Welcome to the ACC, SMU Football

The ACC welcomed three new members to the conference on July 1, and one of those new members is the SMU Mustangs.

SMU is somewhat of a wildcard in the new-look ACC, the lone Texas program with a large support system and a history of highs and lows. The Mustangs are riding a high, the first conference championship since 1984, and it feels like there’s a lot of potential in the ACC. Pitt will get a look at SMU this season in Dallas, Tx.

So, let’s take a look at the third of the three ACC newcomers

History

The Mustangs have been playing football since 1915, playing their first couple of seasons in the Texas Intercollegiate Athletic Association. SMU joined the Southwest Conference in 1918, experiencing early success in the 1920s, 30s and 40. It was up and down until the early 80s when the Mustangs reeled off back-to-back national titles.

But the Mustangs received the first and only “Death Penalty” from the NCAA in 1987 for repeated serious violations of NCAA rules. SMU was forced to cancel its 1987 and 1988 seasons and it took decades to recover.

SMU has won 537 wins all-time, which is good for 94th all-time, and with a 537-566-54 record all-time, their .487 win percentage is 99th all-time.

The Mustangs claim three national titles all-time (1935, 1981 and 1982). SMU posted a 49-9-1 win percentage between 1980-84, which was the highest in Division I-A during the time, and it resulted in a share of two national championships — including a Cotton Bowl win over Pitt in 1982.

Doak Walker is the lone Mustang to win the Heisman Trophy, doing so in 1948, and Eric Dickerson was a finalist in 1982.

Following the collapse of the Southwest Conference in 1995, SMU spent time in Conference-USA and the AAC before moving to the ACC.

Coaching Staff

Rhett Lashlee is entering his third season as the head coach at SMU, and he’s continued from where former head coach Sonny Dykes left off. Lashlee, a former college quarterback at Arkansas, is an offensive-minded coach who spent time at Arkansas State, Auburn, SMU and Miami before taking the job with the Mustangs.

SMU is coming off back-to-back Bowl game appearances under Lashlee, with eight bowl appearances since 2009, after having none between 1984-2008. The Mustangs won the AAC last season, exiting the conference on a high note, and with a deep donor base, there’s potential in the ACC.

Outlook

SMU has an offense under head coach Rhett Lashlee that could make some noise in the first year of the Mustangs’ jump from the AAC to the ACC. Starting quarterback Preston Stone is coming off a strong season and has plenty of help returning. The reigning AAC champs boasted a dominant defense last season, which has taken a hit at cornerback, but it should be another strong unit. The Mustangs return 78% of their production from last season.

Pitt and SMU have met just one time in the history of the two programs, a 28-6 Mustangs win in the 2012 BBVA Compass Bowl.