Best Opener You Ever Attended?

[DiamondM]

Definitely Vandy game for me. I was a freshman, and it was my first game in a college marching band, I remember goose bumps, and just the overall WOW factor -- yes, even in Ownby. After we blew out Vandy we were thinking "We're back!!!" Of course that was the only win that year, but it was SWEET.

[Bergermeister]

Ron Meyer's 'Stangs vs UH in the cotton bowl. Opened the game with an onside kick. Must have been 60,000-plus in that Mustang Mania frenzied crowd.

[PonySnob]

Ford Stadium Opener - September 2, 2000 vs ku

It was a great game! It was about 125 degrees on the field. The hoses were shooting out green water so that we couldn't drink it. But, SMU beat the hell out of ku and brought football back to campus.

That is why the game was called the "biggest win" in school history by Mike Cave-in. Wasn't the team 1-2 or 1-3 before it's next home game that year?

[SMU Football Blog]

Prediction: The scrimmage will be surprisingly well-attended.

[EastStang]

1972 vs. Wake Forest at Texas Stadium. I think the score was like 56-10 (we won). Peruna ran the field so many times that he was running sideways by the end of the game. Also my first SMU game.

[ThadFilms]

'97 in Shreveport was awesome (the stadium sucked)... but technicalities force it lower on my list. We opened at Ole Miss and I just can't really fully count it as a "home opener". It gets consideration because that was my first game my freshman year. Playing in the band, the team won. Arkansas scored a touchdown and didn't even realize it (classic - they came out for what they thought to be fourth down and goal to go, but they had scored two plays earlier and went for two on what they thought to be third down.... how does that happen?). Jack Brewer was en fuego. Just an awesome night.

But, regardless of technicalities... the best opener I have attended, for any team, anywhere -

The first game at Ford. Billy Ford scoring the first touchdown. A win over a Big XII opponent. A win in our new digs. And of course McCown going McNabb all over the field (puking I mean). Just gorgreous.

[PonySnob]

While the game was terrible.....and certainly pointed towards worse things to come, Bennett's first game against Navy certainly had a lot of drama during the pregame when they set the south end-zone on fire with the fireworks display!!

[regis]

The only thing that detracts from the Ford opener is that we dropped the next 6 games. Not really a slingshot into greatness, but more of a shot in the dark where KU was overwhelmed by the atmosphere and the heat.

[Rayburn]

Was the 78 TCU game the Jerry Lewis game. I was in school then, but to drunk at the game to remember.

Yes it was.

one might consider the 1956 home opener against Notre Dame where the Ponies won 19-13 in front of 66,000 as an exciting start.

Absolutely! My father had film of that game and I used to watch it over and over. Paul Hornung and Bronko Nagurski Jr. played for the Irish that evening.

[Peruna2001]

While the game was terrible.....and certainly pointed towards worse things to come, Bennett's first game against Navy certainly had a lot of drama during the pregame when they set the south end-zone on fire with the fireworks display!!

I loved that. One of the funniest things I've ever seen at a football game.

[MrMustang1965]

While the game was terrible.....and certainly pointed towards worse things to come, Bennett's first game against Navy certainly had a lot of drama during the pregame when they set the south end-zone on fire with the fireworks display!!

I loved that. One of the funniest things I've ever seen at a football game.

It wasn't too funny if you were choking on the smoke in section 100.

[Mustangs35SMU]

Opening Day of Ford Stadium. Hands down. And hotter n' H*ll!

Totally agree.

[Charleston Pony]

I will have to go with 9/2/2000 and the opening of Ford Stadium. Sitting in the stands the night before all I could think was "sure wish this place had been here during my years at SMU". The fact that an underdog SMU team beat one of the BCS boys that day sealed the deal for me. Oh-and drinking a few cold ones hanging around the bus that day added to my enjoyment. Boulevard tailgating beat the heck out of Texas Stadium and Cotton Bowl

[Mama Bouche]

Definitely the '78 opener with TCU! Great fun and the bourbon she was a flowin'.

[Stallion]

A great road opener was SMU over Auburn 1968 something like 34-28. I didn't attend but remember listening on the radio as a 9 year old with a bunch of old fogeys at that drugstore across from Park Cities YMCA. It was the shocking debut of the great Chuck Hixson and the SMU's offense was in mid-season form. "Excitement 68" as it was billed turned in a great season with an 8-3 record and victory over OU in the Bkuebonnett Bowl. I would think that would have to be in the Top 5 or so of SMU opener game victories. I wonder how Jerry LeVias got out of Alabama alive. I bet he was thrilled to see "Auburn-Away" on the 1968 schedule.