SMU @ TCU preview
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2014 ) Texas Christian 56, Southern Methodist 0
Third-ranked TCU will continue to piece together a defense when it hosts SMU on Saturday after scrambling to fill openings during the season's first two weeks. Coach Gary Patterson told the media Wednesday that starting defensive tackle Davion Pierson would miss his third straight game after giving Pierson's return from an undisclosed injury a chance Monday.
Safety Kenny Iloka's knee injury last week adds to a growing list of missing defensive starters that includes linebacker Sammy Douglas (season-ending knee injury), linebacker Mike Freeze (left team for personal reasons), end James McFarland (toe surgery this week) and end Mike Tuaua (missed game for undisclosed reason). Patterson praised new linebackers Montrel Wilson and Travin Howard and hoped Pierson's experience would help the defense. "Getting some pieces to the puzzle back would help, and we need to have some young guys keep growing up," Patterson told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday. "It's like playing poker: when you have a good hand, it's easier." Young talent has helped SMU's new-look offense score 52 points in its first two games, more than the Mustangs scored in their first seven games (49) last year.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN. LINE: TCU -37.5.
ABOUT SMU (1-1): Redshirt freshman Courtland Sutton leads the team with 147 receiving yards and three touchdowns while freshmen Xavier Jones and Braeden West have combined for 194 rushing yards and a score. Quarterback Matt Davis, who has three straight 100-yard rushing games, has a team-high 240 rushing yards to go with 337 passing yards and four touchdowns. The Mustangs allowed 723 total yards in a 56-21 loss to Baylor to open the season but forced four turnovers and held North Texas to 240 yards in last week's win.
ABOUT TCU (2-0): Trevone Boykin, who has a touchdown pass in a nation's best 17 straight games, leads the high-powered offense with 531 passing yards and five touchdowns in addition to 98 rushing yards. Josh Doctson has a team-best 12 catches for 155 yards and a touchdown and needs one more score to join Cory Rodgers and Mike Renfro (17) for second place on the career list. Wilson and Howard, both converted safeties, each had nine tackles in their debuts at linebacker last week while the Horned Frogs are allowing 12 points and 254 yards.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Horned Frogs own the nation's longest active streak with a takeaway in 27 straight games.
2. TCU K Jaden Oberkrom is the nation's active leader with 61 career field goals and needs five more to break Nick Browne's school record.
3. SMU is ranked third nationally in time of possession (36:51) and 14th in third-down conversions (53.3 percent).
PREDICTION: TCU 55, SMU 17