Gamble pays off as SMU coach Sonny Dykes earns first win | AAC football notes

Sonny Dykes won't forget anytime soon his first career win at SMU. After the Mustangs scored in overtime to get to within 30-29 of Navy, Dykes decided to go for the win and the two-point conversion, which turned to be a prudent move.

"We were little banged up defensively. That style of offense is built to be efficient in the red zone, because it doesn't change most of the time," Dykes said during Monday's AAC media call.

That style is Navy's triple-option attack, which features the run on virtually every play.

"When you run the ball the way Navy runs, and how efficient they are with four downs to run, you are at a significant disadvantage with that style of play" in overtime, Dykes said.

Dykes added that he also felt his defense was wearing down and that several players had suffered ankle injuries during the game.

So he decided to go for two points and was rewarded when Ben Hicks found tight end Hunter Thedford in the end zone.

After the catch, the officials gathered to review the play and make sure that SMU didn't line up in an illegal formation. The delay lasted about five minutes, but the play stood, and Mustangs had a victory after beginning the season with three losses.

What's interesting is that Hicks, a three-year starter, didn't see any action in regulation, with true freshman Will Brown earning the start.

The loss was a big blow for Navy, which had moved into the driver's seat in the AAC West with an earlier win over defending division champion Memphis. Navy should still contend with the likes of Memphis and Houston. On Oct. 13, Temple will travel to Navy.

Temple remained seventh in the weekly AAC power ratings compiled by writers covering the teams. The biggest jump was made by SMU after its win over Navy. The Mustangs have moved from 11th to No. 8. Here is the updated ratings:

1. Central Florida (3-0, 1-0 AAC), 2. South Florida (4-0, 1-0), 3. Houston (3-1, 0-0), 4. Cincinnati (4-0, 0-0), 5. Memphis (3-1, 0-1), 6. Navy (2-2, 1-1), 7. Temple (2-2, 1-0), 8. SMU (1-3, 1-0), 9. East Carolina (1-2, 0-1), 10. Tulane (1-3, 0-0), 11. Tulsa (1-3, 0-1), 12. UConn (1-3, 0-1).

As if UConn isn't struggling enough, the schedule hasn't been kind to the Huskies. Saturday, UConn (1-3) will host Cincinnati in an AAC game.

It will be the fifth straight game in which UConn has played an unbeaten team. The Huskies opened the season against Central Florida, which has won 16 in a row. The other undefeated opponents have been Boise State, Rhode Island and Syracuse. UConn's one win is over FCS program Rhode Island, which was 2-0 entering that game.

UCF, Syracuse, and Cincinnati are a combined 11-0.

The AAC has three of the top five teams in the nation in total offense. Houston is second, averaging 608.5 yards per game, with Memphis fourth (593) and Central Florida fifth (587.7).

Houston, led by quarterback D'Eriq King, is the only team in the nation with at least 550 yards of offense in every game this season. King is averaging 299.2 passing yards and has thrown 15 TD passes.