?DALLAS -- Ben Hicks threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score and SMU stunned No. 11 Houston 38-16 Saturday night for its first win over a ranked team in five years.
The Cougars (6-2, 3-2 American) lost for the second time after a 5-0 start that included a season-opening win over then-No. 3 Oklahoma that vaulted Houston into the Top 10.
The last time the Mustangs (3-4, 1-2) 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.
Greg Ward Jr. couldn't shake a persistent SMU pass rush or find receivers for big plays, finishing with 241 yards passing -- almost 100 below his average -- and just 3 yards rushing on 17 carries thanks to seven sacks.
One of the sacks was for an 18-yard loss to the Houston 22 when coach Tom Herman went for it on fourth down trailing 28-14 early in the fourth quarter.
Herman got conservative moments later, choosing a 19-yard field goal attempt on fourth down from the SMU 2. Ty Cummings hit the right upright for his second miss.
Hicks was 16 of 31 for 228 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown to a wide-open James Proche for a 28-7 lead in the final seconds of the first half. SMU appeared content to run out the clock before a 40-yard run by Braeden West, who had 115 yards rushing and a punctuating touchdown late.
The Cougars lost two fumbles in the first quarter and never got their high-powered offense going. Houston was outgained 406-303.
SMU defensive end Jarvis Pruitt recovered one of the fumbles and had three sacks in the Mustangs' first win over a ranked team since beating No. 20 TCU 40-33 in overtime in 2011.
THE TAKEAWAY
Houston: Convincing wins over Florida State in the Peach Bowl and the Sooners in this year's opener have lost some luster.
SMU: Second-year coach Chad Morris has his first signature win, and a good chance to build on it. The Mustangs faded in the second half after strong early efforts against two other high-scoring Texas teams, Baylor and TCU. They finished the job this time.
UP NEXT
Houston: The Cougars start a stretch of three straight home games against UCF next Saturday. That stretch ends against No. 7 Louisville.
SMU: The Mustangs visit Tulane next Saturday before a home game against Memphis, which just lost its first conference game against Navy.