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No. 11 Houston rolls over SMU

Nov 20, 2011 - 1:39 AM Houston, TX (Sports Network) - Case Keenum threw for 318 yards with a touchdown and added a few more NCAA records to his name as 11th-ranked Houston took a 37-7 victory over SMU.

Keenum went 30-of-45 through the air to give him 1,426 career completions, surpassing Graham Harrell of Texas Tech's previous record of 1,403.

He also tied two more NCAA records, both held by Hawaii's Timmy Chang, with his 36th career 300-yard passing game and his third 4,000-yard passing season.

Keenum was already the NCAA's career leader in passing yardage (17,855), total offense (18,771), touchdown passes (145) and touchdowns accounted for (168).

Michael Hayes totaled 146 yards with a score and Justin Johnson caught nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown for Houston (11-0, 7-0 C-USA), which set a school record with its 11th win of the season.

J.J. McDermott completed 23-of-40 passes for 239 yards with a touchdown and an interception for the Mustangs (6-5, 4-3 C-USA), who have lost four of their last five games.

"It's frustrating for the kids and the coaches, but you do everything you can do and let the chips fall where they will," SMU head coach June Jones said about the loss.

Houston opened the game with an 18-play drive that lasted almost six minutes down to the SMU 11, but had to settle for a 28-yard field goal by Matt Hogan.

The Cougars later took over on offense at their own 20 after a punt. Keenum found Johnson for a 38-yard gain down the right sideline on the first play of the drive and then hit Tyron Carrier for a 20-yard strike before Hogan's 21- yard field goal made it a 6-0 game less than a minute into the second quarter.

James Richardson took the ensuing kickoff 54 yards up the middle down to the Houston 46 and a Matt Stone five-yard rush on a fake punt kept the drive alive. But Mike Loftus missed a 35-yard field goal wide right to keep the Mustangs off the board.

Houston started a drive at its own 38 with 2 1/2 minutes left in the half after the teams traded punts, and Hayes capped a seven-play march with a 36- yard touchdown run to make it 13-0 at the break.

After recording just 93 yards in the first half, SMU took the opening touch of the second half 74 yards down the field to the Houston seven, but McDermott was intercepted at the goal line by Phillip Steward.

Hayes' 66-yard gain on a screen pass then moved Houston inside the SMU five, but the Cougars again failed to push the ball into the end zone and Hogan split the uprights from 22 yards out.

A McDermott fumble on SMU's next possession was recovered by Houston near midfield and Johnson's 12-yard TD grab on 4th-and-1 stretched Houston's lead to 23-0.

The Mustangs were finally able to get on the board on their ensuing drive when McDermott found Darius Johnson for an eight-yard score to finalize an 18-play drive.

Keenum's 16-yard touchdown run and Cotton Turner's 43-yard TD pass to Gino Collins finalized the scoring.

Game Notes

SMU's leading rusher Zach Line sat out the game with a toe injury...Houston has now scored at least 35 points in 11 straight games...Houston holds a 17-9-1 lead in the all-time series...Houston outgained SMU 513-263.