FACTS & STATS: Site: Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000) -- Dallas, Texas. Television: None. Home Record: Houston 2-0, SMU 1-2. Away Record: Houston 1-2, SMU 0-4. Neutral Record: Houston 0-1, SMU 0-0. Conference Record: Houston 2-0, SMU 0-4. Series Record: Houston leads, 13-9-1.

GAME NOTES: Two of the nation's top-ranked passing offenses meet in a Conference USA clash at Ford Stadium in Dallas, as the Houston Cougars visit the SMU Mustangs. Houston trailed UAB at the half last Thursday, 20-3, before the Cougars reeled off 42 unanswered points. It was more or less a microcosm of UH's season. Since starting out 1-3, Houston has opened its conference schedule with two straight wins, thanks in large part to a dominant passing game. Meanwhile, the Mustangs are finding new ways to lose. SMU's only win this season came against FCS foe Texas State, as the Mustangs have now lost 16 straight to FBS schools. They are also trying to snap a 13-game conference losing streak. Houston owns a 13-9-1 edge over SMU in the head-to-head series.

Houston enters this contest with the nation's second-best passing attack, and the fourth-best offense overall. It all starts with quarterback Case Keenum, who is completing 68 percent of his passes and averaging 381 yards per game. Keenum has thrown 21 touchdowns, with only five interceptions. He has a trio of targets in Mark Hafner, Tyron Carrier and Patrick Edwards who, after only six games, have combined for 121 catches, 1,313 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Cougars pulled off a school-record 17-point comeback with a huge second half against UAB, as they racked up 375 yards after halftime. Carrier (seven catches) finished with 108 receiving yards and a touchdown, while Bryce Beall ran for 107 yards on 12 carries.

Defensively, Houston has had its fair share of struggles stopping the run. On the season, the Cougars are being dissected for 197 rushing yards per game. It was looking like more of the same after the first half against UAB, a one-win team nonetheless. By halftime, the Blazers had piled up 277 yards and the Cougars looked deflated. But the UH defense came out of the locker room and made a stand, which led to a UAB fumble on the punt attempt. Four plays later, Houston found the end zone, grabbed the momentum, and held the Blazers off the scoreboard the rest of the way. Of course, it will be interesting to see which Houston defense shows up in the first quarter of this bout.

The Mustangs' passing game ranks 11th nationally in the first year under coach June Jones and his run-and-shoot. Wideouts Emmanuel Sanders and Aldrick Robinson are second and third in the nation in receiving yards, respectively. Sanders has gone over 100 yards in six of his last eight games, while Robinson has caught eight touchdown passes in seven games. But, at 1-6, the Mustangs aren't without their problems. Trailing by six in the final minute of last week's bout with Tulsa, SMU's Cole Beasley dropped what could have been a game-winning touchdown pass in the end zone. On fourth-and-2 of the same drive, quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell barely missed Sanders, and the Mustangs did not get another chance. Such missed opportunities have summed up SMU's season to this point.

While the offense has had its struggles, it's the defense that bears most of the blame for the Mustangs' 1-6 record. This unit ranks dead last in the FBS in total defense (497 ypg), while giving up 41 points per game. Consequently, the offense has spent virtually the entire season trying to play catch up. That's not exactly a formula for success. Last week against the Golden Hurricane, the Mustangs allowed the tying and go-ahead touchdowns in a one- minute span in the fourth quarter. The first of those scores came on an 18- play, 88-yard drive, while the second came just three plays after Mitchell was intercepted deep in SMU territory. Will Bonilla paced the Mustangs with 11 tackles, and Bryan McCann tallied two interceptions.

Until SMU finds a way to stop opposing offenses, it's going to be a long season in Dallas. Look for another big game from Keenum and company.