Can SMU clinch a Cotton Bowl Place?
SMU 43 Tulsa 37 (3 OT)
Going into the fourth quarter it looked like the curse of the newly ranked was going to strike, as SMU who entered the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1982 last week found themselves 30-9 down at home to divisional rivals Tulsa. They were well outplayed in the first half but when Tulsa missed a Field Goal attempt in the third quarter which would have made it 33-9, it seemed to give SMU a bit of a lift and they came storming back scoring three TD’s to tye it up; all of which involved covering at least 73 yards and they needed a fourth down conversion to keep each of these drives alive.
They went into OT with the momentum and duly saw it out, although Tulsa will look back on a couple more missed Field Goals which could have given them a badly needed win in their quest to get bowl eligible.
So now SMU who missed out on a bowl game last year after a final game loss to Tulsa may be setting their sites higher and winning out would almost certainly see them as the highest-ranked non- Power Five team, given that UCF now have two losses. With the other New Year Bowls having conference tie ins this season it will be a trip to the Cotton Bowl so they wouldn’t even have too far to travel.
Still, a long way to go but it would make a nice change seeing them there.
