SMU lost yesterday and took a closer step to Hawai'i — or possibly missing a bowl altogether.

The June Jones-coached Mustangs dropped a 34-31 Conference USA decision to Marshall in Huntington, W.Va., making the Thundering Herd bowl eligible and clouding the bowl picture for Conference USA teams.

SMU (6-5, 5-2) fell into a first-place tie in the West Division with No. 24 Houston with one game remaining. Houston holds the tiebreaker after beating SMU, 38-15, earlier this season. SMU hosts Tulane and Houston hosts Rice Saturday.

"If SMU wins next week, they would be a likely candidate to receive a bowl bid," said David Matlin, Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl executive director. "We would be very interested in having June Jones and the Mustangs in the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl and we will be watching all the Conference USA games next week with great anticipation."

If SMU loses and finishes with a 6-6 record, it could be in jeopardy of making a bowl. Because if there are other seven-win Conference USA teams, bowls are obligated to take the seven-win team over the six-win team. Conference USA could have as many as five teams beside SMU to have seven wins.

The Conference USA overall winner usually goes to the Liberty Bowl. However, the Liberty Bowl is not obligated to pick the champion.

Meanwhile, the University of Hawai'i (5-6) remained in contention for a Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl berth. But the Warriors will have to beat Navy and nationally-ranked Wisconsin in their final two games.