SETTING THE SCENE

•SMU kickoffs the 2016 season at North Texas Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on the American Sports Network. 

•SMU played six teams that were ranked in 2015 and Phil Steele's College Football Preview ranked SMU as 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.

•The Mustangs will play their 15th consecutive season-opener in the Lone Star State. The last time SMU opened the season outside of Texas was against La. Tech on Sept. 1, 2001 in Shreveport, Louisiana.

THE SERIES - ALL-TIME VS. UNT (29-5-1)

• SMU holds a commanding 29-5-1 lead all-time over North Texas. SMU has won nine of the last 12 meetings, including a 31-13 on the Hilltop last season.

• This is the first time since 1980 that SMU will have its season-opener against UNT (a 28-9 SMU win), and the first time that SMU will visit Denton to open the season.

• While they've only played there three times, SMU has never won in Denton.

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. 

• Seth Littrell enters his first season as the North Texas Head Football Coach after two years at North Carolina as the Assistant Head Coach for Offense/Tight Ends. Littrell has also had stints at Indiana, Arizona, and Texas Tech.

ABOUT THE MEAN GREEN

• North Texas named Seth Littrell as its 19th head coach in program history. Littrell arrived at UNT after serving as the Assistant Head Coach for Offense/Tight Ends at North Carolina, and will be the youngest coach in Conference USA and fifth youngest in the nation when the season starts.

LAST TIME VS. NORTH TEXAS

Matt Davis passed for 171 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 125 yeards and two more scores to lead SMU to a 31-13 win on Sept. 12, 2015.

ALL OF A SUTTON

Sophomore Courtland Sutton has been named to both the Biletnikoff Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists. The award is given annually to the most outstanding receiver in college football.

The Brenham, Texas, native was also named to the 2015 Biletnikoff Award Watch List after 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.                   
Sutton started all 12 games in 2015 and recorded team highs in catches (49), yards (862) and touchdowns (9). 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.

His 15 receptions of 20+ yards or more last season lead all returning wide receivers.

Looks like @SuttonCourtland is in midseason form showing off those ?? #PonyUpTempo pic.twitter.com/03DvWGVAYg

— #PonyUpTempo (@SMU_Football) August 30, 2016

CHASING RECORDS

Matt Davis has been named to the 2016 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List. The award is presented annually at the end of each season to the nation's top college quarterback based on character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, leadership qualities and athletic accomplishments.

Davis enters the 2016 season ranked third all-time in career rushing yards by a quarterback and ninth all-time in total offense in program history.

The Houston, Texas, native has started 16 games in his career for SMU, including 11 in 2015 and has led the Mustangs in total offense the past two seasons. The senior signal caller recorded 1,468 yards of total offense in 2014, and again led the Mustangs in total offense in 2015 with 3,024 yards. He led the team in passing yards with 2,263, while also leading the squad in rushing with 761 yards.

He is the only returning quarterback to lead his team in rushing in each of the last two seasons. The only other QB to lead their team in rushing in each of the last two years is former Navy signal caller Keenan Reynolds.

Last season, Davis was one of just nine FBS QBs to run for over 750 yards. Interestingly, the American accounted for four of the nine QBs, including Davis.

The dual-threat signal caller was ranked No. 4 in Pro Football Focus' 2016 list of top 10 running quarterbacks and was also listed as one of Athlon Sports 20 most underrated quarterbacks in the country.

ALL-PURPOSE FRESHMAN

SMU was the only team in FBS last season to have three freshmen with 800 or more all-purpose yards. Running back Braeden West led the Mustang trio with 1,135 yards, followed by wide receiver Courtland Sutton with 854 yard. Running back Xavier Jones was only a few yards behind Sutton with 848 yards.

WATCH OUT FOR BROWN & JONES

Evan Brown has been named to the 2016 Fall Watch List for the Rimington Trophy. The award is given annually to the top center in FBS college football, and the spring watch list includes top centers from across the country who were nominated for the recognition. 

Brown, who will be a junior in 2016, has 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.

Sophomore Xavier Jones has been named a preseason candidate for the 2016 Doak Walker Award. The award is named after SMU great and the 1948 Heisman Trophy winner. It is presented annually to the nation's top college running back.

The Spring, Texas, native was reliable and productive in his first season on the Hilltop after setting an SMU freshman record for rushing touchdowns (10), surpassing SMU greats Eric Dickerson and Zach Line, and finishing as the Mustangs' second-leading rusher with 634 yards.

TRIBUTE 23

Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias.

LeVias was the first African-American to receive an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference. While at SMU, LeVias made athletic and academic All-America teams and, in 1966, contributed to the Mustangs' first SWC title in 18 years. He was an All-American in 1968 and was chosen All-SWC in 1966, 1967 and 1968.
Jeremiah Gaines (2015), Stephon Sanders (2012-14) and Chris Banjo (2009-11) are the only players to have worn the number 23 in honor of LeVias.

Senior defensive end Nick Horton was awarded the number for 2016.

IMPROVED DEFENSE

SMU had one of the toughest schedules last year facing off against five of the top 20 offenses in the country.

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: 570 yards/game total defense, 273/game rushing, 297/game passing

Second six games: 433 yards/game total defense, 249/game rushing, 184/game passing

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK

In the 2015 season opener, the Mustangs were led in receiving by four freshmen - true freshmen Xavier Jones, Braeden West, and Xavier Castille and redshirt freshman Courtland Sutton.

After a career-best three-rushing-TD performance against Tulane last season, Jones earned AAC Honor Roll honors as well as Earl Campbell Award Honorable Mention accolades. The Spring, Texas, native now holds the mark for most rushing touchdowns by a Mustang freshman, bettering SMU legends Eric Dickerson and Reggie Dupard among others.

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.

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.

FOUR MUSTANGS HONORED BY ATHLON

Four SMU football players were honored as 2016 Athlon Sports All-American Athletic Conference preseason selections. The Mustangs' 2015 Freshman All-America selection Courtland Sutton earned first-team honors, while juniors Evan Brown, Justin Lawler and sophomore Braeden West earned fourth-team accolades.

FRESH FACES

With 17 true and redshirt freshmen that played in week one in 2015, SMU ranked ninth among all teams in freshmen played in the season opener last year.

Overall, SMU was tied for 14th in freshmen played among FBS schools last season.

THE PONY EXPRESS RIDES AGAIN

SMU alum, 1982 All-American and NFL Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson has earned two huge honors over the past two years.

In 2015, Dickerson was the recipient of the 2015 Walter Camp Alumni Award. The Walter Camp Alumni of the Year award is bestowed on a worthy individual who has distinguished himself in the pursuit of excellence as an athlete, in his personal career and in doing good works for others.

Dickerson rushed for a Southwest Conference-record 4,450 yards and 48 TDs in three seasons for the Mustangs. In 1982, Dickerson totaled an impressive 1,617 yards and 17 TDs, averaging 7.0 yards a carry, on his way to Walter Camp All-America honors.

Dickerson was the first NFL player to gain more than 1,000 yards in seven consecutive seasons and became the fastest to total 10,000 yards (in just 91 games). He was named to the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, and, in 1999, Dickerson was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Following the 2015 season, Dickerson was inducted into the Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame. Dickerson was among six individuals who helped shape the tradition of the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic and college football history and were chosen for 2016 class

Dickerson ran for 124 yards on 27 attempts in the 1983 Cotton Bowl Classic, serving as the workhorse in the Mustangs' 7-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Panthers. His constant pounding on Pittsburgh defenders propelled the Ponies to their first Cotton Bowl victory in 34 years and helped SMU to the 1982 Helms Athletic Foundation National Championship.

PONY UP-GRADES

SMU has made almost $10 million 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.

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.

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."

DALLAS MAYOR STATEMENTS ON BIG 12 EXPANSION

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings released the following statement regarding a Big 12 expansion:

Adding SMU to the Big 12 makes sense for Dallas, for our region and for all of Texas.
Consider this:

The geography favors adding SMU, which already has longstanding — and natural — rivalries with the other Texas schools and would quickly develop new rivalries with our northern neighbors.

We all win if SMU regularly plays home games against Big 12 powerhouses. Alumni of those universities and students would travel to Dallas from around the country to see their women's and men's teams compete at SMU.

SMU's academic standing would benefit the Big 12. If SMU were in the conference today, its students would have the highest average SAT scores of any Big 12 school and be second, only slightly behind the University of Texas, in the U.S. News rankings of best national universities.

SMU's 100,000 energized alumni also would make quite an impact. More than 40,000 of them live in North Texas. And high-profile TV games in Dallas' large market would further boost our national visibility and that of the Big 12.

A study from the University of Texas found that intercollegiate athletic events have an impact of over $600 million on the Austin community each year, including more than $270 million in visitor spending. Dallas could put similar resources to good use.

The Big 12 Conference has strong ties to North Texas, being headquartered in Las Colinas. The conference represents thousands of jobs and at least $1 billion in economic value to Texas. A strong Big 12 is beneficial to us all. Expanding the conference to include SMU would continue a rich tradition.

I call on my fellow elected officials, business leaders and sports fans throughout the region and the state to speak up in support of SMU joining the Big 12.

TEXAS LT. GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK STATEMENTS ON BIG 12 EXPANSION

Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick released the following statement regarding the possible expansion of the Big 12 athletic conference:

"The start of the school year means football season is upon us. As a former sportscaster I know that Texans take their football seriously, and so do I.

"I previously commented about my support for the University of Houston's desire to join the Big 12. For many of the same reasons, I also support the inclusion of SMU.

"The impact to Texas would be big.

"Dallas and Houston are top TV markets and the Big 12 would be foolish to leave SMU and U of H on the sidelines. The economic impact to the state and to the schools is significant.

"I urge the Big 12 to carefully consider the addition of these two fine schools and all they have to offer.

"I hope Baylor University, Texas Christian University, the University of Texas and Texas Tech University will join me in supporting the addition of these two Texas schools. And, I trust these two schools will support each other."

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.

GREAT BOULEVARD

The editors at Southern Living posted a roster of the top 20 Southern schools with the greatest pregame celebrations, and SMU's Boulevard made the list.

From the food and drink to the style and traditions, nobody does tailgating quite like the Mustangs. Gameday at SMU is The Boulevard. SMU's beautiful Bishop Boulevard is tailgate central for fun and entertainment.

Along The Boulevard, fans can mingle with family, and friends and bring a picnic, fire up a grill or visit one of the many food vendors.

The Boulevard is so famous that the guys from Dude Perfect picked SMU to shoot their tailgate game trickshot video. See it here - https://goo.gl/uYCuWj.

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.

SMU IN THE CLASSROOM

There are several reasons to be excited for the 2016 football season. Head coach Chad Morris believes that there is a direct correlation between improvement in the classroom and on the field. If so, then the Mustangs should see an increase in wins this season due to the improved grade-point average of the team.

The SMU football team posted a Spring GPA of 2.879 with a cumulative mark of 2.748, both program highs. The team continued its success in classroom over the summer, posting a 3.344 GPA in the session.

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).

TEMPO TALK

Head Coach Chad Morris will join Mustang fans for Tempo Talk all season long at Humperdinks Restaurant & Bar located at 6050 Greenville Ave., Dallas, Texas 75206.

Rich Phillips, the voice of the Mustangs, will host the event live from 7-8 PM on KAAM 770 AM radio every Monday night from 7-8 PM starting Aug. 29th. There will be food and drinks specials, trivia and prizes on site each week.

The show will air on the following dates:

Monday, August 29th
Monday, September 5th
Monday, September 12th
Monday, September 19th
Monday, September 26th
Monday, October 3rd
Monday, October 17th
Monday, October 24th
Monday, October 31st
Monday, November 7th
Monday, November 14th
Monday, November 21st

Please note that there is no show on Monday, October 10th, as it is SMU's off week.

Humperdinks Brewpubs in the DFW Metroplex are locally owned since 1976. Born as a neighborhood restaurant in then "far north Dallas" at Greenville & Southwestern Blvd (just north of Old Town). Humperdinks grew to become a Dallas institution for serious comfort food and a lively bar scene.

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 468 straight games.

MUSTANG CLUB SETS RECORD

Donors to SMU Athletics once again set a new record for generosity in FY15, contributing more than $13.3 million, a 24% increase, in support of Athletic Department operations and SMU's 424 student-athletes during the last fiscal year. Included in that total are nearly $5.3 million in Mustang Club gifts, which provides critical unrestricted support. That total represents an increase of 60% over the previous year's record $3.3 million result. Total donors also increased 32% from 2,997 to 3,956.

Since Rick Hart's arrival on the Hilltop in 2012, Mustang Club annual giving has more than doubled, from $2.6 million to $5.3 million, and donor support of operations has jumped from $8.4 million to more than $13 million.

In addition to these gifts, significant investments from donors have been made in SMU Athletics' facilities, including Moody Coliseum, the Miller Event Center and the new SMU Tennis Complex. Fundraising continues for these facilities, in addition to the planned SMU Aquatics Center on East Campus and Trinity Forest Golf Club.