DALLAS – Junior quarterback Shane Buechele lost his job at Texas, but SMU - his new "employer" - is happy to have him as the Mustangs host North Texas on Saturday. Buechele helped SMU kick off the season with a 37-30 victory at Arkansas State - a win that Mustangs coach Sonny Dykes told reporters was "certainly a step. Anytime you win on the road, it's a step. That's a hard thing to do, especially as an underdog. I think it's a step. I think we've got to keep taking steps."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: SMU -3.5
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Buechele was 30-of-49 for 360 yards in his first game with SMU after going 30-of-44 for 273 yards last season with Texas, where he threw for 2,911 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions as a freshman in 2016. "When you look at Shane coming in here and being elected a captain, it's a bit unusual for somebody really who just joined your program (that recently) to come in and earn everybody's respect that quickly," Dykes said. "Probably his third year (at Texas) didn't end the way he thought it would in terms of losing his job, but he played incredibly well for them last year in the limited role." The Mean Green opened with a 51-31 victory over FCS member Abilene Christian behind senior quarterback and Heisman Trophy hopeful Mason Fine, who threw for 383 yards and four touchdowns. Fine is the two-time reigning Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year - the biggest reason why North Texas was voted to win the Conference USA West Division title in the preseason poll.
ABOUT NORTH TEXAS (1-0)
Fine threw 12 of his 27 touchdown passes last season to senior wide receiver Rico Bussey Jr., who recorded four receptions for 156 yards and a TD against Abilene Christian. It also appears Fine has a solid working relationship with Jason Pirtle as the junior tight end caught his first three career TD passes last week. Graduate student defensive back Nick Harvey, who previously played at South Carolina and Texas A&M, made 12 of his team-high 14 tackles in the first half against Abilene Christian.
ABOUT SMU (1-0)
Junior wide receiver Reggie Roberson Jr. formed an immediate bond with Buechele, setting career highs with 11 catches and 180 yards against Arkansas State. Senior running back Xavier Jones tied a career high with three touchdowns last week - his seventh game with multiple rushing scores. Senior defensive end Delontae Scott forced a fumble and recorded a sack among his four tackles for loss versus Arkansas State.
EXTRA POINTS
1. SMU collected an interception and two fumbles last week, extending its streak of recording a takeaway to 12 games.
2. Fine leads active FBS quarterbacks in passing yards with 9,800.
3. The Mustangs lead the series 31-6-1 but the Mean Green snapped a three-game slide to SMU with a 46-23 victory last season behind Fine's 444 passing yards and three touchdowns.
PREDICTION: SMU 38, North Texas 34