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CBS Sportsline ranks us 116 out of 117.

Was this what Copeland had in mind by "The Commitment" when Bennett was hired 3 years ago?

Was this the vision of where SMU Football would be by this point at the time Bennett was hired?

Would Bennett have been hired had everyone known that 31 games in, Bennett would have the team at 4-27 and ranked 116 out of 117?

Is it wrong for fans and supporters to expect improvement instead of digression from the Cavan era by this point?

Remember, this is a young team.

I know you are trying to be funny...but your statement is correct. Coach Burns came here after coaching the Cincinnati Bearcats offense in a very successful manner...the difference can probably be attribute to the difference in the experience level of the Cincinnati team and the SMU team.

Last year everyone was moaning about the fact that practically every play was KK and a cloud of dust. Well this year we have had a lot more diverse play calling and we have moved the ball fairly well until we make one of our all too familer mistakes...five turn overs and the false starts will kill you.

PK wrote:Well this year we have had a lot more diverse play calling and we have moved the ball fairly well until we make one of our all too familer mistakes...five turn overs and the false starts will kill you.

Let's not forget the role the absent of talent on defense plays in killing us. Our defensive line cannot stop the run or pressure the passer, the two things a defensive line are supposed to do.

Our defensive collapses have reached new levels as well as turnovers.

Of 117 IA teams SMU is
116 in Scoring
112 in Rush defense
115 in total defense
112 in Scoring defense
114 in Net punting
117 thats dead last in turnover margin

Not that this is any better, but there are 119 teams in Div I-A this year.

SMU in Bennett's third season is a Division I-AA team playing a I-A schedule. Catch some of the Southland action on the Fox Sports cable channels. Tell me that Northwestern State, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin could not give the Mustangs a run for their money if not beat them straight up. One thing for sure, all three could score on a team that has allowed 289 points in seven games -- 60 points more than last year.

stang fan wrote:

Not that this is any better, but there are 119 teams in Div I-A this year.

Not according to CBS Sportsline. Only Central Florida is ranked worse than SMU.

There are 117 teams and one provisional - Fla. Atlantic. That team is not included in the rankings of the NCAA stats.

stang_fan wrote:Not that this is any better, but there are 119 teams in Div I-A this year.

Florida International and Florida Atlantic are only provisional members. There is a 4 year process for moving up to DIA. They are both somewhere in the middle of it. This means that they don't play a full IA schedule and they aren't considered IA for purposes of bowl eligibility, etc. I believe both will eventually be in the Sun Belt.

FAU - 6 IA games (5 Sun Belt, 1 WAC)
FIU - 3 IA games (3 Sun Belt)

(I'm not saying they couldn't beat us)