huskies in the fight against ECU, and will be the man in the middle trying to take the legs off of the SMU offense and force the game through the air.
When UConn has the ball: The Huskies played their tails off to attempt to take back the win from East Carolina. The Huskies quarterback, Bryant Shirreffs, pitched an aggressive gem. Throwing for four hundred yards, but really showcasing his two weapons that SMU will have to be worried about for Saturday. Arkeel Newsome had eight catches for 170 yards and a score. Mason Donaldson had six catches for just over a hundred yards and a pair of scores. The Mustangs need to contain the running game as best they can. Kevin Mensah had a one hundred yard rushing day versus ECU, and the Mustangs need to keep the freshman back in front of them, but Arkeel Newsome is also coming out of the backfield, so the Safeties Mikial Onu and Rodney Clemons need to be ready to attack. The Mustangs’ front on defense of Justin Lawler and Kyran Mitchell need to get Shirreffs off of the spot and really uncomfortable.
What will it take for the Mustangs to win?
Hicks needs to open conference play with a competent game, an efficient game for the Mustangs to pull away from the Huskies.
Prediction
SMU 35 – UConn 34
It’ll take a late score for the Mustangs to win.
