DALLAS (AP) _ Josh McCown threw for two touchdowns as Southern Methodist beat Rice 27-2 on Saturday, ending the Owls' five-game winning streak.

McCown was 18-of-25 for 197 yards as SMU (2-5 overall, 2-2 Western Athletic Conference) beat a WAC title for the second game in a row. The Mustangs beat Fresno State 24-14 two weeks ago.

Rice (5-4, 4-1), the WAC rushing leader at 274 yards per game, finished with 240, but 76 came on its final possession with the game out of reach.

McCown rolled to the right and threw back to the middle for a 12-yard TD to Damon Blueitt, capping a 12-play, 68-yard drive with 13:41 left in the second quarter.

Rice's only points came when a bad punt snap sailed over the head of SMU punter Colin Vadheim and out of the end zone for a safety with eight minutes left in the half.

SMU answered with a nine-play, 60-yard drive capped by a 1-yard pass from McCown to Jeff Pennington with 2:08 left in the half.

The Mustangs went up 20-2 with 13 seconds left in the third quarter when Rodnick Phillips powered off right tackle for a 2-yard touchdown. The touchdown capped a 12-play, 57-yard drive that Rice kept alive with a late-hit penalty on third-and-17.

About three minutes later, Luke Johnson blocked Travis Hale's punt and Roy Coats returned it 14 yards for a TD.

Rice had three drives over 40 yards, but but missed a 49-yard field goal, threw an interception and failed on fourth-and-1 at the SMU 2.