From 1981 Thru 1984 SMU Was 41 - 5 - 1?

[RobertCleese77]

Hi,

I'm watching ESPN 30 for 30 The Pony Excess and at the 2:35 mark i the film this is what it stated :

From 1981 Thru 1984 SMU Was 41 - 5 - 1.

They were the best team in college football.

Was that true?

I knew they were good and I had a lot of respect for them but I don't know if a team can be called the best if they didn't win any titles.

The story hinges on the talents of some guys named Eric Dickerson and Craig James .... I hear they were really good!

[Arkpony]

Not good....GREAT!

[BUS]

Check my numbers but this team was SUPER GOOD.

22 starters
82 or 83 Pro draft
20 Seniors and 18 taken in draft.
The draft had more rounds than now.

Those teams were loaded.

[No Quarter]

I was a long way from Dallas and Texas then, as I am today. My memory is that the several services like Rival and Scout had not started. My information about recruiting came from the off season newsletters and small issues of DCTF before the big summer issue. There were times before the Pony Express years when SMU signed only few players on the top prospects lists although I think Hayden Fry did identify players who eventually performed well - DITR in a way that most of JJs projects were not.

It changed in the eighties. I was on the same airplane to Dallas once with a Forty-Niners coach and he was talking about the Dickerson-James class. Frank Gifford called the squad "awesome" one night on MNF. It was fun to read about SMU football.

The result was what BUS mentioned.

Since Chad Morris arrived it has started to be fun again.

[1983 Cotton Bowl]

Wow! Talk about throwing out some easy red meat for this crowd! Are we sure the poster isn't Ponyte or Stallion in disguise!?

[SMUPhil]

When they say "the best", I think it is because over those 4 seasons, no team had a better record. Sure other teams won the NC during that team, but SMU was consistently at the top for several seasons in a row.

[ojaipony]

They were the best but couldn't really prove because their best year/team was banned to play in a bowl for the natty. Then we should have been the natty when we beat Marino's Pitt. Would have been 2 championships in 3 years. And we ran up that record in the SWC which was probably if not THE best conference, very close to it. We were playing powerhouses every week, some of which were natty contenders themselves like Texas.

[Charleston Pony]

I seem to recall the group that finished # 2 behind Paterno's Penn State team (only common opponent was Dan Marion's Pitt team that we both beat) had something like 14 guys go on to play in the NFL. Not sure how many Penn State had, but I thought we were as good as anyone that year

[BUS]

Was then
Is Now and.. More than likely , will be forever.
Politics

SMU needs to focus on supporting CM and get back to playing the big boys - AND BEATING THEM.

Make you own destiny.

[bubba pony]

my memory was we were undefeated with one tie. Penn State had one lost, they gave the national companionship to Joe Paterno because they left he was due.

[Digetydog]

In 1987 and 1988, we were undefeated!

[Stallion]

Undefeated, Untied and Unscored Upon

The Perfect Seasons

[lwjr]

Best team money could buy.

[Treadway21]

Undefeated, Untied and Unscored Upon

The Perfect Seasons

Excellent.

[Arkpony]

Best team money could buy.

Someone is STILL using this?!