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No. 19 SMU going for 1st 7-0 start since '82 against Temple
Temple (5-1, 2-0 AAC) at No. 19 SMU (6-0, 2-0), Saturday at 3:30 p.m. EDT (ESPN2).
Line: SMU by 7 1/2.
Series record: Temple leads 2-1-2.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
SMU is trying to go 7-0 for the first time since 1982, the Pony Express days with Eric Dickerson and Craig James when the Mustangs finished 11-0-1. Temple will try for the second week in a row to knock off an undefeated and ranked conference rival, after beating then-No. 23 Memphis 30-28 last week. The Owls have won their last five American Athletic Conference games.
KEY MATCHUP
Shane Buechele and SMU's high-scoring offense against Temple's defense. The Owls have allowed only 19 points a game, the most being the 28 by Memphis last week. The Mustangs are sixth nationally with 44.2 points a game. They have scored more than 40 points in their last five games, after scoring 37 in their opener.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Temple: WR Branden Mack is coming off his third game this season, and second in a row, with nine catches for more than 100 yards. Mack had nine catches for 125 yards and a touchdown against Memphis.
SMU: RB Xavier Jones is third in the AAC with 107.7 yards rushing per game, and his 12 TDs are tied for the league lead. He's had at least 100 yards rushing in four of the last five games.
FACTS & FIGURES
Buechele is the AAC's top passer at 277.5 yards per game, throwing to two of the league's best receivers. James Proche leads the AAC with 7.5 catches per game, and his third in the league with 88.2 yards receiving per game, just behind teammate Reggie Roberson Jr. at 90.8 yards per game. ... Temple will travel almost 1,500 miles from Philadelphia to Dallas, the longest road trip for any SMU opponent this season. ... In their last trip to Dallas in 2015, the Owls — then led by current Baylor coach Matt Rhule — got a school-record 94-yard TD run on their second offensive play and went on to a 60-40 win. ... Temple won the last meeting by 25 in 2016.
