The REAL SMU-HOUSTON COMPARISON

[fmced]

Much has been made of the fact that the win over Houston was the first win over a team ranked #11 or better since the 1983 Cotton Bowl win over Pitt. While certainly true, we were supposed to beat Pitt. While the sleet certainly held the score down, it also took our speed out of the game. We were probably a 10-point better team.

Let's go back a couple of years. Ron Meyer had been accumulating talented players, but 4 years had yet to produce a winning season. The talk was that Meyer needed a bowl trip to save his job. The season started off with some mild promise, 4 straight wins, but over NT, TCU (a different era), and UTA all at home and none showing that we were a team to be reckoned with. We went on the road and beat Tulane in an uninspiring fashion. Mike Ford was the QB and while we were winning, he was not showing the promise all were expecting. In the next two game games, we lost heartbreakers to Baylor and Houston and Mike had 8 INTs.

SMU now sat at 4-2. Texas was next, and with A&M,TT, and Ark upcoming, only Rice looked like a team we could beat. If it turned out that way, Meyer would surely be gone. Many fans lost faith and we only sent a minimal contingent to Austin of about 5 to 7K (even then we would rarely travel less than 3k, and many would go to Austin "just in case." What that group didn't know was that Meyer, feeling he was at the end of his rope, wound up turning to his true frosh QB Lance McIlhenny, ditched his QB-centric offense, and went to a Veer-option attack. Texas came in roaring, having climbed to No.2 in the nation on the strength of a season-opening win over #6 Ark and the week before over #12 OU. SMU was a double-digit underdog.

When the game started, and little #10 trotted out on the field, many bewildered fans thought SMU had given up, Meyer was insane or both. The first drive, Craig James ripped off two big runs and as SMU marched down the field, but missed a FG. Still, there was a feeling of non-belief as we kept fending off Goliath and when we took a 13-6 lead in the 3rd Q, there were 7000 pinch marks all over the east side of the stadium. A 20-6 victory was totally unsuspected, but it lit a fuse that exploded into the Pony Express and the rest was history. (Of course, Texas didn't give us their best shot because after all they had just beaten season-justifier OU, they could watch film of 2 desultory performances, so how could they possibly get up for SMU)

On the same weekend 36 years ago (Sept.25), there was the same feeling of disbelief in the stands until the final gun which awakened everyone from their dream to the realization that yes, SMU did indeed pull the upset. No guarantees that 2016-2018 will mimic 1980-1982. But just maybe all the suffering that SMU fans have endured for 30 years might be coming to an end. The Israelites wandered around in the desert for 40 years. Maybe the Methodists only have do 30.

[panhandle_pony]

Thanks for history lesson - a good read!

[mrydel]

It was a glorious game. I was on the 50 yard line in the middle of the rich alums. And I was obnoxious then. Not the sweet lovable guy I am today.

[gostangs]

I believe it was little number 11, not 10. Also - I don't recall a single word of doubt that Meyer would keep his job.

It was an amazing time and amazing game. Probably my favorite football game ever.

[Stallion]

Great game-great history but I think you are jumping the gun a few years.
That was Year 5 of the Ron Meyer tenure
This is Year 2 of the Chad Morris tenure

This was Chad Morris' first signature win
Ron Meyer's s first signature win was a 35-31 thriller in 1976 when Rickey Wesson and Emmanuel Tolbert lead SMU to a victory in Shreveport

Ron Meyer would tell you today that was one of the most important victories in the SMU rebuilding process because it gave concrete evidence that SMU was making progress and opened so many doors on the recruiting trail. SMU finished 3-8 that season but the victory over Arkansas made it a success and gave the program recruiting credibility. One of my most memorable games

Here's an excerpt from SI Vault:

"Arkansas' hopes of going to the Tangerine Bowl were dashed when Southern Methodist pulled off a 35-31 upset. SMU thus avoided setting a school record for consecutive losses by stopping its streak at seven. Mustang Quarterback Ricky Wesson tossed four seven-yard touchdown passes, three of them to Slotback Emanuel Tolbert, the other to Tight End Elton Garrett. Tailback Art Whittington set up one SMU score by returning a kickoff 92 yards. The Razorbacks committed 10 penalties, three blunting Arkansas drives, another three keeping SMU marches going. The only consolation for Arkansas was that sophomore Running Back Ben Cowins rushed for 147 yards to go past 1,000 for the season."

btw Ron Meyer's first signature win almost came earlier in 1976 when SMU almost beat 13th ranked UT before losing in the final minute 13-12 in Austin-that was a gut puncher-last time I actually shed little baby tears but the Arkansas win was the first signature win 4 years before SMU finally broke through in Year 5 of the Meyer tenure

This signature win will hopefully pay big dividends on the recruiting trail where UH is our primary rival in past 3 classes-most kids in these classes on both teams were recruited by both Morris and Herman

[crazy horse]

Loved beating UT in Austin. May every generation of Mustangs experience such joy!

Houston was a good win, and hopefully a sign of what is to come. I think our performance against Tulane this weekend will speak volumes as to where we are as program. Can we build from the victory and keep moving in a positive direction?

[Topper]

Great game-great history but I think you are jumping the gun a few years.
That was Year 5 of the Ron Meyer tenure
This is Year 2 of the Chad Morris tenure

This was Chad Morris' first signature win
Ron Meyer's s first signature win was a 35-31 thriller in 1976 when Rickey Wesson and Emmanuel Tolbert lead SMU to a victory in Shreveport

Ron Meyer would tell you today that was one of the most important victories in the SMU rebuilding process because it gave concrete evidence that SMU was making progress and opened so many doors on the recruiting trail. SMU finished 3-8 that season but the victory over Arkansas made it a success and gave the program recruiting credibility. One of my most memorable games

Here's an excerpt from SI Vault:

"Arkansas' hopes of going to the Tangerine Bowl were dashed when Southern Methodist pulled off a 35-31 upset. SMU thus avoided setting a school record for consecutive losses by stopping its streak at seven. Mustang Quarterback Ricky Wesson tossed four seven-yard touchdown passes, three of them to Slotback Emanuel Tolbert, the other to Tight End Elton Garrett. Tailback Art Whittington set up one SMU score by returning a kickoff 92 yards. The Razorbacks committed 10 penalties, three blunting Arkansas drives, another three keeping SMU marches going. The only consolation for Arkansas was that sophomore Running Back Ben Cowins rushed for 147 yards to go past 1,000 for the season."

btw in 1976 SMU almost also beat UT in Austin when they were ranked No. 13 -think UT scored in final minute-that was a gut puncher-last time I actually shed little baby tears but the Arkansas win was the first signature win 3 years before they finally broke through in Year 5 of the Meyer tenure

This signature win will hopefully pay big dividends on the recruiting trail where UH is our primary rival in past 3 classes-most kids in these classes on both teams were recruited by both Morris and Herman

Stallion, I was at that '76 UT game. We scored on a Wesson TD pass with just a few seconds left in the game to pull within a point. Ron decided to go for the win and the two point attempt failed.

[Stallion]

that's right-I had thought UT scored last but SMU missed on the 2 point conversion

[SoCal_Pony]

I believe it was little number 11, not 10. Also - I don't recall a single word of doubt that Meyer would keep his job.

It was an amazing time and amazing game. Probably my favorite football game ever.

Correct, 11, not 10.

I too don't recall Meyer's job being in jeopardy, I do recall RM & SMU had Mustang Mania, which gave the team a real buzz around the city.

Also, a couple of years prior, Mike Ford led SMU to a victory over Florida on the road, almost beat a very talented Penn St on the road, and then, if memory serves me well, a missed FG at the buzzer prevented us from beating Ohio St on the road (we ended up tied 35-35). Quite a 3 week stretch, which along with the unreal recruiting, IMO provided RM plenty of job security.

[mrydel]

We jumped early on the conversion and got and illegal procedure penalty so had a 7 yard 2 point try. Also, the play we scored the touchdown was that special play you keep for when you need it to win. Had we been able to score on the previous play we would have had the special play for the 2 pointer. And no I do not remember the plays, just the circumstances.

[Topper]

I believe it was little number 11, not 10. Also - I don't recall a single word of doubt that Meyer would keep his job.

It was an amazing time and amazing game. Probably my favorite football game ever.

Correct, 11, not 10.

I too don't recall Meyer's job being in jeopardy, I do recall RM & SMU had Mustang Mania, which gave the team a real buzz around the city.

Also, a couple of years prior, Mike Ford led SMU to a victory over Florida on the road, almost beat a very talented Penn St on the road, and then, if memory serves me well, a missed FG at the buzzer prevented us from beating Ohio St on the road (we ended up tied 35-35). Quite a 3 week stretch, which along with the unreal recruiting, IMO provided RM plenty of job security.

That 1-1-1 road trip won us a lot of credibility with the national press, including the game we lost to Penn State after beating them up pretty badly on the field. It always saddened me that Mike Ford, who was and is a great guy, didn't develop into a consistent performer. He had some great games early in his college career. Went on to play pro for the San Antonio Gunslingers.

[Stallion]

Ohio St. had no idea how to stop Mike Ford and SMU kicked Ohio St.'s [deleted] all over the field that day-22 hour road trip for that one

2 quietest stadiums I ever walked out of were that one in Columbus and another tie in the Alamodome when Ramon Flannigan and SMU tied No. 7 ranked Texas A&M 21-21 in another game where we missed a last second FG

[SoCal_Pony]

I believe it was little number 11, not 10. Also - I don't recall a single word of doubt that Meyer would keep his job.

It was an amazing time and amazing game. Probably my favorite football game ever.

Correct, 11, not 10.

I too don't recall Meyer's job being in jeopardy, I do recall RM & SMU had Mustang Mania, which gave the team a real buzz around the city.

Also, a couple of years prior, Mike Ford led SMU to a victory over Florida on the road, almost beat a very talented Penn St on the road, and then, if memory serves me well, a missed FG at the buzzer prevented us from beating Ohio St on the road (we ended up tied 35-35). Quite a 3 week stretch, which along with the unreal recruiting, IMO provided RM plenty of job security.

That 1-1-1 road trip won us a lot of credibility with the national press, including the game we lost to Penn State after beating them up pretty badly on the field. It always saddened me that Mike Ford, who was and is a great guy, didn't develop into a consistent performer. He had some great games early in his college career. Went on to play pro for the San Antonio Gunslingers.

That's right Topper, we outplayed Penn St that day.

Also, just looked it up. When SMU laid 35 points on Ohio St, outside of a Rose Bowl loss to USC, no team had scored more points on Ohio St since Purdue scored 42 points on them in 1967. It was an amazing display by Mike Ford.

[Stallion]

Art Schlichter was the QB for Ohio St who later was accused of shaving points-but on that day is was the Ohio St. defense that couldn't contain SMU

[mrydel]

Chuck Hixson had a record breaking day against Ohio State in 1968 also.