The Compass Bowl Preview pits SMU against the Pittsburgh, and SportsOptions.com offers up a brief look at the players, team stats and some unique trends.
SMU vs. PITTSBURGH (-4, 47) – Compass Bowl – Legion Field – Birmingham, AL
SMU(7-5 SU/4-8 ATS) finished the 2011 regular season 7-5, winning at least seven games for the third straight season, the first time since doing so five straight seasons from 1980-84. SMU will be without leading rusher Zach Line, who underwent season-ending toe surgery Nov. 17. The junior had 1,224 yards and 17 touchdowns, two shy of matching Eric Dickerson’s single-season school record set in 1981. Line is the fifth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. Even when Line was healthy, the Mustangs struggled for consistency in the second half of the season. They lost four of their final six games, averaging 8.5 points in those defeats. They’ll try to wrap up this season with their second bowl victory in three seasons with help from freshmen Rishaad Wimbley and Jared Williams. Wimbley had only 14 carries for 48 yards all season before rushing for 115 and two touchdowns on 20 attempts in a regular season-ending 27-24 win over Rice on Nov. 26. Williams gained 80 yards – giving him 150 this season – and also scored his first TD. Mustangs receivers Darius Johnson and Cole Beasley are both closing in on 1,000-yard campaigns. Johnson has a team-leading 998 yards on 72 receptions, while Beasley has caught a team-best 79 passes for 954 yards. Senior QB J.J. McDermott replaced former starter Kyle Padron during the season opener and never relinquished the job. McDermott has 3,182 yards and 16 touchdowns but also was intercepted 16 times.
Pittsburgh’s 6-6 SU/7-5 ATS) chances of reaching a bowl game for the fourth straight year seemed remote after the Panthers endured a 1-4 skid into mid-October, but they won three of their final five games to become eligible. The two losses were by a combined four points and came to Big East co-champions Cincinnati and West Virginia. Pitt finished strong despite losing one of the nation’s leading rushers, junior Ray Graham, to a season-ending knee injury during a win over Connecticut on Oct. 26. Graham had 958 yards in eight games. Senior Zach Brown, a transfer from Wisconsin, and freshman Issac Bennett combined for 422 yards over the final four games. Brown should play in the bowl game after missing the season finale, a 33-20 win over against Syracuse on Dec. 3, because of a bruised sternum. Head coach Todd Graham resigned to take the job at Arizona State. With Graham gone, the job has fallen to defensive coordinator Keith Patterson, Pitt’s fifth full-time/interim coach in 13 months. SMU Head Coach June Jones will be seeking his 100th career coaching victory in the game, as his career record stands at 99-69. He has led SMU to the 2009 Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and the 2010 Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. Prior to SMU, Jones coached nine seasons at Hawaii, leading the Warriors to a BCS berth in 2007 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Prior to heading to Hawaii, Jones had a 12-year coaching career in the NFL, including head coaching stops at Atlanta and San Diego. Jones was thought to be headed to Arizona State to take over for the fired Dennis Erickson, but the deal fell through.
Pittsburgh will be playing in their ninth bowl since 2000 (12 seasons) and fourth consecutive since 2008. Pitt defeated Kentucky in last season’s BBVA Compass Bowl, 27-10. The Panthers are 12-15 all-time in bowl games. SMU is 11-23 ATS as a dog between +3½ and +10 points, while Pitt is 10-2 ATS against winning teams. Panthers are a team to avoid with the departure of their coach.
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