Home schedule

[LA_Mustang]

I took a close look at the schedule today for the first time. Is this the worst home football schedule as far as name/known opponents go in the history of the program? SFA, UNT, Ark St, UConn, Tulsa, Tulane and UCF. I hope the ticket office folks have many tricks up their sleeve or things could get ugly. If ever there was a year for a Mustang Mania type promotion, this is the year.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

But our season tickets are at a 14% discount over normal pricing!!!!!!

[mrydel]

We have 7 games rather than the normal 6

[leopold]

All about trade-offs.

No name opponent but seven home games against mostly regional, recognizable opponents and they are all winnable. When was the last time we had a legitimate opportunity to go undefeated at home in football? This is a schedule tailor made to turn the corner and try to bring in a few visitors at the same time - not easy to do in our current state.

As far as worst ever name/known opponents are concerned I'd argue there was a year or two in the WAC that could possibly go down as the worst. Playing San Jose State, Wyoming, etc. in the Cotton Bowl was horrible. Talk about empty.

[Charleston Pony]

true test of how many football fans SMU truly has

[etpony]

Let's line up Alabama, Clemson and LSU and get our tail handed to us on a silver platter.

[mtrout]

We lined up A&M, Tech, Baylor, and James Madison. They handed us our [deleted] on a platter pretty effectively. No need for bama and clemson.

[SMU21TCU10]

I'm of the opinion we will have a lot more fans at October/November games with a 6-2 record than we would after getting blown out by 4 big 12 teams OOC

[SMU21TCU10]

I'm of the opinion we will have a lot more fans at October/November games with a 6-2 record than we would after getting blown out by 4 big 12 teams OOC

[RGV Pony]

I think Chad is of the same opinion

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

I'm of the opinion we will have a lot more fans at October/November games with a 6-2 record than we would after getting blown out by 4 big 12 teams OOC

If we are 6-2 in November it will be hard to get into Ford I think.

[LA_Mustang]

Don't tell June that SMU fans will show up regardless of the opponent if we have a successful OOC. Remember in 2011 when we were 4-1 after beating TCU and about 10,000 showed up at Ford the following week to see us play UCF. It's no secret that's when JJ officially quit on SMU.

[mtrout]

Maybe we'll see. Potential good record vs UCF at homecoming this year. I know we can fill moody but I am doubtful we can fill Ford unless 1/2 of it is opposing fans.

[CalallenStang]

Don't tell June that SMU fans will show up regardless of the opponent if we have a successful OOC. Remember in 2011 when we were 4-1 after beating TCU and about 10,000 showed up at Ford the following week to see us play UCF. It's no secret that's when JJ officially quit on SMU.

With the Rangers playing for the pennant that same day, we needed a marketing blitz to even make people aware a game was going on. Athletic Department chose instead to save their money. As a result, the people that showed up were only those that follow SMU exceptionally closely, and their families.

The biggest problem SMU has is a general lack of awareness among Dallas residents - including many alumni - about when and who we play. This is exacerbated by the athletic department's decision to place most of their marketing dollars behind social media posts - marketing to the already-aware - rather than other tactics designed to raise awareness among the general populace (sponsored posts on social media, advertisements in the traditional media, or any semblance of an earned media plan).

We've ignored strategically planned marketing for so long that we are beginning to reach a point of no return.

[mtrout]

Truth. How about something simple like a billboard on 75 advertising football or our yearly schedule...something. You're a quarter mile off a major highway and when you drive down past exit 3, you wouldn't even know the football stadium exists.

Take that banner you have plastered on the south end of ford with our football schedule and make that your billboard.