DALLAS -- Fans chanted S-M-U when the Mustangs, three-touchdown underdogs against No. 11 Houston, took a lead that big in the f

Posted in IYH Forums by jokergreen0220 at 06:25, Feb 29 2020

DALLAS -- Fans chanted S-M-U when the Mustangs, three-touchdown underdogs against No. 11 Houston, took a lead that big in the first half.They were chanting again in the final moments of a 38-16 victory Saturday, one of the biggest for a program thats been mostly moribund in three decades since getting shut down by crippling sanctions under the NCAAs so-called death penalty.It means everything, said redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Hicks, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score. We just needed one. Weve been saying it all along. Now we got that one, and now we have to flip the script and get ready for Tulane.But let coach Chad Morris and his gang enjoy this one for maybe a day at least. Morris, a Dallas native, took the job after the program collapsed following several promising seasons under June Jones.The laid-back former NFL coach took the Mustangs to their first bowl game since the programs shutdown -- and they went to four in a row.But a losing season in 2013 was followed by an embarrassing start in 2014, and Jones abruptly quit two games into the season. With a season-ending win at Connecticut in 2014, SMU avoided a second winless season since 2003. It was the seventh one-win campaign, though, since 1990.Morris debut last season was as rough as Jones in 2008, but the Mustangs showed promise early this year by staying with high-scoring Texas teams Baylor and TCU before fading in the second half of both games.There was no fade against the Cougars in SMUs fourth win in 20 tries against Houston since returning from the death penalty. The first game was a 95-21 loss.The last time the Mustangs (3-4, 1-2 American) beat a team ranked 11th or higher, they were No. 4 and finishing off a near-perfect 1982 season (11-0-1) with a 7-3 victory over sixth-ranked Pittsburgh in the Cotton Bowl. SMU tied No. 7 Texas A&M in 1994.After the game, to see our student body and our former players and some of the alumni out there, I dont know how long I stayed out there taking pictures with them, Morris said. But the `Thank yous. `Coach, we thank you. Weve been waiting on something like this, to give us life back in this program. They were so close a few years ago and it went down from there.The Mustangs lost senior quarterback Matt Davis to a season-ending knee injury, and Hicks threw nine interceptions in his first four starts. Now he has 486 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions the past two games. The first game was a 43-40 overtime loss to Tulsa two weeks ago.When we came off the field against Tulsa that was as hurt of a locker room as Ive ever been part of, Morris said. For two weeks weve had to respond. And I shared with them that if we could all respond the right way, great things were coming.Great things came quickly.---More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org <a href="http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Blake-Martinez-Packers-Jersey/">Blake Martinez Super Bowl Jersey</a>.Y. - Free agent outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, fresh off winning the World Series with Boston, reached agreement with the rival New York Yankees on a seven-year contract worth about $153 million, a person familiar with the negotiations said Tuesday night. <a href="http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Reggie-White-Packers-Jersey/">Reggie White Super Bowl Jersey</a>. - The Oakland Raiders re-signed offensive lineman Khalif Barnes on Friday. <a href="http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Kevin-King-Packers-Jersey/">http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Kevin-King-Packers-Jersey/</a>.C. -- Calgarys Kevin Koe did it the hard way again. <a href="http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Adrian-Amos-Packers-Jersey/">Adrian Amos Super Bowl Jersey</a>. -- Edmontons Val Sweeting is two wins away from a trip to Winnipeg to play in Canadas Road of the Rings in December. <a href="http://www.shoptheofficialpackers.com/Elite-Bryan-Bulaga-Packers-Jersey/">Bryan Bulaga Super Bowl Jersey</a>. The head of USA Boxing came out swinging Tuesday with an open letter to Tyson -- a former Olympic hopeful himself -- that accuses the former heavyweight champion of trying to poach fighters who might be candidates for the U.Andy Murray improved his chances of making the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time in four years after a record-breaking contest against Kei Nishikori in London. Not since his debut in 2008, when the tournament was held in Shanghai, has the Scot won both of his opening two matches and his 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 6-4 victory over Nishikori will be enough for a first last-four appearance since 2012 as long as he beats Stan Wawrinka on Friday. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price This was the fourth meeting of the year between the pair, with Murray having won easily at the Olympics but enduring long five-set tussles with Nishikori in the Davis Cup and at the US Open, where he came out second best. And the Briton rose to the occasion once again, after his victory over Cilic, to defeat Japans finest in the longest ever match at the season-ending tournament, lasting three hours and 20 minutes.Shot of the matchMurray showed remarkable powers of recovery with a moment of pure genius to be in the right place at the right time to save a third set point in an opening set tiebreak with this attacking winner from the tightest of angles. It was reminiscent of his winning effort to win the Rome Masters earlier this year against Novak Djokovic. This was just about the best point in a dramatic tiebreak in which Murray had three set points and Nishikori had five Expert analysisSky Sports Peter Fleming: Hes the world No 1 and you dont get to that position without having incredible resolve and will and reserve of mental and emotional stamina. He is a great physical athlete, hits the ball beautifully and his backhand is incredible, but it was just his willingness to keep going and his willingness to butt heads with Nishikori.Mentally and emotionally, it might be more of a strain for him to recover than physically. Knowing what is at stake, I think it will be quite easy for him to get up for the rest of his matches here. Murray had to dig deep to beat Nishikori in what was the longest match in Tour Finals history The matchThere were no less than 17 breaks of serve during their US Open encounter but Nishikori, who could yet finish the year ranked No 3, failed to capitalise on those offered on a plate during an opening set lasting 85 minutes, including 40 unforced errors. Heres Murrays stunning cross-court winner on the run which left Nishikori at the net... After a slow-burner of an opening with both men failing to take opportunities to break, the first set tiebreak lit the blue touchpaper.Murray was forced to produce a remarkable reflex winner from an impossible angle to save a third seet point at 6-3.dddddddddddd But ultimately the Scot failed take any of his three opportunities created, while the 26-year-old broke Murrays resistance at the fifth time of asking to stun the home support. Nishikori needed a couple of smashes to eventually get past Murray after this exchange... That only inspired the 29-year-old, who started his fightback with an immediate response in the opening game of the next set. A re-energised Nishikori broke back in the eighth game, but Murray struck immediately back to send the match into a decider.Wimbledon and Olympic champion Murray took advantage of a lucky net cord in the third game to move ahead in the match and he quickly made it a double break advantage. Although Nishikori, who reached the 2014 semi-finals on his debut at the season finale, won the next three on the spin, it was the world No 1 who held his nerve to seal a famous win at the second time of asking. Heres the moment Murray closed out the match at the second time of asking... The victory made it 21 in a row for the Scot, who needs to match Djokovics performance this week to ensure he holds onto top spot until the end of the year.Check our game-by-game coverage from all group matches at the ATP World Tour Finals in London - including Andy Murray v Stan Wawrinka on Friday - on skysports.com/tennis, our app for mobile devices and iPad and our Twitter account @skysportstennis. Murray v Nishikori: Match Stats Murray Nishikori Aces 8 0 Double faults 6 4 1st serve points won 75% 72% 2nd serve points won 48% 40% Break points won 4/7 2/11 Unforced errors 39 49 Total points won 130/251 121/251 Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: WATCH: How good is Murray? As it happened... Murrays service syndrome over? That was pulsating tennis <a href="http://www.chinawholesalejerseysnfl.com/">Wholesale Jerseys</a> ' ' '