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This is a new day in Mustang Athletics. We expect to win! Having said that, a great effort and a loss is not a bad thing either. Bowl games at this early stage are a reward for the players, coaches, parents, administrators and yes, those loyal fans and students! A win is icing on the cake. Go Mustangs!

Losers have a hard time getting rid of their loser mentality. Being satisfied by simply getting there is a loser's metality. Fan or otherwise.

Are we guaranteed to win the bowl game? No but you don't go into anything saying its okay if we lose long before the event takes place.

I have yet in my long life seen where a fan's expectation made a difference in a win or loss. All I am saying is that from a fan stand point I do not think you should go into this game with the same attitude as a regular season. These young men are going where none of them have been before. A rah rah win one for the Doaker is not going to help.

I expect us to play hard and be competitive in the bowl game. That being said, I also think we should win. If this season has taught us one thing, its that these are not "the same ol mustangs". Win or lose, Im pumped about next year and the overall future of the program. Then again Im a sunshiner.

I think the older SMU guys that played in Bowls will tell you..the extra three to four weeks of practice is extremely beneficial, especially to a young team like ours as it gives the young guys more time to work on the fundamentals, work on position technique, get physically stronger and work as well on the game plan for the opponent, with some new plays, gadgets etc. But most important in a mid-major team like SMU that has limited position depth, it gives the banged up guys time to heal up, get stronger and be really fresh for the bowl game. And for a red shirt that was lost with our Freshman DB McConico, it gives him/them time to work more with the defensive first team and against the first team offense and their speed and techniques.

This is a good point considering the new athletic academic policies.

We know that JJ does not tolerate poor academics. So, I suspect if anyone has been neglecting their studies, they'd have been benched by now, and further will be left home from any bowl trip.

awesome...maybe the athletic department can help him out with that.

Speaking of eligibility...what if a player has graduated prior to the bowl game? Is he still a student athlete? Is he eligible for the bowl game?

PK wrote:Speaking of eligibility...what if a player has graduated prior to the bowl game? Is he still a student athlete? Is he eligible for the bowl game?

Not sure, but if necessary could be admitted to grad school.

I am pretty sure that someone in that situation would be eligible because a new semester hasn't started.

You'd be in trouble if they aren't eligible since Emmanuel is one of the December graduates!

I believe the NCAA passed a rule that once grades are posted you can't play if you are ineligible. That's to combat the Byron Hanspards of the world who basically quit going to class when they know they are turning pro. Its pretty common for teams to have players ruled ineligible so study study study.

The PonyGrad wrote:

PK wrote:Speaking of eligibility...what if a player has graduated prior to the bowl game? Is he still a student athlete? Is he eligible for the bowl game?

Not sure, but if necessary could be admitted to grad school.

Any player that graduates in December is eligible to play in the bowl game.

The only requirements the NCAA has on last semester players is they take however many hours they need to graduate. Upon graduation, they are eligible to play in a postseason game.