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Head CoachÂ
Chad Morris At Weekly Luncheon - Nov. 15, 2016
VIDEO: Offensive Coordinator Joe Craddock
VIDEO: Defensive Coordinator Van Malone
VIDEO: WR Courtland Sutton
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 SETTING THE SCENE |
•SMU returns to the Hilltop to host [rv/rv] USF Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on CBS Sports Network. The Mustangs are looking to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2012.
•The Mustangs rebounded from a tough loss against Memphis in week 10 to defeat East Carolina 55-31 on the road to record their third road win of the season last week.
•SMU's defense forced five turnovers (two fumbles and three INTs) against the Pirates and had a season-high 28 points off of turnovers (4 TDs). The defense was led by senior defensive back Horace Richardson who was named AAC Defensive Player of the Week after returning two interceptions for touchdowns in the Mustangs' victory. Richardson became the first SMU player with multiple defensive TDs in a game since Alvin Nnabuife recorded two fumble returns for TDs on Nov. 13, 2004. Richardson leads the squad with six INTs and is tied for second in the FBS.
•SMU has 17 INTs, which is tied for second among all FBS schools. SMU is the only FBS school with three players (Horace Richardson (6), Darrion Millines (5), Jordan Wyatt (4)) with four picks or more. SMU is also tied for third in the country in takeaways with 23 (six fumble recoveries). In 2015, SMU gained just 10 turnovers all season.
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 THE SERIES - ALL-TIME VS. USF (1-2) |
•SMU and [rv/rv] USF will meet for just the fourth time, with the Bulls holding a 2-1 lead. The series between the two programs is relatively new, with the first meeting coming in 2013 when the Mustangs won on the road, 16-6. However, the Bulls have won the last two meetings, including a one-point win (14-13) in Dallas in 2014 and a 38-14 victory last season in Tampa, Fla.
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 ABOUT THE BULLS |
•[rv/rv] USF is tied for first place in the AAC East standings with a 5-1 record in conference play and 8-2 record overall after a 49-42 victory at Memphis last week. The Bulls' two losses have come to then-ranked [13/14] Florida State in week four and in week eight against Temple. USF is averaging 44.0 points per game which is first in The American and 10th in FBS.
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 THE COACHES |
•Chad Morris is in his second season at the SMU helm, arriving on the Hilltop after five seasons as an offensive coordinator (Tulsa (2010); Clemson (2011-14)). Prior to his stint in college, Morris was a high school coach in Texas for 16 seasons, posting a 169-38 record. In his final prep stop, Morris led Lake Travis High School to back-to-back 16-0 state championship seasons in 2008 and 2009. In his first season on the Hilltop, Morris engineered an offensive turnaround, as the Mustangs increased their scoring output by 16.7 points per game – the second-largest increase in the nation in 2015. His career record stands at 7-15.
•Willie Taggart is in his fourth season at USF. Taggart has USF bowl eligible for the second consecutive year with an 8-2 record. His career record stands at 38-46.
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 LAST TIME VS. USF |
Quinton Flowers rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns, helping South Florida defeat SMU 38-14, on Oct. 24, 2015.
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 THE DEAL WITH THE TEAL |
Saturday's game will also carry special significance to the program in its quest to raise awareness of sexual and domestic violence.
The team will wear ribbons on their helmets to help publicize the cause and Brenda Tracy, rape survivor and activist who travels the country speaking about ways to eliminate sexual violence on campuses, will participate in the coin toss before the game.
Tracy addressed the football team in August, telling players how they can raise awareness. She will be speaking to all SMU student-athletes on Sunday.
Coach Morris said it was important for players to be involved in the process, adding that they have taken it to heart. He said he has been an advocate for the cause with the American Football Coaches of America.
"We've got such a huge platform to make a difference," he said. "It's got to start with men, so we're starting the trend; just raising awareness. We've got a great opportunity to do that."
The "Not On My Campus" will be promoting the game and cause to all SMU students leading up to the event, as well as distributing Not On My Campus stickers to fraternities and sororities prior to the game. They will also be using their connections with other campus organizations to promote the game and will distribute the stickers to tailgaters. They will also have a table in the concourse for the game.
SMU "Not On My Campus" t-shirts will be available in the concourse during the game and are offered in exchange for a donation.
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 LAYIN' DOWN THE LAW |
Junior defensive end Justin Lawler currently ranks third in The American in sacks with 6.0 and has 11.0 in his career. Lawler was named to Dave Campbell's 2016 All-Texas College Team and the Athlon Sports and Phil Steele All-AAC preseason squads.
Lawler anchors the Mustang defense and leads the team in TFL (12.0) and is second in tackles (58). His 3.5 sacks against North Texas is tied for the third-best FBS individual game effort this year. He recorded his second career blocked FG against Liberty, the first for SMU since the 2015 home finale. In week six, Lawler registered his second blocked FG of the season and third of his career. Lawler is one of 19Â players in FBS with two or more blocked kicks this season.
The Pottsboro, Texas, native has helped the Mustangs on both sides of the ball during his career on the Hilltop, appearing in some goal-line offensive sets in 2014, catching a two-point conversion at Tulsa and hauling in a three-yard touchdown reception against USF.
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 ALL OF A SUTTON |
Sophomore Courtland Sutton was named to the 2016 Biletnikoff Award Watch List and was tabbed preseason All-AAC by Athlon Sports.
The Brenham, Texas, native was also named to the 2015 Biletnikoff Award Watch List during a stellar freshman campaign where he was named to the USA Today Sports Freshman All-America Team following a standout first season on the Hilltop.      Â
In 2015, Sutton recorded team highs in catches (49), yards (862) and touchdowns (9). His 15 receptions of 20+ yards or more led all returning wide receivers entering 2016 and the 862 receiving yards set an SMU freshman record, besting the previous mark by 173 yards. His nine receiving touchdowns also tied the freshman mark set by former Mustang great, Super Bowl 50 champion and current Denver Bronco Emmanuel Sanders.
Sutton had a great week one at UNT, earning AAC Honor Roll accolades and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention after posting four catches for 162 yards and three touchdowns, including a career-long 88-yard TD reception, the fifth-longest pass play in SMU history. His 162 yards on just four catches against UNT were the most yards on four grabs for a Mustang since 1998.
Sutton registered six catches for 112 yards and a touchdown in week two at Baylor to become the first Mustang since 2008 to open the season with four TDs in his first two games along with NFL-ers Aldrick Robinson and Emmanuel Sanders.
Sutton recorded five catches for 113 yards in week four against TCU to pick up his third 100-yard receiving game of the season and sixth of his career.
In week eight against [11/11] Houston, Sutton had seven receptions for 83 yards with a touchdown to give him 14 for his career.
Following the East Carolina game, Sutton earned AAC Honor Roll and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention accolades again after setting career-highs in receptions (12) and receiving yards (166) with two TDs in the Mustangs' 55-31 victory against the Pirates. He currently has 1,823 receiving yards in his career, which moves him into 13th place in school history.
On the year, Sutton has 57 receptions for 934 yards and his 93.4 yards per game currently ranks 20th in the country. Sutton has seven touchdowns in 10 games and has 16 for his career, which moves him into 7th place in program history.
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 GO WEST, YOUNG MAN |
SMU sophomore running back and return man Braeden West was named preseason All-AAC by Athlon Sports and selected to ProFootballFocus's All-G5 preseason squad.
West put together a spectacular performance in the home opener against Liberty in week three, rushing for a career-high 220 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, including a career-long 66-yard TD run, the longest run for SMU since 2012.
The Katy, Texas, native's 220-yard rushing performance against the Flames ranks fifth in program history and is currently the 26th-best rushing total in an FBS game this season and is the third-best for a player in The American. His 9.2 YPC average for the game is the seventh best in FBS this season (min: 20 attempts). For his play, he was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll and earned Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention.
It was the first 200-yard game at SMU since Zach Line was 30-202 with a touchdown vs. Marshall in 2010 and the first 200-plus yard, multiple-TD performance since ShanDerrick Charles was 27-212 with four TDs vs. UTEP in 2001.
At Tulsa, West racked up 124 rushing yards and a TD on 22 carries to give him his second 100-yard game of the season.
Against [11/11] Houston, West had another stellar performance with 115 rushing yards and a TD on only 18 carries to give him his second-consecutive 100-yard game and third of the season.
At Tulane, West had 119 yards and two TDs on 22 carries for his third-consecutive 100-yard game and fourth of the season. Down 10 in the fourth quarter, West rushed for two TDs in the final 6:24 to lead the Mustangs to victory.
West had 20 carries for 104 yards at East Carolina to record his fifth 100-yard game of the season and his fourth in the past five games.
It also marked the 11th time in 22 career games that West has recorded 100+ all-purpose yards. His career high is 225 vs. Temple (11/6/15).
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 OFF THE BEN-CH |
SMU redshirt freshman quarterback Ben Hicks was thrust into a starting role after senior Matt Davis was lost for the season during the opener at UNT.
Hicks' first career completion was an 88-yard TD pass to Courtland Sutton. It was the fifth-longest pass play in SMU history, and longest for SMU since 2009.
Against [11/11] Houston, Hicks completed 16 of 31 passes for 228 yards and a career-high three TDs while rushing for another score in the win. For his play, he was named CBS Sports' Freshman of the Week and to the AAC and Tyler Rose Award Weekly Honor Roll and Davey O'Brien "Great 8" Quarterback list.
At Tulane, Hicks led the Mustangs from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to win 35-31 against the Green Wave. The Waco, Texas, native completed 16 of 31 passes for a career-high 302 yards with two TDs.
At East Carolina, Hicks was 18-30 passing for 235 yards with a career-high tying three TDs with no turnovers.
Hicks has steadily improved each week. In the last five games, he is averaging 19.6 completions per game and 238.8 yards per game. He has thrown 11 touchdowns and run for another in the stretch, scoring a 130.6 QBR.
Entering this week's game, Hicks' 2,219 yards passing ranks fourth among all freshman QBs in FBS and ranks 15th in program history.
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 BIG GAME JAMES |
Redshirt freshman wide receiver James Proche was named to the AAC Honor Roll and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention list after posting six catches for career-highs in both yards (164) and touchdowns (2) in the Mustangs' 35-31 victory at Tulane.
The Dallas native is second on the team in receptions (48) and third in all-purpose yards (922). Proche is second on the team in receiving yards (589) and touchdowns (5). The receiver has made his presence known as of late, scoring all five of his TDs in four of the last six games.
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 SAC-MAN FEVER |
Senior defensive end Jarvis Pruitt was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week and AAC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance against [11/11] Houston in week eight.
Pruitt recorded five tackles, including a career-high three sacks, and a fumble recovery in the Mustangs' 38-16 victory over the Cougars. The Houston native ranks second on the team in sacks with 4.5 on the season.
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 IMPROVED DEFENSE |
SMU had one of the toughest schedules last year facing off against five of the top 20 offenses in the country.Â
The defense made strides in the second half of the year, improving total defense by more than 125 yards per game aided by a over 100-yards-per-game improvement in passing defense.
First Six Games of 2015
570 yards/game Total Defense
273 yards/game Rushing Defense
297 yards/game Passing Defense
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Second Six Games of 2015
433 yards/game Total Defense
249 yards/game Rushing Defense
184 yards/game Passing Defense
The improvement continued in the 2016 season opener, as SMU held the UNT offense in check and recorded three picks in the win.
In game two, SMU held Baylor without a first half score, marking just the fourth time in the last 57 games that the Bears didn't have a TD in the opening 30 minutes. SMU also intercepted BU twice.
In game three, SMU had four interceptions against Liberty, the most by the Mustangs in a game since 2012.
In game four, SMU held TCU to six points in the first half, marking the second time this season the Mustangs have held a ranked opponent without a TD at half. SMU also registered another interception.
In game five, the Mustangs recorded three turnovers (2 interceptions and a fumble recovery) against Temple and held the Owls to only 124 yards passing.
In game six, SMU had four sacks, a blocked FG and an interception against Tulsa.
In game seven, SMU defense had a season-high in both sacks (7) and TFLs (10) in a 38-16 win against [11/11] Houston, while also forcing two fumbles. The Mustangs held the Cougars to 62 rushing yards and just 16 points, their lowest single-game totals since 2014. UH was also held to their lowest totals in total offense and yards-per-carry since Tom Herman became head coach.
At East Carolina, SMU forced five turnovers (2 fumbles, 3 interceptions) in a 55-31 victory, which was the most takeaways since an SMU-record 10 takeaways in the 72-42 win vs. Houston on Nov. 18, 2012.
SMU has 17 interceptions total this season, which is tied for second in the FBS, and is currently tied for third in the country in takeaways with 23 (six fumble recoveries).
2016 Totals
436.3 yards/game Total Defense
175.2 yards/game Rushing Defense
261.1 yards/game Passing Defense
Last year, SMU yielded 43.3 points per game, giving up on average 630.5 yards of total offense (351 passing, 279.5 rushing). This season, those totals dramatically improved, as SMU is allowing just 32.5 points and 436.3 total yards (261.1 passing, 175.2 rushing). The biggest improvement has been on the ground. Last year, the 'Stangs allowed 6.9 YPC; this year, that number has improved to 4.30 YPC.
When evaluating SMU's D, one must keep in mind they have faced an average of 79.1 plays per game, the ninth-most in FBS.
While the Mustangs rank 86th in Total Defense, they're actually 56th in the country in yards per play allowed (5.52), which is easily in the top half of the country.
The Mustangs are 99th in passing yards allowed, but 41st in Yards/Att (6.80), and, more importantly, they're 44th in Passing Efficiency Defense. According to Phil Steele's Pass Efficiency Defense Rankings, which takes opponents passing strength into account, SMU is 29th in the country.
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 RICHARDSON, MILLINES, WYATT & ASSOCIATES |
It's not a law firm, it's SMU's defensive backfield. SMU is the only team in the country with three players with four interceptions. Horace Richardson, Darrion Millines, and Jordan Wyatt are three of only 42 players in the country with four or more INTs.
Richardson leads the squad with six interceptions and is tied for second in the FBS. He recorded two picks in week one at North Texas, one in week three vs. Liberty and one in week five at Temple. He was named AAC Defensive Player of the Week after his performance at East Carolina in week 11. The senior DB returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Mustangs 55-31 victory against the Pirates. He recorded SMU's third and fourth pick-sixes of the season (Wyatt has the other two). Richardson now has 10 INTs for his career.
Millines has had picks against UNT, Baylor and Tulsa and clinched the win at Tulane with an interception on the final play of the game. Millines recorded his fifth pick of the season at East Carolina and has eight for his career.
Wyatt registered back-to-back games with an interception as he picked off his first of the season at Baylor and then snagged two more against the Flames, including his first career pick-six that sealed the victory.Wyatt recorded his second pick-six of the season at Temple and now has four INTs on the season and six in his career.
Wyatt and Richardson are two of just eight players in the country who have two INT TDs or more this year.
Mustang defensive backs have been ballhawks this season, with five different players (Richardson (6), Millines (5), Wyatt (4), Clemons (1), Rhone (1)) notching interceptions. SMU is the only FBS school with three players with four or more picks in 2016.
SMU has multiple INTs in five games this season (3 at North Texas, 2 at Baylor, 4 vs. Liberty, 2 at Temple, 3 at East Carolina) and have had picks in eight out of 10 games overall.
SMU has 17 interceptions total this season, which is tied for second in the FBS, and is currently tied for third in the country in takeaways with 23 (six fumble recoveries).
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 EVEN EVAN |
A steadying force on the Mustang offensive line, Evan Brown was tabbed preseason All-AAC by Athlon Sports and was also named to the 2016 Fall Watch List for the Rimington Trophy. The award is given annually to the top center in FBS college football.  Â
Brown, who is a junior in 2016, started 22 games in his first two seasons on the Hilltop, mostly at right guard. The Southlake, Texas, native did start two games at center as a freshman in 2014.
Following the Tulsa game, Brown was named the Pro Football Focus Team of the Week. PFF said of Brown, "Brown continually found second-level linebackers to open holes for SMU runners while only losing handful of times on his 90 snaps. He surrendered one negated pressure on his 56 snaps in pass protection."
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 SMU IN THE AP |
SMU is one of only 44 schools that have ever been ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press. The first AP poll was in 1936. The Mustangs have been ranked No. 1 twice in program history.
This fall, the AP ranked SMU No. 55 in its all-time Top 100 college football programs.
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 TOUGH TANGLIN' IN TEXAS |
SMU played six teams that were ranked in 2015 and Phil Steele's College Football Preview ranked SMU has having the hardest schedule of any G5 team in the country last year. SMU's 2016 slate doesn't get any easier. SMU's opponents' record of 93-60 represents the highest winning percentage of any G5 team's schedule and the 13th highest of any FBS school.
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Not including UNT (SMU's week one foe), SMU's 2016 FBS opponents went 8-2 in Week 1.
The Mustangs will face two teams in non-conference play in 2016 that finished last season in the final AP top 15. They are just one of four teams to do so (Oklahoma, USC and Rice).
SMU's defense will be tested as the Mustangs will face five of the top 20 ranked offenses from last season, which includes Baylor (1), TCU (3), Tulsa (13), Memphis (19) and Houston (20).
In addition, the Mustangs will play two of the top 10 rushing attacks from 2015 in Navy (2) and USF (10).
SMU is slated to play six of the top 25 scoring teams from last year including 4 of the top 11: Baylor (1), TCU (7), Houston (10), Memphis (11), Tulsa (21) and Navy (22).
The Mustangs are the only team in the country to play their entire non-conference schedule in one state with two of those games on the road. SMU will play eight of their 12 regular season games in Texas.
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 THE RED CARPET |
SMU may need to install a red carpet in the Mustang locker room as SMU has become "the place to be" in Dallas.
Among the celebrities, legends, current and former pros that have attended practice or stopped by the stadium in recent years are: Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman, Terrell Owens, Tim Brown, Michael Irvin and Deion Sanders, as well as former SMU standouts Reggie Dupard, Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Jerry Ball, Russell Carter and Don Meredith.
Former President George W. Bush even visits SMU football practice. Bush has also performed the ceremonial coin toss at five SMU home games in the last five seasons - Navy (2011), Memphis (2012), Texas Tech (2013), Cincinnati (2014) and North Texas (2015).
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 SMU ATHLETICS MASTER PLAN |
SMU has announced plans to construct a new Indoor Performance Center, an outdoor natural grass football practice field and a new soccer stadium, another sign of the University's commitment to competing at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics. These plans come on the heels of amazing success during SMU's Second Century Campaign, when SMU Athletics secured more than $191 million in gift commitments, and after 18 months of careful planning and design.
"This is a transformative plan for SMU Athletics and another tangible example of our commitment and desire to compete at the highest level of intercollegiate athletics," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner.
The Indoor Performance Center (IPC) will feature a full-sized football field and indoor 300-meter track, and will be located on the current track and soccer field site. In addition to use by the football and track programs, the IPC will also serve as a resource for other student and campus activities and events. A new outdoor natural grass football practice field will be adjacent to the IPC. The new soccer stadium, to be used by SMU's men's and women's soccer teams, will be located on Mockingbird Lane, the site of the current practice fields. These projects constitute Phase 1 of SMU Athletics' Facilities Master Plan, a $150 million comprehensive facilities investment that will serve the needs of all 17 sports and 400-plus student-athletes.
"Our commitment to competing for championships and enhancing the student experience requires continued investment in student well-being and our people as well as our infrastructure," said SMU Director of Athletics Rick Hart. "SMU and its donors and fans have made huge investments in athletics in recent years, and these projects are yet another step forward for our department."
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 NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK |
In the 2016 season opener, 28 first- or second-year Mustangs (true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or true sophomores) saw action, continuing Chad Morris' trend of utilizing young players.
SMU is particularly young on offense, playing true freshmen, redshirt freshmen or true sophomores at quarterback, running back and wide receiver.
Percentage of Total Offense By Underclassmen
1. Penn State                                                                            99.9%
2. UL-Monroe                                        99.9%
3. UMass                                            98.1%
4. Miami (OH)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 96.7%
5. Alabama                                          96.2%
6. SMU Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 93.9%
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 PREP PREPAREDNESS |
SMU Head Coach Chad Morris is one of 19 FBS head coaches who previously served as high school head coaches.
Morris' 16 seasons as a prep head coach ranks No. 1 among the group, and only Tony Jinks (Bowling Green) and Tony Sanchez (UNLV) were prep coaches more recently than Morris. Morris is among two AAC coaches with a high school background, joining Tommy Tuberville of Cincinnati.
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 PONY UP-GRADES |
SMU has made significant investments in Ford Stadium improvements since 2011, including upgrades to the locker room, a new team meeting room with stadium-style seating and renovated positional meeting rooms, a new playing surface, lighting system, A/V system, new suites and club seating.
In 2013, SMU added a new 233-seat Hall of Champions Club and seven new suites to the northwest corner of the stadium.
In 2014, SMU made significant upgrades to the Stadium Club. The improvements to the nearly 900-seat area included new stadium seats and bar stools. The enhancements also include new carpet and granite countertops.
In 2015, SMU updated its football offices and team areas, installing new graphics and displays.
This fall, SMU replaced the synthetic turf playing field at Ford Stadium, with the new surface being ready for the 2016 season.
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 HONORARY CAPTAINS |
Head Coach Chad Morris has brought several new traditions to SMU's football program, including naming an Honorary Captain at each home game.
This year, SMU has honored Mike Ford, Jerry LeVias, Rod Jones and Michael Carter.
This week, Morris bestowed that honor upon former Mustang great Russell Carter. Carter earned All-America honors in 1983 and is SMU's career interception leader with 18 picks. The three-time All-SWC cornerback (1981-83) was a first-round draft pick by the New York Jets in 1984. He spent four seasons with the Jets before playing two seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders (1988-89).
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 THREE-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS |
SMU is one of just 20 schools that boasts both a Heisman Trophy winner and multiple National Championships.
Doak Walker won the Heisman following a dominant 1948 season in which he rushed for 542 yards and eight touchdowns, caught 15 passes for 278 yards and two scores, and threw for 304 yards and five TDs. He also returned 10 punts for 169 yards and a touchdown, totaled 161 yards on five kickoff returns, intercepted three passes for 75 yards, averaged 42.1 yards on 35 punts and kicked 22 PATs. He beat out Charlie Justice and Chuck Bednarik for the Heisman.
The NCAA recognizes three SMU teams as National Champions - 1935 (Dickinson & Houlgate), 1981 (National Championship Foundation) & 1982 (Helms Athletic Foundation).
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 FAST LAYNE |
Paul Layne holds an unrivaled Mustang record, having attended every SMU game for the last 40-plus years, even going to Tokyo.
He had to pull a "fast one" more than once to keep his streak alive – like the time his ex-wife remarried. He persuaded her to schedule her wedding on a Friday within driving distance of SMU's game at Nevada the following day. So the night before the Mustangs tangled with the Wolf Pack in Reno, Layne attended the wedding in California's Sonoma Valley, then drove 200 miles to catch the opening kickoff.
Layne even attended a game dressed in a Halloween costume to disguise his case of adult-onset chicken pox.
Starting when Layne attended SMU and was a team cheerleader, he's attended 478Â straight games.
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 SMU RISES IN US NEWS RANKINGS |
SMU rose to its highest ranking among the nation's universities in the 2017 edition of U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges. Among 220 institutions classified as national universities, SMU ranks 56, up from 61 a year ago.
The new ranking again places SMU in the first tier of institutions in the guide's "best national universities" category. In Texas, only Rice University ranks higher. SMU and the University of Texas-Austin were tied. Â Among private national universities, SMU ranks 39.
SMU's increase was one of the five largest among the top 100 universities. Since 2008, SMU's 11-point increase is one of the four largest among schools in the top 60.
For the rankings, U.S. News considers measures of academic quality, such as peer assessment scores and ratings by high school counselors, faculty resources, student selectivity, graduation rate performance, financial resources and alumni giving. SMU ranks 24 among all national universities in alumni giving at 25 percent.
In other ranking categories, SMU ranks 32 as one of the best national universities for veterans.
"It is gratifying for SMU to be recognized for its positive movement among the best national universities," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "The ranking is an example of the momentum of the Second Century Campaign and the University's Centennial Celebration.
 "We appreciate external recognition of our progress and believe it's valid, but we also know that rankings do not portray the whole picture of an institution and its strengths. We encourage parents and students to visit the institutions they are considering for a firsthand look at the academic offerings, the campus environment and the surrounding community to best gauge a university."
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 SMU HITS $1B CAMPAIGN GOAL |
The Second Century Campaign, the largest and most successful fundraising initiative in SMU's history, raised $1.15 billion for the enhancement of the University's student quality, faculty and academic excellence and the campus experience. The campaign's official completion date was Dec. 31, 2015.
The Second Century Campaign was publicly launched in 2008 with a goal of $750 million. Rapid progress toward that goal and opportunities for further advancements led SMU leaders in 2013 to increase the goal to $1 billion and extend its timeline to 2015.
Ending in 2002, SMU's previous major gifts campaign, "A Time to Lead: The Campaign for SMU", raised $542 million. Combining both campaigns, in the last two decades SMU has raised a total of $1.5 billion for 753 new scholarships, 111 new academic positions, 146 academic programs and 32 capital projects.
SMU joins 35 private universities that have raised $1 billion or more through major gifts campaigns. The institutions range from Columbia and Notre Dame to Emory and Vanderbilt.
