Is TTU game the most important in JJ's tenure at SMU?

[ponyinNC]

I don't like getting all dramatic. And if I am wrong, then so be it.

But...would it be wrong to state that this might be the biggest game in June's tenure at SMU?

It is our first game of the season, in a BCS conference (this year anyway), at home, on ESPN, against an old SWC rival that on paper is very beatable.

We crap the bed here against a Texas SWC rival, just like the Baylor and TAMU opening games before, and I can see the CofC saying "what the heck are we paying for"?

It's time to break through that 6-7 win barrier. It is time to actually beat some quality BCS programs. It is time to make noise and carry the momentum and publicity that the basketball recruiting has given us lately, and move that into the football realm.

Pony up! Wreck Tech!!

[JoeKidd]

I would agree that it is the most important game of not only his tenure, but on the road to get our program back where we all want it to be. With that said, this game is our ours!

[Pony ^]

this is the most beatable team we have played in the first game (Aggy, Baylor). If we get blown out in this one it would be very discouraging and a sign of things to come for the rest of the season

[The PonyGrad]

May be essential just to keep that bowl thing going.

[Water Pony]

I agree that beating TT is both essential for this year, but a statement game against a quality team in a Power conference, especially with the game being played on ESPN Friday night.

A Win gives us momentum for the season, raises expectations against the Frogs and alerts the media that we are a rising and competitive team in the new American Athletic Conference.

[smusportspage]

It is important. I refuse to be a Debbie Downer and say if we loose this game all is lost. Of course I would love to see a win. More importantly, that is accomplished by coming out firing on all cylinders. No playing soft the first game.

[Hoop Fan]

Very important game. Can jj out coach a young punk newbie in KK?
will be interesting. Honestly this is the game and opportunity we hired JJ for.

[mustangxc]

I do think it is a crucial game, but to that end I think the game against Rutgers is more important. Similar level of competition, but a conference game so it plays a bigger role in determining our bowl destination. Keep in mind Rutgers is a P5 team going forward so we get the claim of beating a P5 team regardless.

[Treadway21]

It sets the tone for the season. Get blown out and everyone says AAC is the CUSA redux and same old SMU. It won't matter what we do in conference, because everyone in Texas will be judging us and the conference by how we do against Tech and TCU.

I think it has huge attendance implications as well. We need some momentum at the beginning of the season as opposed to the end of the season.

[Stallion]

Bigger than a Hawaii Bowl?-surely you josh

[Hoop Fan]

What is the biggest win jj has had at ford? Houston?
The tcu road win was fantastic and bowl wins were fun, but the program and
the student body need a big win on campus.

[Grant Carter]

What is the biggest win jj has had at ford? Houston?
The tcu road win was fantastic and bowl wins were fun, but the program and
the student body need a big win on campus.

I would have thought ECU a few years back to clinch the first bowl in a couple decades.

[Billy Joe]

We need this win pretty bad if we want to keep the bowl streak alive. The non-conference schedule is as tough as anyone in the country. I guess we can thank Orsini for the brutal scheduling. Montana St. is no easy win. It would be nice to have an easier non-conference schedule going into the conference games. Snyder at K-State when he first arrived there eased up the schedule to get wins. We need to do the same here. 4-0 non-conference against easier teams and a few wins to start your conference play will get you ranked. 0-4 or 1-3 against BCS conference teams destroys morale and does not get you ranked. It is unrealistic to think we can consistently compete with BCS conference teams when those teams have big-time advantages in recruiting, facilities and funding. Getting out of non-conference at 2-2 would be a big positive.

[Stallion]

TCU was easily biggest win. The rest barely raised an eyebrow in Texas

[mustang1108]

What is the biggest win jj has had at ford? Houston?
The tcu road win was fantastic and bowl wins were fun, but the program and
the student body need a big win on campus.

I would have thought ECU a few years back to clinch the first bowl in a couple decades.

That was against UTEP to become bowl eligible and that probably was his biggest win just because it got us to a bowl game. However, we also had 2 more games after had we lost to become bowl eligible. I think one of his most underrated home win was the game against Tulsa this past year. To beat the team that had already clinched the West and we absolutely had to win the game to go to a bowl. I think had we lost that game and missed out on a bowl I think the attitude toward June and the football program would have been a little different.