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SMU is ranked in The Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since the football program received the so-called death penalty for NCAA rules violations in 1987 and did not compete for two seasons.

The 5-0 Mustangs entered the poll at No. 24 after winning 48-21 at USF on Saturday. They're off to the school's best overall start since 1983, with three road wins under their belt after also winning at Arkansas State and TCU, which was ranked No. 25 at the time.

SMU's appearance in the rankings is historic, considering where the program has been. After returning from the death penalty in 1989, the Mustangs managed one winning season (6-5 in 1997) over the next 20 years.

The program saw an uptick under June Jones in 2009-12, going to four consecutive bowl games and topping out at eight victories. There has been only one winning season since.

But under second-year coach Sonny Dykes, the Mustangs are playing their best ball since the Pony Express days of Eric Dickerson and Craig James in the early 1980s.

"Given our history, SMU's history, being a very successful program for a long time like it was in the '70s and '80s, and then obviously having the death penalty, it's just been a long climb back," Dykes said Sunday. "I think it probably means more to our fan base and the SMU people than it does to others because it has been a long climb back. I think it gives our program some credibility."

SMU is not a national championship contender like it was back in its heyday, but the Mustangs head into the second month of the season looking like a team that should push for an American Athletic Conference crown. An influx of transfers, including quarterback Shane Buechele from Texas and linebacker and leading tackler Richard McBryde from Auburn has helped the rise.

Dykes said SMU has 65 new players, including scholarship freshman, walk-ons and transfers.

"When you have an influx of that many new people, it can mess your culture up a little bit," Dykes said. "That's what I worried about a little bit."

https://www.espn.com/college-football/s ... th-penalty

I'd say we're doing fine with culture.

death penalty you say. just when I had forgotten about it.
its our cross to bear. will always be a footnote.
no one associated with those infractions has been here since. good riddance.
its a new day.

I like the Dallas uniforms and tripleD helmets. Makes the announcers talk about Dallas rather than SMU and the death penalty. Brilliant idea IMO. Do it as much as possible without [deleted] off the blue hairs. Also awesome that the mayor is a fan.

MM65 is the only person I have heard to trash the Dallas unis. As far as this blue hair, I think it is the best promotion since Mustang Mania. Which, of course was handled by today’s blue hairs.

We will know SMU has arrived and experienced sustained winning when Death Penalty doesn't enter the lexicon in a write-up or TV package/broadcast.

SmooBoy wrote:We will know SMU has arrived and experienced sustained winning when Death Penalty doesn't enter the lexicon in a write-up or TV package/broadcast.

I would love for that to be the case, but I think there will always be haters that unfortunately like to tear us down when ever we start to have a little sunshine.

And from the Bleacher Report:
B/R Week 5 Top 25

1. Alabama
2. LSU
T-3. Clemson
T-3. Ohio State
5. Oklahoma
6. Georgia
7. Auburn
8. Wisconsin
T-9. Notre Dame
T-9. Penn State
11. Texas
12. Florida
13. Washington
14. Oregon
15. Iowa
16. Boise State
T-17. SMU*
T-17. UCF*
19. Wake Forest
20. Arizona State
21. Utah
22. Memphis*
23. Oklahoma State
24. Appalachian State
T-25. Baylor
T-25. Minnesota

in the irony of ironies California now allows players to get paid.

For the time being I'm glad we are getting "first time since", that means improvement. And it will be nice when we are at a new plateau where we are past "first time since".

The PonyGrad wrote:For the time being I'm glad we are getting "first time since", that means improvement. And it will be nice when we are at a new plateau where we are past "first time since".

Every article this week mentions the Death penalty. Every article about our bowl game etc. this year will mention the death penalty. However, next year, I’m thinking the death penalty mentions finally start to go away.

PNW_Stang wrote:

The PonyGrad wrote:For the time being I'm glad we are getting "first time since", that means improvement. And it will be nice when we are at a new plateau where we are past "first time since".

Every article this week mentions the Death penalty. Every article about our bowl game etc. this year will mention the death penalty. However, next year, I’m thinking the death penalty mentions finally start to go away.

It's like that birthmark on the Russians head it aint going nowhere.

Why try to fight it , embrace who you are.
I think we should have death penalty uniforms With Sculls on our helmets.

One Trick Pony wrote:

PNW_Stang wrote:

The PonyGrad wrote:For the time being I'm glad we are getting "first time since", that means improvement. And it will be nice when we are at a new plateau where we are past "first time since".

Every article this week mentions the Death penalty. Every article about our bowl game etc. this year will mention the death penalty. However, next year, I’m thinking the death penalty mentions finally start to go away.

It's like that birthmark on the Russians head it aint going nowhere.

Why try to fight it , embrace who you are.
I think we should have death penalty uniforms With Sculls on our helmets.

For many who were pre-DP it becomes kind of a badge of honor. I just shrug and say "Hey, I was there for Dave Smith all the way to the DP....it's all true. And we kicked [deleted]."

I started following the Mustangs avidly as a young teenager. I remember being very excited when we got Mike Ford. And I'll never forget the Dallas Times Herald sports section on the Blue Chips that Ron Meyer had signed. That was a different level of amazing. Wish I'd kept that paper.

Wear the death penalty proudly...it's part of our history and the fact is we cheated better than anyone in college football in those days. At one point, I thought Rice would be SWC Champions by default because EVERYONE was dirty.