NCAA Football Preview (BYU-SMU)
Posted: Sat September 27, 1997 at 6:45 a.m EDT
BYU (1-1) at SMU (1-2) 3:00 pm EDT
Using a tight win over Arizona State to return to the rankings,
Brigham Young takes on Southern Methodist at the
Cotton Bowl in the Western Athletic Conference opener for both
Mountain Division schools.
BYU (1-1) scored a 13-10 victory at Arizona State and forged
back into the top 25. The Cougars were beaten at home, 42-20,
by Washington in their opener, dropping out of the poll from
16th.
Brigham Young turned to sophomore Kevin Feterik at quarterback
and he was 17-of-30 for 328 yards. Ben Cahoon, whose wife
delivered him a daughter five days earlier, delivered BYU 219
yards on eight catches and Brian McKenzie added 112 yards and a
touchdown on 23 carries. Cahoon has 325 yards and one TD on 14
catches this season.
Though Feterik did not start the Washington game, he relieved
Paul Shoemaker. Overall, the left-hander is 30-of-50 for 544
yards and two touchdowns without an interception.
This is the third-ever meeting between the new conference foes,
with Brigham Young winning both previous matchups. The first
meeting produced one of college football's most memorable games,
the 1980 Holiday Bowl.
Behind the "Pony Express" backfield of Eric Dickerson and Craig
James, the Mustangs built a 45-25 lead through the first 56
minutes. But BYU's Jim McMahon helped the Cougars stage a
furious rally that culminated when tight end Clay Brown somehow
pulled down a 41-yard scoring pass in a swarm of defenders on
the final play for a miraculous 46-45 victory. With completely
different offensive philosophies, SMU ran for 393 yards and BYU
passed for 446.
BYU's offense has not changed much, but SMU's has. The Mustangs
(1-2) can still run the ball, as evidenced by Donte Womack's 425
yards on 86 carries with two touchdowns, but they can throw it
as well. The combination of Ramon Flanigan and Chris Sanders is
a combined 37-of-65 for 429 yards and four touchdowns with four
interceptions.
Rafiq Cooper has 13 catches for 126 yards and one score, while
Jack Brewer has eight receptions for 155 yards and two scores.
SMU started its season with a 23-15 loss at Mississippi and
rebounded to beat Arkansas, 31-9, in Shreveport, Louisiana. But
the Mustangs came apart last week in a 46-16 loss to Navy in
their home opener. Last year, SMU was a 31-3 road loser to
Brigham Young.
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