Washington State @ Southern Methodist preview
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 19, 2009 ) Southern Methodist 27, Washington State 30
Standing out among the double-digit losses in Washington State’s dismal 2009 season was a single victory Sept. 19 against Southern Methodist.
The Cougars’ only victory in 12 games came in overtime against the Mustangs in Pullman, Wash., a game SMU led by 17 points in the third quarter. The Mustangs also had a decisive advantage in most statistics, including total yards – 504 to 276.
The Mustangs (1-1) seem primed to avenge the loss when they host the Cougars on Saturday at Ford Stadium in Dallas. SMU has been installed as 22-point favorites - the most they have been favored by since reviving the program in 1989 after receiving the “death penalty” in 1987.
Washington State (1-1) earned a 23-22 come-from-behind victory Saturday over Montana State of the Football Championship Subdivision.
The Cougars seek their first road victory under third-year coach Paul Wulff (4-23), who has come under criticism after several non-competitive games.
If the Cougars are to win two in a row for the first time since September 2007, it’s a good bet the winning points will come from the foot of senior kicker Nico Grasu.
Grasu has been Mr. Clutch in the last three Cougars victories.
As a sophomore in 2008 against Washington, he kicked a 28-yard field goal as time expired, tying the score at 10. He then made both attempts in overtime in the Cougars’ 16-13 victory.
In last season’s 30-27 victory against SMU, Grasu made a 39-yard field goal in overtime.
Last week against Montana State, he made an 18-yard field goal with 2:13 remaining to lift the Cougars. Washington State’s comeback from a 15-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter was its largest in that situation since erasing a 21-point (42-21) deficit against Stanford on Oct. 20, 1984.
And in an odd quirk, SMU’s Matt Szymanski has the longest field goal of the season at 61 yards against Texas Tech and Grasu is second with a 56-yarder against Oklahoma State.
In another twist, SMU coach June Jones’ run-and-shoot offense has been mostly run.
The Mustangs ground out 247 yards, led by Zach Line’s game-high 122 yards and two touchdowns, in a 28-7 victory over Alabama-Birmingham. Line was recruited as a linebacker and is considered the blocking back in the Mustangs’ system. He has 194 yards, already surpassing his rushing total from 2009.
Look for SMU quarterback Kyle Padron to try to open up the offense and go to a fleet of receivers, led by Darius Johnson.
Washington State’s James Montgomery had 116 yards on 20 carries against Montana State, but that included a 70-yard run. The Cougars managed just 42 yards on their other 35 carries.
Mustangs senior defensive back Randy McKinnon tore his left ACL in Saturday’s game and will be lost for the season. McKinnon, a transfer from Syracuse, plans to apply for an injury redshirt to be able to play in 2011.