SMU Mustangs football

The SMU Mustangs football program is a college football team that represents Southern Methodist University (more commonly "SMU"). The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) as a member of the American Athletic Conference (The American).

SMU Mustangs football
2020 SMU Mustangs football team
First season1915
Athletic directorRick Hart
Head coachSonny Dykes
4th season, 22–14 (.611)
StadiumGerald J. Ford Stadium
(Capacity: 32,000 +)
Year built2000
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationUniversity Park, Texas
NCAA divisionDivision I FBS
ConferenceThe American
DivisionWest
Past conferencesTIAA (1915–1917)
SWC (1918–1995)
WAC (1996–2004)
C-USA (2005–2012)
All-time record50455054 (.479)
Bowl record791 (.441)
Claimed national titles3 (1935, 1981, 1982)
Conference titles11 (SWC)
Division titles2 (C-USA West Division)
RivalriesTCU (rivalry)
North Texas (rivalry)
Navy (rivalry)
Rice (rivalry)
Heisman winners1
Consensus All-Americans16
Current uniform
ColorsRed and Blue[1]
         
Fight song"Peruna"
MascotPeruna
Marching bandThe Best Dressed Band in the Land
Websitesmumustangs.com

History

Early history (1915–1917)

In June 1915, Ray Morrison became SMU's football, baseball, basketball, and track coach, in addition to being a math instructor. The football team began as a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association, playing at Armstrong Field. The first game played by SMU's football team was a 13–2 victory over Hendrix College. After winning two games in a span of two seasons, Morrison left SMU for Fort Oglethorpe upon the United States’ entry into World War I.

During this time, the football team was known as "the Parsons", due to the large number of theology students on the team. On October 17, 1917, the name "Mustangs" was selected as the school's mascot. For the 1917 season, Morrison was replaced by J. Burton Rix, who led the Mustangs to a 3–2–3 record in their final season in the TIAA.

Joining the Southwest Conference (1918–1921)

The 1918 season was the first of many seasons for the SMU Mustangs as a member of the Southwest Conference, joining Baylor University, Rice University, the University of Texas, Texas A&M University, the University of Arkansas, and Oklahoma A&M University. The Mustangs’ first season in the conference ended with a 4–2 record. J. Burton Rix continued to coach the team until the 1921 season, in which he was replaced by W.A. Cunningham and Victor Kelly, his co-coaches that season, as the team went on to lose six games.

The return of Morrison (1922–1934)

Ray Morrison returned to SMU in 1922, co-coaching the team with former Vanderbilt teammate Ewing Y. Freeland. For the 1922 and 1923 seasons, Morrison focused on the backfield and ends, while Freeland focused on the linemen. The team became known as the "Aerial Circus" by sportswriters because of Morrison's passing offense. Morrison became known as "the father of the forward pass", due to the team's use of passing on first and second downs, instead of as a play of last resort. At the time, most teams utilized the forward pass five to six times in one game, while SMU did so between 30 and 40 times.

In the 1922 season, the Mustangs compiled a 6–3–1 record. Furthermore, end Gene Bedford and back Logan Stollenwerck were named first-team All-Southwest Conference, becoming the first SMU football players to receive that honor. Bedford was the first player to play in the National Football League, for the Rochester Jeffersons. In the 1923 season, the SMU Mustangs achieved a perfect 9–0 record, winning their first conference football title in school history. After this season, Freeland left the SMU football team, later becoming head coach for the Texas Technological College football team, leaving Morrison as the sole head coach for SMU. SMU played in their first bowl game in 1924, in the Dixie Classic against West Virginia Wesleyan College, but lost that game 7–9.

By 1926, the team began playing their home games at Ownby Stadium. In their first game at Ownby Stadium, the Mustangs defeated North Texas State Teachers College 42–0, led by quarterback Gerald Mann. The first Homecoming game was also played in 1926, resulting in a 14–13 victory over Texas Christian University.

The team continued to have winning seasons until the 1932 season. The Mustangs won their second conference title in 1926, compiling an 8–0–1 record, and a third conference title in 1931, compiling a 9–0–1 record. In 1928, guard Choc Sanders became SMU's first All-American, as well the first All-American from the Southwest Conference. In 1929, tackle Marion Hammon became SMU's second All-American. After a winning 1934 season, Morrison left SMU to take over the Vanderbilt Commodores football team after the retirement of Dan McGugin.

A national championship (1935–1941)

Morrison was replaced by Matty Bell in 1935. Known as a player's coach, Bell brought discipline to his team, and he spent time listening and talking to his players. In his first season, Bell led the Mustangs to a 12–1 record. During this season, the Mustangs were ranked number one in the nation. In order to play in the Rose Bowl against the Stanford Indians football team for the unofficial national championship, SMU faced off against the TCU Horned Frogs, who featured star quarterback Sammy Baugh.

The 1935 SMU-TCU football game is generally considered the greatest game in SMU history, as Bobby Wilson scored two touchdowns to give SMU a 14–0 lead before Baugh rallied the Horned Frogs to a 14–14 tie. Early in the fourth quarter, Bob Finley connected on a long pass to Wilson after the Mustangs faced a fourth down at the TCU 39. Wilson caught the ball at the five and rolled into the endzone as the Mustangs held on to win, 20–14, and earned a trip to the Rose Bowl. Winning their fourth conference title, the Mustangs lost the Rose Bowl to Stanford 0–7. Despite this, the 1935 SMU Mustangs were selected by the Dickinson System as national champions, their first football national championship in school history.

The Mustangs had three more winning seasons from 1936 to 1939. SMU failed to win the Southwest Conference title in 1940, despite having the same conference record as the Texas A&M Aggies. After a 5–5 season in 1941, Bell left SMU to serve in the United States Navy during World War II.

The war years (1942–1944)

With Bell in the Navy, Jimmy Stewart took his place as head coach. In his three seasons as head coach, Stewart compiled an overall record of 10–18–2. Bell returned as head coach for the 1945 season.

Doak Walker era (1945–1949)

Upon Bell's return as SMU's head coach, the team also gained the talent of halfback and placekicker Doak Walker. Walker won All-Southwest Conference honors his freshman year in 1945 and play in the East–West Shrine Game in San Francisco. Walker did not play for the 1946 season due to serving in the United States Army, yet re-enrolled at SMU and rejoined the football team for the 1947 season.

The Mustangs posted a 9–0–2 record in 1947, winning their sixth Southwest Conference title. In the same season, the team played against the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Cotton Bowl Classic, resulting in a 13–13 tie. Walker threw a 53-yard touchdown pass and scored on two-yard run in this game. Walker earned the Maxwell Award[2] during this season.

During the 1948 season, the Mustangs won their seventh conference title, posting a 9–1–1 record. The team played in the Cotton Bowl Classic once more, defeating the Oregon Webfoots, who were led by quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, 21–13, making it their first victory in a bowl game in school history. Doak Walker, winning All-American honors, also won the Heisman Trophy, the first Mustang to do so in school history. Additionally, the Mustangs permanently moved to the Cotton Bowl for their home games this season, after playing only limited numbers of games in that stadium in years previous. In their final game at Ownby Stadium, the Mustangs defeated Texas Tech 41–6. Due to Doak Walker's popularity and gate draw—also as an allusion to 1923 Yankee Stadium's ″House that Ruth Built″ moniker referring to that stadium's likewise excess of capacity—the Cotton Bowl became regionally known as "The House that Doak Built".[3]

The 1949 season was both Doak Walker's and coach Matty Bell's last as part of SMU's varsity football team and program. The team posted a 5–4–1 record. Walker won All-American honors a third time, the most for any football player in SMU's history. Bell continued to serve SMU as the athletic director, while Walker played in the NFL for the Detroit Lions. Over the course of his career at SMU, Walker rushed for 1,954 yards, passed for 1,638 yards, scored 288 points, punted for a 39.4 average and kicked field goals and extra points. He is also the Mustangs' all-time leader in punt return yards with 750—that was during an "era" of NCAA single-platoon substitution rules.[4] Bell left the head coaching position at SMU with a 79–40–8 record, including three Southwest Conference titles, a bowl game victory, and a national championship.

Russell, Woodard, and Meek eras (1950–1961)

Bell was replaced by Rusty Russell in 1950. Russell previously served as quarterbacks and running backs coach from 1945 to 1949, and is attributed to luring Doak Walker away from the University of Texas. In three seasons as head coach, Russell compiled a 13–15–2 record. After a strong first season, in which the Mustangs were ranked number one in the nation, the team suffered two losing seasons. Becoming increasingly under fire, Russell resigned as head coach after the 1952 season.

However, it did not stop SMU players from achieving certain honors throughout Russell's time as head coach; Kyle Rote, who filled Doak Walker's place on the team, led the Southwest Conference with 777 yards rushing in 1949, and was named an All-American following the 1950 season. Quarterback Fred Benners led the Mustangs to perhaps their greatest win of the decade when he completed 22 of 42 passes for 336 yards to beat Notre Dame, 27–20, in Notre Dame, Indiana on October 13, 1951. Benners connected on TD passes of 57, 37, 31 and four yards to four different receivers as the Mustangs beat the Fighting Irish in what was one of the highlights in a 3–6–1 season. Furthermore, Forrest Gregg became part of the team in 1952, and became a two-time All-Southwest Conference player by 1955, later moving on to the NFL. Moreover, David Powell became SMU's first Academic All-American winner in the 1952 season.

Woody Woodard took Russell's place as head coach in 1953. Woodard compiled a 19–20–1 record in his four seasons as head coach for SMU, resigning after two consecutive losing seasons. During the 1954 season, wide receiver Raymond Berry was elected as a co-captain, despite only catching 11 passes for 144 yards, winning All-Southwest Conference and Academic All-American honors, and later played in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts.

Woodard was replaced by Bill Meek in 1957, who was coming off of a Missouri Valley Conference title-winning season with the Houston Cougars football team. In five seasons with SMU, Meek compiled a 17–29–4 record. During Meek's time as head coach, quarterback Don Meredith earned All-American honors in 1958 and 1959, with his .610 career completion percentage being the best of any passer in SMU history, with a tremendous running ability increasing pressure on opposing defenses. The 1960 season, though, proved particularly bad for the Mustangs, as they went 0–9–1, with the only game decided by less than 10 points being a 0–0 tie with Texas A&M. After the 1961 season, Meek left SMU, replaced by Hayden Fry.

Hayden Fry era (1962–1972)

Hayden Fry became the eighth head coach in SMU's history in 1962. The 1963 season provided the SMU football program with one of its most memorable games when the Mustangs hosted fourth-ranked the Navy Midshipmen and its quarterback, Roger Staubach, on October 11, 1963, at the Cotton Bowl. On its way to a 4–7 season, SMU was given little chance to beat the Midshipmen. Little-known sophomore John Roderick rushed for 146 yards on 11 carries and scored on touchdown runs of 45 and two yards for the Mustangs. The SMU defense, led by Bob Oyler, Martin Cude, Bill Harlan, Harold Magers and Doug January, sent Staubach to the bench twice with a dislocated left shoulder. Trailing 28–26 with 2:52 remaining in the game, SMU had one last chance to pull off the upset. Quarterback Danny Thomas threw to Billy Gannon, who ran to the Navy 46. On the next play, Roderick took a pitchout 23 yards to the 23. After a pass interference penalty against Navy put the ball on the one-yard line, Gannon plowed over the right tackle for the winning touchdown with 2:05 left. The SMU defense held off Staubach's effort to rally his team for one last score, as the Mustangs pulled off the 32–28 upset. Despite a losing record in 1963, the Mustangs played in the Sun Bowl, their first since the 1948 season, against the Oregon Webfoots, losing 14–21.

When Fry took the job at SMU, he was promised that he would be allowed to recruit black athletes. Fry and the school wanted to make certain that the player they recruited was not only a good athlete but also a good student and citizen and someone with the mental toughness to be one of the first black players in conference history. Fry found that player in Jerry LeVias. LeVias was a great player, an exceptional student, and mentally tough. He had never had discipline problems and was deeply religious. LeVias was the perfect player for SMU. LeVias became the first black player signed to a football scholarship in the Southwest Conference. In 1966, LeVias made his debut, one week after John Hill Westbrook of Baylor became the first black player to play for a conference team. Fry received abuse for recruiting a black player to SMU in the form of hate mail and threatening phone calls, but he downplayed the treatment, because the harassment of LeVias was much, much worse.

During the 1966 season, Hayden Fry lifted SMU back to national prominence, when SMU was ranked ninth in the nation and won its first conference championship in 18 years, their seventh overall. Fry also won Conference Coach of the Year. SMU lost the Cotton Bowl Classic to the Georgia Bulldogs 9–24. John LaGrone, who earned conference honors from 1964–66, was the first Mustang player to be selected as both an All-American and Academic All-American when he was honored following the 1966 season.

During the 1968 season, combined with quarterback Chuck Hixson, Levias helped lead the Mustangs to a 28–27 win over Oklahoma in the 1968 Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl, giving SMU its first bowl victory since the 1949 Cotton Bowl Classic. SMU and Oklahoma combined to score 35 points in the fourth quarter. SMU stopped Oklahoma short of a potential game-winning two-point conversion with 1:16 left to play. LeVias was selected as an all-conference player as a senior for the third time.

Fry's Mustangs then had just a 12–20 record over the next three years from 1969–1971. That put Fry's job in jeopardy, and rumors started to swirl after the Mustangs started the 1972 season at 4–4. Not even a three-game winning streak could save Fry. After a 7–4 season in 1972, Fry was fired at SMU, which robbed the Mustangs of a bowl berth. In his 11 seasons at SMU, Fry compiled a 49–66–1 record.

Dave Smith era (1973–1975)

After Fry's departure, Dave Smith, a former assistant coach under Fry, took his place as head coach. Coming off of a 7–4 season with Oklahoma State, Smith had two consecutive 6–4–1 seasons with SMU, with his final season resulting in a 4–7 record. In three seasons with SMU, Smith compiled a 16–15–2 record. Smith was replaced by Ron Meyer in 1976.

A winning record (1976–1986)

Coach Ron Meyer came to SMU in 1976 after his success as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s (including a Super Bowl win) and a stint with UNLV. Coach Meyer was infamous for his recruiting tactics, including visits each year to the homes of 70 or more of the top recruits per year. His most notable recruits were future NFL running backs Eric Dickerson and Craig James before the 1979 season, as both their high school teams went 15–0 and won state championships. Combined with blue chip running back Charles Waggoner, the three backs were nicknamed the "Pony Express" running attack and shredded opposing defenses in the option offense led by quarterback Lance McIlhenny. In 1981, the Mustangs' performance earned them recognition by the National Championship Foundation as national champions. The final Associated Press poll ranked SMU No. 5, four spots behind AP national champion Clemson. The team was not ranked in the coaches' poll at all due to a rule forbidding teams on probation from consideration.[5]

Coach Meyer left to become the head coach of the New England Patriots in 1982, and SMU hired Coach Bobby Collins, then head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. Dickerson finished 3rd in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982, and the team claimed a share of its second consecutive national championship as the Helms Athletic Foundation recognized SMU as champion instead of consensus champion Penn State; the Mustangs did, however, finish second in both the AP and coaches' polls.[5]

SMU posted a 49–9–1 record from 1980 to 1984, which was the highest win percentage (.839) in Division I-A over that span.

"Death Penalty" and decades of rebuilding (1987–2007)

In 1987, SMU football became the first, and only, football program in collegiate athletic history to receive the "death penalty" for repeat violation of NCAA rules; that is, having a sports program fully terminated for a determined amount of time. SMU's football program was terminated for the 1987 season because the University was making approximately $61,000 in booster payments from 1985 to 1986. It later emerged that a slush fund had been used to pay players as early as the mid-1970s, and athletic officials had known about it as early as 1981.

SMU was eligible for the "death penalty" because it had been placed on probation in 1985 for recruiting violations. Since many potential student-athletes were poor, boosters would induce them to sign with SMU by offering them payments and expense coverage. Several key boosters and administration officials determined that it would not only be unethical to cut off those payments, but also potentially problematic as some boosters were contractually obligated to pay the athletes for the duration of their time at SMU. There was also the real potential of disgruntled football players "blowing the whistle" on SMU should the payments not continue. When the sanctions were handed down, SMU had three players – all seniors about to graduate – receiving payments. Not long afterward, SMU announced that its football team would stay shuttered for the 1988 season as well after school officials received indications that they wouldn't have enough experienced players to field a viable team,[6] as most of the team had left the university and transferred to other institutions. Forrest Gregg, an SMU alum who was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers, was hired in 1988 to help rebuild the team. The decimation of the program meant that Gregg was left with an undersized and underweight lineup.

The Mustangs struggled for 20 years to recover from the effects of the scandal. Coach Gregg compiled a 3–19 record in his two seasons. He moved on to be the SMU Athletic Director from 1990 through 1994. The program's chances of ever recovering were likely ruined by the collapse of the Southwest Conference after the 1995 season; SMU wound up in the WAC and later in Conference USA.

The Mustangs had three more head coaches and only one winning season through the completion of the 2007 season.

"There and Back Again" (2008–2014)

SMU in action versus UTEP in 2009

In 2008 SMU hired Steve Orsini away from the University of Central Florida (UCF) to be the SMU Athletic Director. Orsini then hired June Jones from the University of Hawai'i to be the team's new head coach at SMU and the 5th coach in the post death penalty time since 1989. In Jones' first season at SMU the team had a 1–11 record. In 2009, Coach Jones' second season at SMU, the Mustangs had a turnaround season, compiling an improved regular season record of 7–5. Although finishing unranked in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, SMU was invited to its first bowl game in 25 years, defeating the unranked Nevada Wolf Pack with a final score of 45–10 in the 2009 Hawai'i Bowl, the team's first bowl win since 1984.

In 2010, the Mustangs again compiled a regular season record of 7–5, with a 6–2 in-conference record to earn their first chance at winning a conference title in 26 years, securing a berth in the Conference USA Championship game. SMU lost the conference title game, 17–7, against UCF. Once again unranked in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, SMU was invited to its second consecutive bowl game, the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl, where it lost against the unranked Army Black Knights.

Following Texas A&M's move to the SEC in August and September 2011, SMU made it known that they would like to replace Texas A&M in the Big 12.[7] SMU's interest in the Big 12 was never reciprocated, and the Big 12 instead added TCU and West Virginia University.

SMU went on to win back-to-back bowl games in the 2012 BBVA Compass Bowl (for the 2011 season) and 2012 Hawaii Bowl. SMU ended the Jones Era in 2014 the way it began: with a 1–11 season. The Mustangs won the last game of the season against the University of Connecticut on December 6, 2014.

Chad Morris (2015–2017)

SMU hired Chad Morris as head coach and announced his placement on December 1, 2014.[8] His first season resulted in a 2–10 record, a slight improvement from the 2014 season. SMU continued to improve in Morris' second season, finishing 5–7.[9] Chad Morris was able to lead the SMU to bowl eligibility and a 7–6 record in 2017.[10] Chad Morris accepted the head coaching position at Arkansas in the weeks prior to the bowl game, and SMU was forced to move quickly to hire a new football coach in light of the approaching bowl game.[11]

Sonny Dykes (2017–present)

Sonny Dykes was officially hired as the new football coach of SMU on December 11, 2017.[12] The Mustangs were defeated by Louisiana Tech 51–10 in the DXL Frisco Bowl.[13]

In the 2019 season, the Mustangs got off to an 8–0 start. On September 21, they defeated cross-town rival TCU. On September 29, the Mustangs were ranked in the AP top 25 for the first time since October 25, 1986.[14]

Conference affiliations

Championships

National championships

SMU has won three national championships from NCAA-designated major selectors.[15][16]:112–114 SMU claims all three championships.[17]

Year Coach Selector Record Bowl Opponent Result
1935Matty BellBerryman (QPRS), Dickinson System, Houlgate System, Sagarin Ratings, Sagarin (ELO-Chess)12–1Rose BowlStanfordL 0–7
1981Ron MeyerNational Championship Foundation10–1
1982Bobby CollinsHelms Athletic Foundation11–0–1Cotton BowlPittW 7–3

Conference championships

SMU has won 11 conference championships, nine outright and two shared.[18]

Year Conference Coach Record Conference Record
1923Southwest ConferenceRay Morrison9–05–0
1926Southwest ConferenceRay Morrison8–0–15–0
1931Southwest ConferenceRay Morrison9–1–15–0–1
1935Southwest ConferenceMatty Bell12–16–0
1940Southwest ConferenceMatty Bell8–1–15–1
1947Southwest ConferenceMatty Bell9–0–25–0–1
1948Southwest ConferenceMatty Bell9–1–15–0–1
1966Southwest ConferenceHayden Fry8–36–1
1981Southwest ConferenceRon Meyer10–17–1
1982Southwest ConferenceBobby Collins11–0–17–0–1
1984Southwest ConferenceBobby Collins10–26–2

† Co-champions

Division championships

SMU has won two division championships.

Year Division Coach Opponent CG result
2009Conference USA - WestJune JonesN/A lost tie-breaker to Houston
2010Conference USA - WestJune JonesUCFL 7–17

† Co-champions

Bowl games

SMU has participated in 17 bowl games. The Mustangs have a record of 7–9–1 in these games.[19]

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
1924Ray MorrisonDixie ClassicWest Virginia WesleyanL 7–9
1935Matty BellRose BowlStanfordL 0–7
1947Matty BellCotton Bowl ClassicPenn StateT 13–13
1948Matty BellCotton Bowl ClassicOregonW 21–13
1963Hayden FrySun BowlOregonL 14–21
1966Hayden FryCotton Bowl ClassicGeorgiaL 9–24
1968Hayden FryAstro-Bluebonnet BowlOklahomaW 28–27
1980Ron MeyerHoliday BowlBYUL 45–46
1982Bobby CollinsCotton Bowl ClassicPittsburghW 7–3
1983Bobby CollinsSun BowlAlabamaL 7–28
1984Bobby CollinsAloha BowlNotre DameW 27–20
2009June JonesHawaiʻi BowlNevadaW 45–10
2010June JonesArmed Forces BowlArmyL 14–16
2011June JonesBBVA Compass BowlPittsburghW 28–6
2012June JonesHawaiʻi BowlFresno StateW 43–10
2017Sonny DykesFrisco BowlLouisiana TechL 10–51
2019Sonny DykesBoca Raton BowlFlorida AtlanticL 28–52

Head coaches

List of SMU head coaches.[20]

Coach Tenure Record Winning %
Ray Morrison1915–19162–13–2.176
J. Burton Rix1917–192116–19–7.464
Ray Morrison1922–193482–31–20.692
Madison "Matty" Bell1935–194147–24–3.655
James "Jimmy" Stewart1942–194410–18–2.367
Madison "Matty" Bell1945–194932–16–5.651
Harvey "Rusty" Russell1950–195213–15–2.467
Chalmer "Woody" Woodard1953–195619–20–1.488
William "Bill" Meek1957–196117–29–4.380
Hayden Fry1962–197249–66–1.427
Dave Smith1973–197516–15–2.515
Ron Meyer1976–198134–32–1.515
Bobby Collins1982–198643–14–1.750
Forrest Gregg1989–19903–19.136
Tom Rossley1991–199615–48–3.250
Mike Cavan1997–200122–34.393
Phil Bennett2002–200718–52.257
June Jones2008–201436–43.456
Tom Mason (Interim)20141–9.100
Chad Morris2015–201714–22.389
Sonny Dykes2017–present15–11.577

Rivalries

TCU

The SMU-TCU rivalry is the most intense one for both schools. The respective campuses are located 40 miles apart in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The SMU-TCU rivalries goes for all sports as well as recruiting students from the DFW area as SMU and TCU are the two top schools in the region in academics and sports. The teams have played all but six years since their first meeting in 1915. They did not face each other in 1919, 1920, 1925, 1987, 1988, or 2006.

TCU and SMU fans began the tradition back in 1946. During pre-game festivities, an SMU fan was frying frog legs as a joke before the game. A TCU fan, seeing this desecration of the "frog", went over and told him that eating the frog legs was going well beyond the rivalry and that they should let the game decide who would get the skillet and the frog legs. TCU won the game, and the skillet and frog legs went to TCU. The tradition eventually spilled over into the actual game and the Iron Skillet is now passed to the winner.

SMU and TCU have agreed to play each season through 2021 on an alternating home-and-home format.

TCU leads the series 51–41–7 through the 2019 season.[21]

North Texas

Nicknamed the "Safeway Bowl", the rivalry between SMU and North Texas is the most one-sided rivalry for the Mustangs. Its name is derived from a challenge from then North Texas head coach Matt Simon issued in 1994 after a two-year break in the series, stating "I'd like to play because I think we could beat them, and my players feel the same way. If they'd like to play on a Safeway parking lot ... just give us a date and time." North Texas generally considers SMU its biggest rival, but this is a secondary rivalry for SMU, behind TCU.

The schools have played on and off 39 times dating back to 1922 with three major hiatuses, from 1943 to 1973, from 1993 to 2005, and from 2007 to 2013.[22]

In 2013, both schools announced the series would be extended through 2025, continuing its current home-and-home format.

SMU leads the series 32–6–1 through the 2019 season.[23]

SMU and Navy have played each other 18 times with Navy leading the series 11–7. The teams most recently met up in 2019 where Navy won a close game, they are set to meet again in 2020. In 2009, the athletic departments of the United States Naval Academy and Southern Methodist University created the Gansz Trophy in honor of Frank Gansz who played linebacker at the Naval Academy from 1957 through 1959 and eventually the coaching staff at SMU.

Navy joined the American Athletic Conference in 2015 which allowed for this game to become a yearly conference game.

Navy leads the series 13–8 through the 2019 season.[24]

Rice

The SMU-Rice rivalry is a secondary one for both SMU (after TCU) and Rice (after Houston). However, it is a storied one based on the fact that SMU is located inside the city of Dallas and Rice is located in Houston, the anchors of Texas's two largest metropolitan areas. Notably, SMU and Rice are two of the smaller universities in NCAA Division I FBS. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that Rice and SMU are consistently ranked the best two private universities in Texas.

In 1918 both schools joined the Southwest Conference, and from 1926 they played every year except for 1987 and 1988, after the NCAA gave SMU's football program the "death penalty" following a cheating scandal. They played in the same conference until 2013, beginning with the Southwest (1918–1996), then the Western Athletic Conference (1996–2005) and Conference USA (2005–2012). In that time they had met 90 times, with SMU leading 48–41–1.

In 1998 a traveling trophy, the "Mayor's Cup", was introduced to the series, and has been awarded to the winner each year. The Rice Owls hold the trophy after the 2012 game and lead the trophy series 9–6. However, the future of the trophy is unclear, as SMU left Conference USA for The American for the 2013 season, and no games have been played or scheduled since the 2012 meeting.

SMU leads the series 48–41–1 through the 2019 season.[25]

Appearances in the final Associated Press Poll

SMU has made 175 appearances in the Associated Press poll over 103 seasons . SMU has been ranked in top 10 for 63 weeks.

Home fields

Individual achievements

Heisman Trophy

Maxwell Award

Sammy Baugh Trophy

College Football Hall of Fame Inductees

Name Position Tenure at SMU Year Inducted
Ray MorrisonCoach1915–1916, 1922–19341954
Gerald "Little Red Arrow" MannQB1925–19271969
Bobby WilsonHB1933–19351973
"Moanin'" Matty BellCoach1935–1941, 1945–19491955
Doak "The Doaker" WalkerHB1945, 1947–19491959
Kyle "The Mighty Mustang" RoteHB1948–19501964
"Dandy" Don MeredithQB1957–19591982
Hayden FryCoach1962–19722003
Jerry RhomeQB19611998
Jerry LeViasWR1966–19682003

All-Americans

Name Position Year
Choc SandersG1928
Marion HammonT1929
Speedy MasonHB1931
Clyde CarterT1934
Harry Shuford
Bobby Wilson
FB
HB
1934
Harry Shuford
Bobby Wilson
Truman "Big Dog" Spain
J.C. "Iron Man" Wetsel
FB
HB
T
G
1935
Kelly SimpsonEnd1941
Tom DeanT1945
Doak "The Doaker" WalkerHB1947
Doak WalkerHB1948
Doak WalkerHB1949
Kyle "The Mighty Mustang" RoteHB1950
Dick HightowerC1951
Don "Dandy Don" MeredithQB1958
Don MeredithQB1959
John LaGroneG1966
Jerry LeViasWR1968
Robert PopelkaDE1972
Louie Kelcher
Oscar Roan
G
TE
1974
Emanuel TolbertWR1978
John SimmonsDB1980
Harvey ArmstrongDT1981
Eric DickersonRB1982
Russell CarterDB1983
Reggie DupardRB1985
John StewertK1993

Honored jerseys

SMU has honored six jerseys.[26]

Number Name Position Tenure
17Don "Dandy" MeredithQB1957–59
19Eric DickersonRB1979–1982
37Ewell "Doak" WalkerHB/K1945, 1947–1949
73Forrest GreggOT/DT1952–55
80Lamar HuntWR1952–55
87Raymond BerryEnd1952–54

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

Name Position Team(s) Years in NFL Year Inducted
Lamar HuntLeague founder, ownerDallas Texans
Kansas City Chiefs
1960–1962
1963–2006
1972
Raymond BerryEndBaltimore Colts1955–19671973
Forrest GreggTGreen Bay Packers
Dallas Cowboys
1956, 1958–1970
1971
1977
Doak WalkerHBDetroit Lions1950–19551986
Eric DickersonRBLos Angeles Rams
Indianapolis Colts
Los Angeles Raiders
Atlanta Falcons
1983–1987
1987–1991
1992
1993
1999

Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of October 23, 2019.[27]

2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029
at Texas State Abilene Christian at North Texas Louisiana Tech Houston Baptist North Texas at Vanderbilt Vanderbilt
Stephen F. Austin North Texas Lamar North Texas at North Texas
at North Texas at Louisiana Tech at Maryland at Vanderbilt
TCU

References

  1. SMU Licensing Guide (PDF). August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 6, 2018.
  2. Maxwell Award
  3. Yankee Stadium (1923)
  4. One-platoon system
  5. "FBS Football". NCAA.com.
  6. Frank, Peter (April 11, 1987). "'88 football season canceled by SMU". New York Times.
  7. http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/09/03/3335791/smu-reaches-out-to-the-big-12.html
  8. "Chad Morris named head football coach at SMU – SMU". www.smu.edu.
  9. "Five takeaways: SMU embarrassed by Navy, misses on bowl eligibility in wake of Morris rumors | SportsDay". SportsDay. November 26, 2016. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
  10. "Smu Mustangs College Football - Smu News, Scores, Stats, Rumors & More - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  11. "Arkansas hires SMU's Chad Morris as new football coach". USA TODAY.
  12. Feldman, Bruce. "Sonny Dykes agrees to become next SMU coach". Sports Illustrated.
  13. "Louisiana Tech vs. SMU - Game Recap - December 20, 2017 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  14. "Lost in the historic nature of SMU's first AP Top 25 ranking in over 30 years is this fitting irony that accompanies it". Dallas News. September 29, 2019.
  15. Christopher J. Walsh (2007). Who's #1?: 100-Plus Years of Controversial National Champions in College Football. Taylor Trade Pub. pp. 88–89. ISBN 978-1-58979-337-8.
  16. 2018 NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision Records (PDF). Indianapolis: National Collegiate Athletic Association. August 2018. Retrieved October 29, 2018.
  17. Sutton, Brad; Hudson, Herman; Balside, Zach; et al., eds. (2014). 2014 SMU Football Media Guide. Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics. pp. 1, 80–82. Retrieved May 5, 2015.
  18. "Southwest Conference Index - College Football at Sports-Reference.com". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  19. "SMU Mustangs Bowls". College Football at Sports-Reference.com.
  20. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-methodist/coaches.html
  21. "Winsipedia - SMU Mustangs vs. TCU Horned Frogs football series history". Winsipedia.
  22. "North Texas vs. SMU - Game Summary - September 7, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com.
  23. "Winsipedia - SMU Mustangs vs. North Texas Mean Green football series history". Winsipedia.
  24. "Winsipedia - SMU Mustangs vs. Navy Midshipmen football series history". Winsipedia.
  25. "Winsipedia - SMU Mustangs vs. Rice Owls football series history". Winsipedia.
  26. "SMU Athletics" (PDF). SMUMustangs.com. Retrieved January 27, 2018.
  27. "SMU Mustangs Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved October 23, 2019.
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