The "glory days" of SMU football

[LonghornFan68]

What were they? I've heard tales of Mustang Mania and teams that made the likes of Texas look like ragdolls. However, you look at the all-time wins list and SMU is near the middle. In fact, if you look purely at all-time records, SMU is barely a blip on the radar. However, I know there were some REALLY good years in recent past.

I know about the Death Penalty and I know about SMU in recent years, but I don't know much about the past. Educate me, por favor.

***Disclaimer - this post is completely serious and is in no way intended to be trash talk of any sort***

[MustangSally]

Here's a quick rundown, as I understand it:

1920's: Coach Ray Morrison helps put SMU on the map by really utilizing the forward pass. I believe SMU had a 9-0 season in the 20's.

1930's: Coach Matty Bell leads the helm as #1 SMU takes on #2 TCU in a huge game in Ft Worth, SMU wins. Both teams throwing a lot, TCU may have had Slingin Sammy Baugh at this point. Exciting gameplay (again, forward pass) really helps put Texas/SWC football on the national scene. SMU is declared national champs after an undefeated regular season, gets invite to 1936 Rose Bowl (only team from Texas to play in the RB until last year)

1940's: After the war, SMU makes huge strides with Doak Walker and Kyle Rote. Home games played in the Cotton Bowl, which is expanded twice to make room for the huge crowds there to see the ponies and Doak, hence "the house that Doak built". Some people would probably consider this the "glory years" of SMU football, the big football hero, pre-TV days, only game in town.

50's and 60's- strong teams with players like Kyle Rote, Don Meredith, Jerry Levias, especially under Hayden Fry

70's - nothing big until 76 when coach Ron Meyer gets on the scene and changes the whole program, bringing glitz, marketing, and unfortunately payments to players.

80's - the other "glory years", teams with Dickerson and James in the backfield, beating UT in Austin in consecutive games there, nationally ranked in the top 5. Finish 1982 undefeated, with a tie against Arkansas, ranked 2nd. The money is pouring in, at one point I think every men's team was ranked in the top 25, university rankings are up, new buildings around campus, blah blah blah. I think from 80-84, no team in the nation won more games than SMU, and I believe those 5 seasons had a total of 5 losses. It all came crashing down in 86, and then you know the DP story of 87-now

I'm sure some of this is wrong, but that's the bulk that stuck in my head.

[LonghornFan68]

Nice. I'm sure others will have more to add.

[EastStang]

Actually, the payola was going on in the early '70's when I was at SMU. The 70's would have been a good time for SMU if there had been as many bowl games as there are today. I think for my four years, we would have been bowl eligible in three of them under current formulae. We finished in the top half of the SWC virtually every year except my senior year (Dave Smith's last year at SMU). Unfortunately back then, you pretty much had the Cotton Bowl and if you weren't the champion, you were out of luck.

[No Cal Pony]

actuall, payola was everywhere since, oh, the 1930s. that's another issue.

i became a fan during the days of dandy Don. I din't think of going to SMU, but was aware of the school. That all changed during the '79 - '82 era. Off to the big D i went from the LA area.

Go Ponies!

[Mexmustang]

I thought the responses were great! I would add a few things. First, even in the down years, which occured even in the late 60's and 70's, under Hayden, you could could never count the ponies out. Every year they could be counted on for a major upset, a tie or scaring the hell out of a top ten team. Rarely, were the teams blown out, even when they were, the season wasn't over and a major upset seemed to occur two weeks later. These teams seemed to be able to score on anyone. In terms of recruiting we always seemed to snag several of the best in the state, just not enough.

[PlanoStang]

In the 60s don't forget the 32-28 win over #2 Navy with Roger Staubach.
14-14 tie with #1 Purdue. Won the SWC Championship in 66, and was ranked in the top 10. In 68, we beat OU in the Astro-Bluebonnet Bowl.
John Lagrone, and Jerry LeVias were All-Americas during the time period.

[MustangSally]

I remember reading a little story in some book, can't remember, doubt it was that SMU Reflections book...anyways, it was a story from the 20s or 30s when the team was travelling up to play someone in the Northeast. They talked about how they stopped at several schools along the way to recruit ringers for the single game. Also it talked about in those days it was hard to pin down who was actually a student at these schools, and tons of hired help ended up playing on teams. Isn't Purdue the boilermakers because they used to recruit players from local factories?

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

One other note - during all of the "glory year" eras the Ponies were not wearing navy helmets.