The 2022 Houston vs. SMU football game was a regular-season college football game between the Houston Cougars and the SMU Mustangs, played on November 5, 2022 at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas. The game holds the record for the most combined points scored in an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) regulation game with 140 total points, breaking the previous record (137 points, set in a 2016 game played between Syracuse and Pittsburgh) by three points.
This was the 37th meeting between the Cougars and Mustangs, with Houston leading the series 22âÂÂ13âÂÂ1. The last meeting between the teams was on October 30, 2021, with the Cougars winning 44âÂÂ37. In September 2021, it was announced that the Cougars accepted a bid to join the Big 12 Conference along with fellow American members Cincinnati and UCF. The schools had been under contract with The American through 2024, but reached an agreement that would allow them to join the Big 12 in 2023.
The Houston Cougars, led by fourth-year head coach Dana Holgorsen, entered the game with a record of 5âÂÂ3, 3âÂÂ1 in AAC play. The Cougars entered the season ranked no. 24 in the AP's pre-season poll, but dropped to no. 25 after a 37âÂÂ35 triple overtime victory over UTSA in week 1. The following week, Houston lost to Texas Tech 30âÂÂ33 in double overtime and dropped out of the rankings as a result. The Cougars would lose again the following week, 30âÂÂ48 to Kansas, before winning four of their next five, including a 33âÂÂ32 comeback victory over Memphis.
The SMU Mustangs, led by first-year head coach Rhett Lashlee, entered the game with a record of 4âÂÂ4, 2âÂÂ2 in AAC play. The Mustangs started the season 2âÂÂ0, but lost their next three games. SMU snapped its losing streak with a 40âÂÂ34 victory over rival Navy. The Mustangs lost their next game, 27âÂÂ29, to then no. 21 Cincinnati, then defeated Tulsa 45âÂÂ34 the following week.
The two teams combined for 1,352 yards of offense, with 907 passing yards while three Houston receivers finished the game with more than 100 receiving yards. SMU quarterback Tanner Mordecai threw for a school-record 9 touchdowns. Additionally, the Mustangs broke the school record for most points scored in a game, with the previous record being 72.
This was the last meeting between the Cougars and Mustangs as conference opponents. Houston departed for the Big 12 at the end of the 2022-23 academic year, and SMU joined the Atlantic Coast Conference on July 1, 2024.