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SETTING THE SCENE
•    The Mustangs take on Louisiana Tech in the DXL Frisco Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 20, at 7 p.m. on ESPN. The game will be played at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
•     Sonny Dykes was named the Head Football Coach at SMU Monday, Dec. 11. Dykes arrived on the Hilltop after head coaching stints at Cal and Louisiana Tech.
•     SMU is making its first bowl appearance since a 43-10 victory over Fresno State at the 2012 Hawai'i Bowl. It is the 16th bowl appearance for the Mustangs. SMU is 7-7-1 all-time in bowl match-ups.
•     The Mustangs are one of only two FBS teams with a 3,000 yard passer (Ben Hicks), a 1,000 yard rusher (Xavier Jones) and two 1,000 yard receivers (Trey Quinn & Courtland Sutton).
•     Pro Football Focus First-Team All-American and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and Biletnikoff Award semifinalist Trey Quinn leads the nation in receptions per game (8.8) and also ranks inside the top 10 in receiving touchdowns, receiving yards per game and receiving yards. 

THE SERIES
•     Former WAC members from 2001-04, SMU and Louisiana Tech are meeting for the fifth time with Louisiana Tech holding a 3-1 series advantage. The Bulldogs won the most recent match-up, 41-10, in 2004. The Mustangs' lone win was a 37-34 contest at Ford Stadium in 2002.

ABOUT THE BULLDOGS
•     Louisiana Tech is 6-6 overall after winning its final two games of the season to become bowl eligible. Three of Louisiana Tech's losses were by one point each, and one came in overtime. The Bulldogs finished 4-4 in Conference USA, fourth in the West Division. This will be the fourth straight bowl appearance for Louisiana Tech. 

THE COACHES
•     SMU Head Coach Sonny Dykes arrived on the Hilltop after head coaching stints at Cal and Louisiana Tech. Dykes spent four seasons at Cal (2013-16) and three seasons at Louisiana Tech (2010-12). Dykes is 41-45 overall as a head coach, including 22-15 while at Louisiana Tech.
•     Skip Holtz is in his fifth season as the head coach at Louisiana Tech. Holtz has led the Bulldogs to four straight bowl appearances, and has a 37-28 record at Louisiana Tech. 

LAST TIME VS. LOUISIANA TECH
DALLAS (AP) -- Ryan Moats rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns and Matt Kubik passed for 303 yards and two scores as Louisiana Tech defeated SMU 41-10 on Oct. 16, 2004.

Moats scored on runs of 9, 72 and 20 yards, the last one giving Louisiana Tech a 31-7 lead midway through the second quarter.

Louisiana Tech quarterback Kubik completed 18 of 26 passes, including a 93-yard touchdown pass to Tramissian Davis on the Bulldogs' third play from scrimmage. 

SMU's Tony Eckert was 26-of-52 for 288 yards, but he also threw four interceptions. His 23-yard pass to Reynaldo Pellerin in the first quarter was the Mustangs' only TD.

Louisiana Tech gained 287 yards in the first quarter and 590 yards in the game. SMU had 350 yards of offense and lost five turnovers.
            
MAKING OUR POINT
The Ponies are averaging 40.2 points per game (8th nationally) in 2017 with a pair of 50+ contests to open the season. SMU was 1 of only 3 FBS teams (Maryland & Kansas State) with 50 points in each of the first two games. This season is the first since 1928 that the Mustangs have back-to-back 50+ point games.

In the game at Memphis, the Mustangs broke both the single-season scoring and touchdown records. SMU now has 482 points, was 397 in 2012, and 63 touchdowns, was 50 in 2009.

WE'RE ON THE WAY UP
The Mustangs have improved in all of the following offensive categories each season since 2014.

Year	PPG	Passing	Rushing	YPC	Total Off.
2014	11.1	169.7	100.3	3.3	269.0
2015	27.8	218.3	165.5	3.9	383.8
2016	27.7	264.0	163.3	4.1	427.3
2017	40.2	308.0	185.5	5.0	493.8

SMU also has one of the biggest offensive improvements from 2016 in terms of points per game.
1. UCF 20.6
2. Arizona 17.0
3. Ohio 12.6
4. SMU 12.4

WHAT A RUSH
The Mustangs' 311 rushing yards against Arkansas State were the most since Nov. 21, 2015 vs. Tulane, and 13th highest total posted by an FBS team that week. The 54 attempts were the most since SMU registered 58 attempts against Tulsa in 2003, and equals the output in SMU's 2015 game against Baylor.

Over the last three seasons (2015-present), the Mustangs have rushed for 200+ yards in 13 of 36 games, while only doing so 18 other times since 2000. SMU has 26 rushing TDs this season, tied for the 4th most in a season.

Three Mustangs have rushed for 500+ yards in 2017 with Xavier Jones leading the group at 1,019 (Freeman, 527 & West, 512). Freeman has a team-best 11 touchdowns. All three had 10+ carries in the win at Cincinnati.

'CAUSE WE'RE TNT
SMU ranks among the nation's best when it comes to explosive plays from scrimmage:

Plays	Yards	Nat. Ranking
86	20+	7th
39	30+	T13th
22	40+	T15th
13	50+	T14th
8	60+	T15th
5	70+	T7th

Passing Only:

64	20+	T5th
28	30+	T10th
15	40+	T15th
10	50+	T9th
7	60+	T4th
4	70+	T3rd

IMPROVED DEFENSE
The Mustang defense has 30 sacks this season (tied for 6th in a season for SMU), while Justin Lawler is tied for 10th nationally at 0.79 per game. Lawler leads the nation in blocked kicks, with three.

Mikial Onu leads the team with 93 tackles, while Lawler has registered 15.5 TFLs and 9.5 sacks. Jordan Wyatt is SMU's leader with 4 interceptions for 165 yards.

Year	Takeaways	Sacks/game	TGL/game	INT	FR	TD
2015	15	1.33	4.8	10	5	0
2016	26	2.42	6.0	18	8	4
2017	23	2.50	7.0	12	11	3

ALL OF A SUTTON
Preseason Heisman Trophy candidate and All-America selection Courtland Sutton was named an SB Nation All-America Honorable Mention selection and first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection at the conclusion of the 2017 regular season. He was also named to the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Preseason Watch Lists.

Sutton had a career-high 4 touchdown receptions, setting an AAC record and tying the school record (Emanuel Tolbert at Baylor, Oct. 14, 1978) in game 2 versus UNT. The total is also tied for the most by an FBS player in a game this season and gave Sutton his fifth straight game with at least one touchdown catch. Sutton finished with 8 catches for 163 yards. In week 4 against Arkansas State, Sutton registered 32 yards on a pair of catches and posted his first-career rushing touchdown.

In the AAC opener against UConn, Sutton registered 7 catches for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and went on to register a team-high 160 yards on 11 catches against Houston. Sutton had 2 TDs in the overtime win at Cincinnati, giving him his 3rd multi TD game this season and 8th of his career. He was one of three Mustangs with 100+ yards in the win over Tulsa with a team-high 136.

In the regular season finale against Tulane, Sutton registered 107 receiving yards for his 6th 100+ yard game of the season and 14th of his career (T2nd at SMU).

Sutton is tied for 6th nationally in receiving touchdowns (12) and ranks among active FBS career leaders in reception yards (6th, 3,152) and reception touchdowns (3rd, 31). 
    
FORGOT ABOUT TREY
It seems in focusing on All-American Courtland Sutton, opposing defenses forgot about Parade All-American Trey Quinn. Quinn was named a first-team offense All-America selection by Pro Football Focus as well as first-team All-Conference.

After an impressive first half of the season, Quinn was added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, and was named one of 10 semifinalists on Nov. 13. He was also a semifinalist for the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

In his first game on the Hilltop, the junior transfer led the Mustangs with 4 catches for 53 yards, and one TD.

Quinn increased his productivity in week 2, recording 6 receptions for 96 yards. Game 3 at TCU saw Quinn lead Mustang receivers with 7 catches for 116 yards. Quinn added a pair of TDs and was 1-for-1 passing for 34 yards.

In SMU's win over UConn, Quinn led SMU receivers with 15 catches for 116 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Quinn registered 11 of his 15 catches in the first half, setting SMU's record for receptions in a half, and was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.

Quinn recorded back-to-back games with 17 catches, (Houston & Cincinnati) making him the only FBS player with 15+ reception in three straight games since at least 2000. He was also the first Mustang with 100+ yards in three straight games since Keenan Holman in 2013, and the first since Jeremy Johnson the same year to have double-digit receptions in three straight games. 

Quinn posted his fourth straight game, and fifth of his career, with 100+ yards against Tulsa. The four straight tied him for the national lead.

Against Memphis, Quinn registered a pair of TDs for his 3rd multi-TD game of the season.

Quinn closed out the regular season going 6-139 with 2 TDs against Tulane, giving him his 4th multi-TD game of the season.

The FBS high for receptions in a game this season is 17, with Quinn posting 2 of 3 of those performances. He leads the nation with 8.8 catches per game and is 9th in receiving ypg (99.3) and 10th in receiving yards (1,191).

EVEN EVAN
For the second straight season, Evan Brown was named to the Rimington Trophy Preseason Watch List and was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List. The award is given annually to the top center in FBS college football. At the conclusion of the regular season, he was named All-AAC honorable mention.

Brown was the seventh-highest-graded center in all of college football in 2016 and allowed only two sacks, one hit and six quarterback hurries in 2016.    

Brown has started 46 games played at SMU. 

BIG BEN
Ben Hicks was added to the midseason Manning Award Watch List on Oct. 12.

Hicks opened the 2017 season 9-of-19 passing for 112 yards and two touchdowns against SFA. In week 2, Hicks connected with Courtland Sutton for 4 scores, a career-high, and registered 312 yards. It was his fourth-career game with 300+ passing yards and his 4 TDs were the most in a game since Garrett Gilbert had 4 against Connecticut in 2013. 

The sophomore was named to Davey O'Brien's "Great 8" list after a 280-yard, 4 TD performance against UConn.

Hicks posted his 6th-career 300+ yard passing game against Houston (397 yds).  He added 295 yards and 2 TDs in the win at Cincinnati. In the win over Tulsa, he improved his career total to 7 300+ yard games with 338 and added a pair of TDs.

Hicks was named to The American weekly honor roll following a 4-TD performance against Navy Nov. 11, and posted 4 more TDs against Memphis Nov. 18, giving him his 4th game of the season with 4 TDs.

The sophomore continues to climb SMU's all-time passing yards list and now ranks 3rd with 6,372, and is tied for 1st at SMU with 51 career passing TDs after 4 TDs and 375 yards against Tulane.

LAYIN' DOWN THE LAW
Senior defensive end Justin Lawler is an All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection after starting 2017 with an impressive list of preseason honors, including spots on the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch Lists. He was also a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team and Allstate Senior CLASS Award, and The Ted Hendricks Award named him to their Final Watch List.

Lawler started 2017 with 4 tackles (3 solo, 1 asst)  and a quarterback hurry against Stephen F. Austin, and added 7 tackles, 2 sacks, three TFLs and a forced fumble against UNT to earn AAC honor roll accolades and a spot on the Pro Football Focus National Team of the Week.

In week 3 at TCU, Lawler tied a career-high with 9 tackles, and went on to add three with a pass breakup and 3 QB hurries against Arkansas State.

In SMU's AAC opener against UConn, Lawler registered a career-high 4.0 sacks to tie the AAC and SMU single-game records. The 4.0 sacks tied the national lead in a single game in 2017.

He posted 8 tackles and a half sack against Cincinnati, and 8 tackles, 3.0 TFLs and 3 QBHs against Tulsa.    

He has 3 blocked kicks in 2017 to lead the nation, including a blocked PAT in the game against Navy, and is 13th among active FBS players with 20.5 sacks. The senior was just one of 34 players in the FBS with 2 or more blocked kicks in 2016, giving him more blocked kicks that 54 FBS teams. 

BACK AT IT
All-AAC honorable mention selection Jordan Wyatt wasted no time getting started in 2017, earning AAC Defensive Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week honors for week 1. Wyatt posted an 85-yard interception return for a touchdown and recovered a fumble for a touchdown in the end zone, making him just the sixth player in FBS history to record both in the same game. The interception return is the seventh longest in SMU history, and the longest since 1984. His play earned him a spot on the Nagurski Watch List.

In the week 2 win over North Texas, Wyatt registered 3 tackles, and added 6 with a pass breakup at TCU in week 3. In week 4 against Arkansas State, Wyatt had an interception return for 25 yards, moving him up to second on SMU's all-time list with 233 career interception yards. He also added 6 tackles.

At Cincinnati, Wyatt posted a career-high 11 tackles and added 2.0 for loss.

He now has 5 defensive touchdowns for his career (4 INT, 1 fumble), and after a 19-yard pick against Memphis, he extended his SMU-record career interception yardage to 288. 

Wyatt will miss the Frisco Bowl game after suffering a knee injury in the Mustangs' game against Tulane.

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA
After missing most of the 2016 season due to injury, Xavier Jones returned in 2017. Jones was a preseason candidate for the 2016 Doak Walker Award.

In week 4 against Arkansas State, Jones posted a season-high 146 yards on 19 carries, giving him 13 touchdowns in 18 career games, and 4 multi-TD games.

Jones went 12-72 rushing with a touchdown  in the week 5 win over UConn, and led the Mustangs with 13 carries and 99 yards at Houston on Oct. 7. In the win at Cincinnati, Jones registered 80 yards off 15 carries and his 4th rushing TD of the season. He added a 5th TD in the win against Tulsa.

He led Mustang rushers with 84 yards on 19 carries against UCF, and followed that performance up with 106 yards on 18 carries and a TD at Navy. 

At Memphis, Jones was 20 for 175 rushing (both career highs) with 2 TDs, giving him his 3rd 100+ yard rushing game this season. 

Jones finished the regular season with a team-high 1,019 rushing yards and added 9 TDs.    

BIG GAME JAMES
Freshman All-America Honorable Mention selection James Proche is back for his sophomore season after finishing second on the team in receptions (571) and third in all-purpose yards (1,044). Proche was second on the team in receiving yards (709) and touchdowns (6).

Leading up to week 4, Proche recorded 152 yards off 7 receptions and 1 TD, a career-long 61-yard reception at TCU. Proche went on to register 3 catches for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns in week 4 against Arkansas State, giving him his second career multi-TD game and third career 100+ yard game. He was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll. He posted his 4th 100+ yard game against Tulsa with 123 yards off 4 catches.

Proche's momentum carried into SMU's game against UCF, where he led Mustang receivers with 173 yards on 7 catches and a TD. Proche was 3-51 receiving with his fifth TD of the season at Navy, and had a team-leading 70 receiving yards against Memphis.

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN
Running back Braeden West opened 2017 on the Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Award Watch Lists. 

West posted 86 yards on 6 carries in week 1 versus SFA. In week 3, West returned to action, registering 32 yards on 8 carries and 70 yards on 3 catches. The 102 all-purpose yards gave West his 13th career game with 100+ all-purpose yards. Week 4 saw West post 90 all-purpose yards on 63 rushing and 27 receiving.

West ran for 72 yards on 8 carries and a touchdown in SMU's week 5 win over UConn.

In the win over Tulsa, West posted SMU's longest run (75 yds) since a 96-yard TD run by Kris Briggs in 2002 and the first 70+ yard run since Garrett Gilbert's 74-yard TD vs. Tulsa in 2012.
    
C'MON  KE'MON
Sophomore Ke'Mon Freeman posted back-to-back multi-touchdown games in weeks 3 and 4 this season. In week 3 against TCU, Freeman rushed for 57 yards on 12 attempts with 2 touchdowns, and followed it up with a 92-yard two touchdown performance against Arkansas State.

Against UConn, Freeman posted his third straight game with a rushing TD on 8-68 rushing. Freeman posted his fifth straight game with a rushing TD against Cincinnati, giving him 8 this season and 12 for his career.

In the win over Tulsa, Freeman registered nine carries for 22 yards and a TD for his sixth straight game with a rushing TD. The streak is the longest since Reggie Dupard's streak of 13 straight (last 6 1984, first 7 1985). 

Freeman leads the Mustangs with 11 rushing touchdowns in 2017, including a pair in SMU's win over Tulane. The game was his third of the season with multiple TDs. 

TOPS IN TEXAS
The Mustangs lead FBS teams in the state of Texas in scoring offense (40.2), total offense (493.8), offensive touchdowns (60) and yards/play (6.6), as well as ESPN's Team Offensive Efficiency rating (72.4).

MARCHING MUSTANGS
Six Mustangs (Chris Banjo, Josh LeRibeus, Zach Line, Sterling Moore, Thomas Morstead and Zach Wood) are on the active roster for the New Orleans Saints, giving SMU the most active players on an active roster. Clemson is second with 5 players on the Houston Texans.

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.

Senior defensive end Nick Horton was awarded the number again in 2017.

Players To Wear #23 In Honor of Jerry LeVias
Nick Horton, DE    2016-17
Jeremiah Gaines, TE    2015
Stephon Sanders, LB    2012-14
Chris Banjo, DB    2009

SMU IN THE AP
SMU is one of only 44 schools that have ever been ranked No. 1 by the Associated Press since 1936. The Mustangs have been ranked No. 1 twice. SMU was No. 55 on the AP's Top 100 Programs list.

After the win over then No. 11 Houston, SMU also received a vote in the AP Poll in 2016.

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 counter tops.

In 2015, SMU updated its football offices and team areas, installing new graphics and displays.

Last, SMU replaced the synthetic turf playing field at Ford Stadium.

Following the 2017 season, the Mustangs' will receive a locker room renovation, and it was announced that funds have been raised to begin construction on the Indoor Performance Center.

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 games against Navy (2011), Memphis (2012), Texas Tech (2013), Cincinnati (2014) and North Texas (2015).

WE DON'T TAILGATE, WE 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. 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 Mustang Alley 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.

SMU IN THE CLASSROOM
The SMU football team has set multiple term and cumulative GPA records since 2014.

The 2017 SMU roster features nine student-athletes who have already earned a degree, giving them one of the highest totals in the country. Evan Brown, Raymond Epps, Mason Gentry, Will Hopkins, Nick Horton, Cedric Lancaster, Justin Lawler, Dimarya Mixon and Anthony Rhone have all earned their degrees.

ALL-AMERICAN ACADEMICS
Will Hopkins and Josh Williams were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-America First-Team selections, recognizing the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom, the organization announced Thursday.

A graduate transfer from Austin, Texas, Hopkins is working toward his Master's degree in management and boasts a 3.93 GPA, while Williams, a junior kicker from Rowlett, Texas, has a 3.96 GPA and is majoring in finance.