SMU Mustangs football - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The SMU Mustangs
SMU Mustangs
The SMU Mustangs is the name of the athletic teams representing Southern Methodist University. The Mustangs participate in the NCAA's Division I as a member of Conference USA. In 2005, SMU accepted an invitation to the Western Division of Conference USA, and left the Western Athletic Conference...

football program is a college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

team that represents Southern Methodist University

Southern Methodist University

Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...

(more commonly "SMU"). The team competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision

NCAA Division I FBS National Football Championship

A college football national championship in the highest level of collegiate play in the United States, currently the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , is a designation awarded annually by various third-party organizations to their selection of the best...

(FBS) as a member Conference USA

Conference USA

Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...

. The Mustangs have competed in the West Division of Conference USA since 2005.

1976-1986: A Winning Record

Coach Ron Meyer

Ron Meyer

-References:...

came to SMU in 1976 after his success as an assistant with the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970s (including a Super Bowl

Super Bowl

The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...

win) and a stint with UNLV. Coach Meyer was infamous for his recruiting tactics, including visits each year to the homes of an unprecedented 70 or more of the top recruits per year. His most notable recruits were future NFL runningbacks Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson

Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...

and Craig James before the 1979 season, as both their high school teams went 15-0 and won state championships. Combined with blue chip runningback 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. This team claimed a share of the 1981 college football Division 1-A national championship, based on the determination of the National Championship Foundation.

Coach Meyer left to become the head coach of the New England Patriots in 1982, and SMU hired Coach Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins (American football)

-References:...

, then head coach at 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, based on the determination of the Helms Athletic Foundation

Helms Athletic Foundation

The Helms Athletic Foundation was an athletic foundation based in Los Angeles, founded in 1936 by Bill Schroeder and Paul Helms. It put together a panel of experts to select National Champion teams and make All-America team selections in a number of college sports including football and basketball...

.

SMU posted a record of 45-5-1 from 1980–1984, which was the highest win percentage (0.892) in Division 1-A over that span.

1987-2007: NCAA "Death Penalty" and decades of rebuilding

In 1987, SMU football became the first, and currently only, football program in collegiate athletic history to receive the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) "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 players were poor, boosters would pay for rent or other bills for the parents of the athletes, and several key boosters and administration officials felt it would be unethical to cut off payments. 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 as most of the team left the university and transferred to other institutions. Forrest Gregg

Forrest Gregg

Alvis Forrest Gregg is a former American football player and coach in the National Football League. During a Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, he was a part of six championships, five of them with the Green Bay Packers before closing out his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys with a win in...

, an SMU alum who was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...

, 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; he was taller and heavier than virtually all of his players.

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 Mustangs had 3 more head coaches and only one winning season through the completion of the 2007 season.

2008-present: Return to Success

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

June Jones

June Sheldon Jones, III is the American football head coach for Southern Methodist University.-Playing career:Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon , Hawaii , and Portland State . It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot...

from the University of Hawai'i

Hawaii Warriors football

The Hawaii Warriors football team represents the University of Hawaii at Mānoa in NCAA Division I FBS college football. The team, which is currently coached by Greg McMackin, is part of the Western Athletic Conference until 2012, when the team joins the Mountain West Conference.The Hawaii Warriors...

to be the team's new head coach at SMU and currently 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

2009 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings

Three human polls and one formulaic ranking make up the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings, in addition to various publications' preseason polls. Unlike most sports, college football's governing body, the NCAA, does not bestow a National Championship title. That title is bestowed by one or...

, SMU was invited to its first bowl game in 25 years, defeating the unranked Nevada Wolf Pack

2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

The 2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team represented the University of Nevada, Reno in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wolf Pack were led by head coach Chris Ault, entering his 25th overall season at Nevada, and 6th season since becoming the head coach for the third time in 2004....

with a final score 45-10 in the 2009 Hawai'i Bowl

2009 Hawai'i Bowl

The 2009 Hawaii Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, played at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game started at 3:00 pm local time on Thursday, December 24, 2009, with the SMU Mustangs of Conference USA beating the Nevada Wolf Pack of the Western Athletic...

, 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

2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game

The 2010 Conference USA Football Championship Game presented by HotelPlanner.com was played on December 4, 2010 at Bright House Networks Stadium in Orlando, FL. The game was played between the UCF Knights, winner of Conference USA's East Division, and the SMU Mustangs, the winner the West...

game. SMU lost the conference title game, 17-7, against UCF

2010 UCF Knights football team

The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a...

. 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

2010 Armed Forces Bowl

The 2010 Armed Forces Bowl was the eighth edition of the college football bowl game, and the first of two editions to be played at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on the campus of Southern Methodist University in the Dallas enclave of University Park, Texas. From the bowl's inception as the Fort Worth Bowl...

, where it lost against the unranked Army Black Knights

2010 Army Black Knights football team

The 2010 Army Black Knights football team represented the United States Military Academy in the 2010 college football season. The Black Knights, led by second-year head coach Rich Ellerson, competed as an Independent and played their home games at the Michie Stadium.By winning 6 regular season...

.

Following Texas A&M's mooted move to the SEC

Southeastern Conference

The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...

in August and September of 2011, SMU have made it known that they would like to replace them in the Big 12

Big 12 Conference

The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...

.

On September 3rd 2011, Athletic Director Steve Orsini stated: "We want stability in the regional conference that meets our objective," Orsini said, "and that right now would be defined as the Big 12."

"Regionalism is a sign of strength, and we feel expansion, especially in the latest trends, is a sign of strength," Orsini said. "And we feel we can help an AQ conference in both of those areas."

Orsini made it clear that SMU isn't solely interested in the Big 12, but in finding an AQ home. Should the Mustangs' current league, Conference USA, achieve AQ status someday, that would work just fine. Maybe the Mountain West earns an AQ distinction and decides to dip back into the Metroplex again.

"When we were affiliated with those schools in this region [Baylor, Texas and Texas Tech], we were competing very successfully," Orsini reminded. "We have a lot of conference championships in the Southwest Conference to show for it.
"We're ready. It took us a long time to rebound from the historic low that hit here, but that was 25 years ago. There are no signs of that anymore."

National championships

The NCAA's website states that "the NCAA does not conduct a national championship in Division I-A football and is not involved in the selection process." It goes on to say that "a number of polling organizations provide a final ranking of Division I-A football teams at the end of each season." SMU officially claims three national championships (1935, 1981 & 1982). (The NCAA officially changed the "I-A" designation to the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in 2006.)

Year	Coach	Selector	Record	Bowl	Result
1935	Matty Bell Matty Bell Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...	Dickinson, Houlgate System, and Sagarin Ratings	12-1	Rose Bowl Rose Bowl Game The Rose Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game, usually played on January 1 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. When New Year's Day falls on a Sunday, the game is played on Monday, January 2...	SMU 0, Stanford 7
1981 1981 SMU Mustangs football team The 1981 Southern Methodist University Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1981 college football season. The Mustangs offense scored 365 points while the defense allowed 137 points. At season’s end, the Mustangs were ranked fifth in the nation. This was the...	Ron Meyer Ron Meyer -References:...	National Championship Foundation	10-1	--	--
1982 1982 SMU Mustangs football team The 1982 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1982 college football season. The club was victorious in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic.-Regular season:...	Bobby Collins Bobby Collins (American football) -References:...	Helms Athletic Foundation	11-0-1	Cotton Bowl Classic 1982 Cotton Bowl Classic The 1982 Cotton Bowl Classic was a post-season college football game played on January 1, 1982. It pitted the #6 Texas Longhorns against the #3 Alabama Crimson Tide...	SMU 7, Pittsburgh 3
Total National Championships:				3

Conference championships

{| border="0" width="100%"
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor=B10000| Year
!bgcolor=B10000| Conference
!bgcolor=B10000| Coach
!bgcolor=B10000| Record
|- align="center"
| 1923 || Southwest Conference || Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| 9–0-0
|- align="center"
| 1926 || Southwest Conference || Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| 8–0–1
|- align="center"
| 1931 || Southwest Conference || Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| 9–1–1
|- align="center"
| 1935 || Southwest Conference || Matty Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 12–1–0
|- align="center"
| 1940 † || Southwest Conference || Matty Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 8–1–1
|- align="center"
| 1947 || Southwest Conference || Matty Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 9-0-2
|- align="center"
| 1948

1948 SMU Mustangs football team

Doak Walker was a junior when he won the Heisman Trophy. Doak established several other Southwest Conference records that still stand. -Rivalries:*In the Battle for the Iron Skillet, SMU tied Texas Christian 7-7.*In the Mayor’s Cup, SMU tied Rice 33-7.-Schedule:...

|| Southwest Conference || Matty Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 9-1-1
|- align="center"
| 1966 || Southwest Conference || Hayden Fry

Hayden Fry

John Hayden Fry is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head coach at Southern Methodist University , North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas , and the University of Iowa , compiling a career college football record of 232–178–10...

|| 8–3–0
|- align="center"
| 1981

1981 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1981 Southern Methodist University Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1981 college football season. The Mustangs offense scored 365 points while the defense allowed 137 points. At season’s end, the Mustangs were ranked fifth in the nation. This was the...

|| Southwest Conference || Ron Meyer

Ron Meyer

-References:...

|| 10-1-0
|- align="center"
| 1982

1982 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1982 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1982 college football season. The club was victorious in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic.-Regular season:...

|| Southwest Conference || Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins (American football)

-References:...

|| 11-0-1
|- align="center"
| 1984 ‡ || Southwest Conference || Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins (American football)

-References:...

|| 10–2–0
|- align="center"
| colspan=2 bgcolor="032B66"| Total Conference Championships
| colspan=2 bgcolor="032B66"| 11
|}
† Co-Champion with the Texas A&M Aggies

‡ Co-Champion with the Houston Cougars

Houston Cougars football

The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...

Divisional championships

{| border="0" width="100%"
| valign="top" |
{| cellpadding="1" border="1" cellspacing="0" width="80%"
!bgcolor=B10000| Year
!bgcolor=B10000| Conference
!bgcolor=B10000| Division
!bgcolor=B10000| Coach
!bgcolor=B10000| Record
|- align="center"
| 2009

2009 SMU Mustangs football team

The 2009 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Mustangs, led by second-year head coach June Jones, played their home games at Gerald J...

† || Conference USA

Conference USA

|| West || June Jones

June Jones

|| 8–5
|- align="center"
| 2010

2010 SMU Mustangs football team

The 2010 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs, led by third-year head coach June Jones, were members of Conference USA in the West Division and played their home games at Gerald J...

‡ || Conference USA

Conference USA

|| West || June Jones

June Jones

|| 7–6
|- align="center"
| colspan=3 bgcolor="032B66"| Total Divisional Championships
| colspan=2 bgcolor="032B66"| 2
|}
† Co-Divisional Champion with the Houston Cougars

2009 Houston Cougars football team

The 2009 Houston Cougars football team, also known as the Houston Cougars, Houston, or UH, represented the University of Houston in the college football 2009–2010 season. It was the 64th year of season play for Houston. The team was coached by second year head football coach, Kevin Sumlin...

‡ Co-Divisional Champion with the Tulsa Golden Hurricane

2010 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team

The 2010 Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team represents the University of Tulsa in the 2010 college football season. The Golden Hurricane, led by fourth-year head coach Todd Graham, were members of Conference USA in the West Division and played their home games at Skelly Field at H. A. Chapman...

Individual achievements

Heisman Trophy
Heisman Trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy Award , is awarded annually to the player deemed the most outstanding player in collegiate football. It was created in 1935 as the Downtown Athletic Club trophy and renamed in 1936 following the death of the Club's athletic director, John Heisman The Heisman Memorial...

Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

1948

Maxwell Award
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the collegiate American football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best football player in the United States. The...

Doak Walker
Doak Walker
Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

1947

Sammy Baugh Trophy
Sammy Baugh Trophy
The Sammy Baugh Trophy is awarded annually to the nation's top college passer. The award is named in honor of former Texas Christian University and Washington Redskins quarterback "Slingin' Sammy" Baugh. The trophy has been given out by the Touchdown Club of Columbus since 1959...

Chuck Hixson
Chuck Hixson
Chuck Hixson is a former American football player. He had a record-setting career at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. After leading the nation in passing as a sophomore, he was awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy in 1968. The quarterback had 265 completions in 468 attempts for 3,103...

1968

College Football Hall of Fame Inductees

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Position !! Years at SMU !! Year Inducted
|-
| Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| Coach

Coach (sport)

In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...

|| 1915–1916, 1922–1934 || 1954
|-
| Gerald "Little Red Arrow" Mann

Gerald Mann

Gerald Mann was an American football player and the attorney general of Texas from 1939 to 1944.Mann studied at Southern Methodist University, where he was twice named to all-conference football teams and was nicknamed the "Little Red Arrow." He subsequently worked his way through Harvard Law...

|| Quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

|| 1925–1927 || 1969
|-
| Bobby Wilson || Halfback

Halfback (American football)

A halfback, sometimes referred to as a tailback, is an offensive position in American football, which lines up in the backfield and generally is responsible for carrying the ball on run plays. Historically, from the 1870s through the 1950s, the halfback position was both an offensive and defensive...

|| 1933–1935 ||1973
|-
| "Moanin'" Matty Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| Coach

Coach (sport)

In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...

|| 1935–1941, 1945–1949 || 1955
|-
| Doak "The Doaker" Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1945, 1947–1949 || 1959
|-
| Kyle "The Mighty Mustang" Rote

Kyle Rote

William Kyle Rote, Sr. was an American football player and sports announcer.-Early life:Rote attended Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he was an all-state basketball and football player....

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1948–1950 || 1964
|-
| "Dandy" Don Meredith

Don Meredith

Joseph Don "Dandy Don" Meredith was an American football quarterback, sports commentator and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career with the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League . He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his last three years as a player...

|| Quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

|| 1957–1959 || 1982
|-
| Hayden Fry

Hayden Fry

|| Coach

Coach (sport)

In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...

|| 1962–1972 || 2003
|-
| Jerry Rhome

Jerry Rhome

Jerry Byron Rhome is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played for the Dallas Cowboys , the Cleveland Browns , the Houston Oilers , and the Los Angeles Rams...

|| Quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

|| 1961 || 1998
|-
| Jerry LeVias

Jerry LeVias

Jerry LeVias was the first African-American scholarship athlete and second African-American football player in the Southwest Conference.-Early years:Born in Beaumont, Texas, LeVias played quarterback for Hebert High School...

|| Wide Receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

|| 1966–1968 || 2003
|}

All-Americans
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Position !! Year
|-
| Choc Sanders || Guard

Guard (American football)

In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....

|| 1928
|-
| Marion Hammon || Tackle

Tackle (American football)

Tackle is a playing position in American and Canadian football. Historically, in the one-platoon system a tackle played on both offense and defense. In the modern system of specialized units, offensive tackle and defensive tackle are separate positions....

|| 1929
|-
| Speedy Mason || Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1931
|-
| Clyde Carter || Tackle

Tackle (American football)

|| 1934
|-
| Harry Shuford
Bobby Wilson || Fullback

Fullback (American football)

A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...

Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1934
|-
| Harry Shuford
Bobby Wilson
Truman "Big Dog" Spain

Truman Spain

Truman "Big Dog" Spain was an American football player who was selected as an All-American at the tackles position for the 1935 National Champion Southern Methodist University Mustangs. At the end of the 1935 season, Spain was selected as a first-team All-American by Grantland Rice for Collier's...

J.C. "Iron Man" Wetsel|| Fullback

Fullback (American football)

A fullback is a position in the offensive backfield in American and Canadian football, and is one of the two running back positions along with the halfback...

Halfback

Halfback (American football)

Tackle

Tackle (American football)

Guard

Guard (American football)

In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....

|| 1935
|-
| Kelly Simpson || End || 1941
|-
| Tom Dean || Tackle

Tackle (American football)

|| 1945
|-
| Doak "The Doaker" Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1947
|-
| Doak "The Doaker" Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1948
|-
| Doak "The Doaker" Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1949
|-
| Kyle "The Mighty Mustang" Rote

Kyle Rote

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| 1950
|-
| Dick Hightower || Center

Center (American football)

Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...

|| 1951
|-
| Don "Dandy Don" Meredith

Don Meredith

|| Quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

|| 1958
|-
| Don "Dandy Don" Meredith

Don Meredith

|| Quarterback

Quarterback

Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...

|| 1959
|-
| John LaGrone

John LaGrone

John LaGrone is a former professional Canadian football player with the Canadian Football League's Edmonton Eskimos.-CFL:...

|| Guard

Guard (American football)

In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....

|| 1966
|-
| Jerry LeVias

Jerry LeVias

|| Wide Receiver

Wide receiver

|| 1968
|-
| Robert Popelka || Defensive End

Defensive end

Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...

|| 1972
|-
| Louie Kelcher

Louie Kelcher

Louis James Kelcher was an American football player who played most of his career with the San Diego Chargers. His primary position was defensive tackle. His outstanding performance made him one of the team's most popular players from 1975-83...

Oscar Roan

Oscar Bennie Roan III is a former American football tight end in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the third round of the 1975 NFL Draft. He played college football at SMU and UCLA....

|| Guard

Guard (American football)

In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....

Tight End

Tight end

The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...

|| 1974
|-
| Emanuel Tolbert

Emanuel Tolbert

Emanuel Tolbert is a former slotback and wide receiver who played eleven seasons in the Canadian Football League, mainly for the Toronto Argonauts. He was a part of the Argonauts 1983 Grey Cup victory...

|| Wide Receiver

Wide receiver

|| 1978
|-
| John Simmons || Defensive Back

Defensive back

In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...

|| 1980
|-
| Harvey Armstrong

Harvey Armstrong

Harvey Lee Armstrong is a former professional American football defensive tackle who played eight seasons in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts. He played college football at Southern Methodist.-References:...

|| Defensive Tackle || 1981
|-
| Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson

|| Running Back

Running back

A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...

|| 1982
|-
| Russell Carter

Russell Carter

Russell Carter is a former professional American football player who played safety for six seasons for the New York Jets and the Los Angeles Raiders....

|| Defensive Back

Defensive back

|| 1983
|-
| Reggie Dupard

Reggie Dupard

Jon Reginald Dupard is a former American football running back. He played five seasons in the National Football League. Dupard was selected 26th overall in the 1986 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. He played for the Patriots until he was traded to the Washington Redskins midway through the...

|| Running Back

Running back

|| 1985
|-
| John Stewert || Placekicker

Placekicker

Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...

|| 1993
|}

Honored jerseys
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Number !! Name
|-
| 17 || Don "Dandy Don" Meredith

Don Meredith

|-
| 19 || Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson

|-
| 37 || Doak "The Doaker" Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|-
| 73 || Forrest Gregg

Forrest Gregg

|-
| 80 || Lamar Hunt

Lamar Hunt

Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...

|-
| 87 || Raymond Berry

Raymond Berry

Raymond Emmett Berry is a former football wide receiver. He played for the Baltimore Colts during their two NFL championship wins. He later had a career in coaching, highlighted by his trip to Super Bowl XX as head coach of the New England Patriots...

Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Position !! Team(s) !!Years !! Year Inducted
|-
| Lamar Hunt

Lamar Hunt

|| League Founder, Owner || Dallas Texans

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

Kansas City Chiefs

|| 1960-1962
1963-2006 || 1972
|-
| Raymond Berry

Raymond Berry

|| End || Baltimore Colts

Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....

|| 1955–1967 || 1973
|-
| Forrest Gregg

Forrest Gregg

|| Offensive Tackle

Tackle (American football)

|| Green Bay Packers

Green Bay Packers

Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...

|| 1956, 1958-1970 1971 || 1977
|-
| Doak Walker

Doak Walker

Ewell Doak Walker, Jr. was an American football player who is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was a teammate of Bobby Layne in high school and the NFL.-Early life:...

|| Halfback

Halfback (American football)

|| Detroit Lions

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...

|| 1950–1955 || 1986
|-
| Eric Dickerson

Eric Dickerson

|| Running Back

Running back

|| Los Angeles Rams

St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are a professional American football team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are currently members of the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Rams have won three NFL Championships .The Rams began playing in 1936 in Cleveland,...

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Raiders

Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

|| 1983–1987
1987–1991
1992
1993 || 1999
|}

Current NFL players

Bryan McCann
Bryan McCann
Bryan McCann is an American football cornerback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was signed by the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2010...

(CB
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...

) of the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Sterling Moore
Sterling Moore
Sterling Moore is an American football cornerback who is currently a New England Patriots. He was signed by the Oakland Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2011...

(CB
Cornerback
A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position...

) of the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
Thomas Morstead
Thomas Morstead
Thomas Morstead is an American football punter. He was a fifth-round draft choice of the New Orleans Saints, 164th overall, in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was the second punter taken overall. He played college football at SMU...

(P) of the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
Aldrick Robinson
Aldrick Robinson
Aldrick Robinson is an American football player. He formerly played as a wide receiver for the SMU Mustangs at Southern Methodist University. Head coach June Jones called Robinson the fastest player he has ever coached...

(WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

) of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders
Emmanuel Sanders is an American football wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...

(WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

) of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...

Bowl appearances

{| class="wikitable"
! Season !! Year !! Bowl Game !! Opponent !! W/L !! PF !! PA
|-
| 1924 || 1925 || Dixie Classic || West Virginia Wesleyan || L || 7 || 9
|-
| 1935 || 1936 || Rose Bowl

1936 Rose Bowl

The 1936 Rose Bowl was the 22nd Rose Bowl game, an American post-season college football game that was played on New Year's Day 1936 in Pasadena, California. It featured the undefeated against the , which had one loss...

|| Stanford || L || 0 || 7
|-
| 1947 || 1948 || Cotton Bowl Classic || Penn State || T || 13 || 13
|-
| 1948

1948 SMU Mustangs football team

|| 1949 || Cotton Bowl Classic || Oregon || W || 21 || 13
|-
| 1963 || 1963 || Sun Bowl || Oregon

1963 Oregon Ducks football team

The 1963 Oregon Ducks represented the University of Oregon. The Ducks offense scored 274 points while the defense allowed 153 points. Led by head coach Len Casanova, the Ducks appeared in the Sun Bowl.-Schedule:-Team Players in the NFL:...

|| L|| 14 || 21
|-
| 1966 || 1966 || Cotton Bowl Classic || Georgia || L || 9 || 24
|-
| 1968

1968 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1968 Southern Methodist University Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1968 college football season...

|| 1968 || Bluebonnet Bowl || Oklahoma || W || 28 || 27
|-
| 1980 || 1980 || Holiday Bowl || BYU || L || 45 || 46
|-
| 1982

1982 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1982 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1982 college football season. The club was victorious in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic.-Regular season:...

|| 1983 || Cotton Bowl Classic || Pittsburgh

1982 Pittsburgh Panthers football team

The 1982 Pittsburgh Panthers football team represented the University of Pittsburgh in the 1982 college football season.-Schedule:-Backyard Brawl:...

|| W || 7 || 3
|-
| 1983 || 1983 || Sun Bowl

1983 Sun Bowl

The 1983 Sun Bowl, part of the 1983 bowl game season, took place on December 24, 1983, at the Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas. The competing teams were the Alabama Crimson Tide, representing the Southeastern Conference , and the of the Southwest Conference...

|| Alabama || L || 7 || 28
|-
| 1984 || 1984 || Aloha Bowl || Notre Dame || W || 27 || 20
|-
| 2009

2009 SMU Mustangs football team

|| 2009 || Hawaii Bowl

2009 Hawai'i Bowl

|| Nevada

2009 Nevada Wolf Pack football team

|| W || 45 || 10
|-
| 2010

2010 SMU Mustangs football team

|| 2010 || Armed Forces Bowl

2010 Armed Forces Bowl

|| Army

2010 Army Black Knights football team

|| L || 14 || 16
|}

Head coaches

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Name !! Years !! W-L-T
|-
| Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| 1915–1916 || 2-13-2
|-
| J. Burton Rix

J. Burton Rix

-References:...

|| 1917–1921 || 16-19-7
|-
| Ray Morrison

Ray Morrison

J. Ray Morrison was an American football and baseball player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball in the United States...

|| 1922–1934 || 82-31-20
|-
| Madison "Matty" Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 1935–1941 || 47-24-3
|-
| James "Jimmy" Stewart

Jimmy Stewart (American football)

James H. “Jimmy” Stewart was an American football coach. He served as interim head coach at Southern Methodist University from 1942 to 1944 while Matty Bell served in the U.S. Navy during World War II; his record in those three seasons was 10–18–2. From 1945 to 1950 he served as Executive...

|| 1942–1944 || 10-18-2
|-
| Madison "Matty" Bell

Matty Bell

Madison A. "Matty" Bell was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator in the United States...

|| 1945–1949 || 32-16-5
|-
| Harvey “Rusty” Russell

Rusty Russell (American football)

Harvey N. "Rusty" Russell was an American football coach. He is mostly known for head coaching Southern Methodist University from 1950-52 as well as the longtime head coach at an Orphanage in Fort Worth Texas, The Masonic Home and School...

|| 1950–1952 || 13-15-2
|-
| Chalmer “Woody” Woodard || 1953–1956 || 19-20-1
|-
| William "Bill" Meek

Bill Meek

William M. Meek was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Kansas State University , the University of Houston , Southern Methodist University , and the University of Utah , compiling a career college football record of 78–88–7.-Early life:Meek was born in...

|| 1957–1961 || 17-29-4
|-
| Hayden Fry

Hayden Fry

|| 1962–1972 || 49-66-1
|-
| Dave Smith || 1973–1975 || 16-15-2
|-
| Ron Meyer

Ron Meyer

-References:...

|| 1976–1981 || 34-32-1
|-
| Bobby Collins

Bobby Collins (American football)

-References:...

|| 1982–1986 || 43-14-1
|-
| Forrest Gregg

Forrest Gregg

|| 1989–1990 || 3-19-0
|-
| Tom Rossley

Tom Rossley

Tom Rossley is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the senior assistant and quarterbacks coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team, a position he has held since the 2008 season...

|| 1991–1996 || 15-48-3
|-
| Mike Cavan

Mike Cavan

-External links:...

|| 1997–2001 || 22-34-0
|-
| Phil Bennett

Phil Bennett (American football)

-External links:*...

|| 2002–2007 || 18-52-0
|-
| June Jones

June Jones

|| 2008–2010 || 16-22-0
|}

Future non-conference opponents

SMU has released a partial list of non-conference opponents for the near future:
{| class="wikitable"
|-style="background:#B10000" align=center
| 2012 || 2013 || 2014 || 2015 || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019
|-
|Sep. 1 at Baylor

Baylor Bears football

The Baylor Bears football team represents Baylor University in Division I FBS college football. They are a member of the Big 12 Conference. The team plays its home games at Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas.-History:...

||Aug. 31 vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech Red Raiders football

Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...

||Aug. 30 at Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||Sep. 5 vs. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||Sep. 3 at North Texas

North Texas Mean Green football

The North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-FBS college football and competes as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green have attained several conference championships, including four...

||Sep. 2 vs. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||Sep. 22 at. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||Aug. 31 vs. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

|-
|Sep. 8 vs. Stephen F. Austin

Stephen F. Austin State University

Stephen F. Austin State University is a public university located in Nacogdoches, Texas, United States. Founded as a teachers' college in 1923, the university was named after one of Texas' founding fathers, Stephen F. Austin. Its campus resides on part of the homestead of another Texas founding...

||Sep. 14 vs. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||Sep. 6 at North Texas

North Texas Mean Green football

||Sep. 12 vs. North Texas

North Texas Mean Green football

||Sep. 10 vs. Navy

Navy Midshipmen football

The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...

||at. Navy

Navy Midshipmen football

||vs. Navy

Navy Midshipmen football

|-
|Sep. 15 vs. Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies football

The Texas A&M Aggies football team represents Texas A&M University in college football. The Aggies have competed in the Big 12 Conference since the conference's inception in 1996. They will join the Southeastern Conference in July 2012. Texas A&M football has earned one national title and 18...

||Sep. 21 at Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies football

||Sep. 13 vs. TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...

||Sep. 19 at TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

||Sep. 17 at. Baylor

Baylor Bears football

||vs. North Texas

North Texas Mean Green football

|-
|Sep. 29 vs. TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

||Sep. 28 at TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

||Sep. 20 vs. Texas A&M

Texas A&M Aggies football

||Sep. 26 at Navy

Navy Midshipmen football

||Sep. 24 vs. TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

||at. TCU

TCU Horned Frogs football

Rivalries

Rice Owls
Rice Owls football
The Rice Owls football team represents Rice University in NCAA Division I college football. The Owls have competed in Conference USA's Western Division since 2005. Rice Stadium, built in 1950, hosts the Owls' home football games.-Venue:...

, in the Battle for the Mayor's Cup
Battle for the Mayor's Cup
The Battle for the Mayor's Cup is an annual college football game played between Rice University and Southern Methodist University. The game was first played in 1916....

.
TCU Horned Frogs
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...

, in the Battle for the Iron Skillet
Battle for the Iron Skillet
The Battle for the Iron Skillet is the name of the college football rivalry between the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and the Texas Christian University Horned Frogs. The campuses are located 40 miles apart in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex...

.
North Texas Mean Green
North Texas Mean Green football
The North Texas Mean Green football team represents the University of North Texas in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I-FBS college football and competes as a member of the Sun Belt Conference. The Mean Green have attained several conference championships, including four...

, in the Safeway Bowl
Safeway Bowl
The Safeway Bowl is the rivalry between the SMU Mustangs and the North Texas Mean Green, two universities in North Texas.The schools have played 33 times dating back to 1922 in a series that is best known for the challenge former UNT head coach Matt Simon issued in 1994, after a two-year break in...

.
Navy Midshipmen
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...

, for the Gansz Trophy
Gansz Trophy
The Gansz Trophy was created in 2009 through a collaboration between the athletic departments of the United States Naval Academy and Southern Methodist University. The trophy is named for Frank Gansz who played linebacker at the Naval Academy from 1957 through 1959...

.

Home fields

Ownby Stadium
Ownby Stadium
Ownby Stadium was a stadium in the University Park neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. It was the home of the Southern Methodist University Mustang football team.Named for Jordon Ownby, the stadium was built at the south end of the campus...

, 1926–1948
Cotton Bowl
Cotton Bowl (stadium)
The Cotton Bowl is a stadium which opened in 1929 and became known as "The House That Doak Built" due to the immense crowds that former SMU running back Doak Walker drew to the stadium during his college career in the late 1940s. Originally known as Fair Park Stadium, it is located in Fair Park,...

, 1932–1978
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was a football stadium in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The stadium opened on September 17, 1971.Built to replace the aging Cotton Bowl, it was the home field of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, and had a seating capacity of 65,675...

, 1979–1986
Ownby Stadium, 1989–1994
Cotton Bowl, 1995–2000
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Gerald J. Ford Stadium is a stadium in University Park, Texas, one of the two "Park Cities" that form an enclave within the city limits of Dallas. The stadium is used primarily for football, and it is home to the Southern Methodist University Mustangs and is frequently used for local high school...

, 2000–Present

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.