By Zach Walker
Game Info
SMU Mustangs vs Connecticut Huskies
Saturday – December 6 – 11:00 am
TV: CBS Sports Network
Rentschler Field – East Hartford
Records before the game:
SMU Mustangs: 0-11 (0-7 in AAC)
Connecticut Huskies: 2-9 (1-6 in AAC)
Two players for both teams, to watch:
SMU Mustangs:
QB Matt Davis – I don’t know what happened to the player we all watched against Tulsa, but he hasn’t been the same deadly weapon since. Davis was very good through the air against USF, but wasn’t as dangerous on the ground. For this last game, there must be a balance in Davis’ effectiveness. This is the last flash that Davis can show before a new coach will come in and see if he fits his new system, so make it a good showing.
LB Stephon Sanders – This is Stephon Sanders’ last game as a Mustang, and he’s had a phenomenal career. For him and the senior class to go winless would be a damn shame. There’s a lot of leadership departing from the Mustangs, with Sanders, Kevin Pope, Beau Barnes, and Hayden Greenbauer leaving. I really hope that they command the Mustangs to a victory and though it won’t mean much, a win would go a long way for these men going forward.
Connecticut Huskies:
WR Deshon Foxx – The Huskies do not have a ton of explosive players on offense, but when Deshon Foxx gets his hands on the football it’s almost a guaranteed first down. Foxx has 30 receptions for 384 yards and has the longest touchdown on offense this season for the Huskies, an 88 yard score during the Huskies game against East Carolina. In the Huskies last victory against UCF Foxx had only three catches for 14 yards, but ran the ball 11 times for 102 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. Foxx is a five foot ten fireball that will need to be contained if the Mustangs are going to win.
QB Tim Boyle – Chandler Whitmer has gotten significant time this season as the starter, but the last two games Tim Boyle has been taking the snaps. Boyle has underwhelmed in his two major appearances, throwing way south of 60 percent completions for the two games, and in the case of the Memphis game, a flat 50 percent and genuinely ineffective. Boyle isn’t a scrambler, he’s a pocket guy, and with it all on the line for the final game, he might need to develop some dancing shoes because I expect the Mustangs to blitz all game long.
What will it take for the Mustangs to win?
These two teams are so unbelievably similar that special things are bound to happen in this game. The Huskies have just had those key bounces go their way. The Mustangs are playing for pride and looking to avoid joining the 2003, 1960, and 1913 SMU Mustangs as “Imperfect” seasons, and have no reason to go out any other way than their way.
Prediction: SMU 24 – UConn 20
“Just Win Baby.” – Al Davis
