SMU Athletics Reveals Future Facilities Projects

[RGV Pony]

The answer to attendance is not alumni, its t-shirt fans. Winning will get a decent uptick in attendance but better opponents or a massive push to get DFW people to come to games is the only way we fill the stadium. I would be willing to bet that we are pretty comparable to most schools with the percentage of alumni that attend games. You need more t shirt fans like me and OTP to fill Ford.

The answer to attendance is playing a P5 schedule of teams that people in Dallas (SMU Fans or T-shirt fans) actually care about. If we were reasonably successful playing "real" teams, we would draw fine.

- If we went undefeated in the Nobodis for 4 years straight, I bet we wouldn't increase average attendance by more than 5K per game. Why? Dallas people don't give a ... about beating Tulsa, UCF, USF, UConn, Rice, Tulsa, Tulane, or Texas State.

We haven't had a year in which we beat all of the teams nobody cares about in our schedule.

That'd be a decent first step

[Charleston Pony]

it will take an increased undergraduate enrollment and years of athletic success to realize any significant organic growth. Our attendance issue requires improved attendance from our students and alumni, our visitors and t-shirt fans. Mustang Mania proved it can be done, but the team has to show promise for there to be any momentum. Mustang Mania got jump started when SMU went on the road with young Mike Ford at QB and played Florida, Penn State and Ohio State to a 1-1-1 record. In today's world, we have to continue scheduling and eventually beat some Big XII schools

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

we have to continue scheduling and eventually beat some Big XII schools

It won't be long

[LA_Mustang]

I believe since the start of the Big 12 SMU is 1-9 vs. teams from the conference. Let's hope Hart skipped over that slide in the presentation.

[Stallion]

oh its much much worse than that-we're about 0-8 against both Tech and Baylor. TCU about 1-7 since they've joined. 0-4 against OSU. I guess A&M doesn't count but we haven't beaten them either

[Bergermeister]

"I guess you'll just have to keep beating yourself." Ty Webb

[LA_Mustang]

Stallion, you're right. I was thinking about in the JJ era even though the one win wasn't under JJ. He was something like 0-9 vs. the Big 12.

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

oh its much much worse than that-we're about 0-8 against both Tech and Baylor. TCU about 1-7 since they've joined. 0-4 against OSU. I guess A&M doesn't count but we haven't beaten them either

We also beat Kansas once, but other than that it's been a washout, and the average margin of defeat is somewhat disgraceful.

[smusportspage]

Just curious what the other AAC team's records are against the big XII during this time period you all are discussing.

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

Stallion, you're right. I was thinking about in the JJ era even though the one win wasn't under JJ. He was something like 0-9 vs. the Big 12.

Wasn't he 0-5 against the Service Academies? 0-4 against Navy and the Bowl loss to Army? Pitt may have been the closest thing to a signature OOC win.

Interesting sidenote, yesterday I read an article in the Baltimore newspaper that said the Big 12-2 should add Navy as a football only member, citing their on-field performance (12 bowl games in 13 years), drawing power, global fanbase, and strong academics. I've never heard anyone from Navy express any interest in changing conferences, but the article made a good case for them. If the Big 12 is considering BYU for football only, adding Navy would keep things geographically balanced, provide a close rival for WV, and keep the numbers manageable for basketball, with an even number of teams to split into divisions. It was an interesting idea, even though the academy hasnt expressed any desire to move.

[Balatro Diabolus Ex]

Just curious what the other AAC team's records are against the big XII during this time period you all are discussing.

Just a couple of games come to mind, UCF beat Baylor decisively a few years ago, when htey were the BCS buster. Houston beat Tech recently. There arent too many other crossover games, I think Tulsa gets beat by OU almost annually. Not sure if there are any other Big12/AAC regular matchups.

[ponyinNC]

Cincy UH and Memphis will all be playing a B12 schedule soon.

[Pony Boss]

Cincy UH and Memphis will all be playing a B12 schedule soon.

And you know this?

[ponyinNC]

I don't know it for certain. Only things I know for certain are death, taxes, and my wife screaming at me if I leave the toilet seat up.

But my best guess is those 3. Hope to be wrong and that SMU would be included, but I lost my pony-colored glasses.

[NTXCoog]

Just curious what the other AAC team's records are against the big XII during this time period you all are discussing.

Since the Big 12 began...

UH
0-1 vs Kansas (in bowl game 2005)
0-1 vs OU (2004)
2-1 vs Okie State (2006, 2008, 2009)
0-3 vs UT (2000-2002)
1-1 vs TT (2009-2010)

so 3-7 with no games against any Big 12 team in the last 5 years. In the last 10 years, UH is 3-2 vs Big 12.