Stephen F. Austin (0-0) at SMU (0-0)
Date & Kick Time	Saturday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. CT
Location	Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000) - Dallas, Texas
Tickets	GetHereForGameday.com
TV	ESPN3 / Watch ESPN
Radio	The Ticket - KTCK 1310 AM / 96.7 FM TuneInApp (Search SMU)
Live Stats	Sidearmstats.com
Game Info	SMU Game Notes SFA Game Notes AAC Notes
Facebook	/SMUMustangs /SMUFootball
Twitter	@SMUMustangs @SMUFootball @CoachChadMorris

SETTING THE SCENE
•    SMU hosts Stephen F. Austin for its 2017 season opener at 6 p.m CT. The Mustangs will be looking to become bowl eligible for the first time since 2012.
•     The game will be a "Salute To Our Heroes" game, serving as a tribute to all active military members and veterans. The first 5,000 fans to enter Ford Stadium will receive Salute To Our Heroes branded thunder sticks, and all fans are encouraged to wear white as part of SMU's annual whiteout game.
•     SMU is offering those displaced by Hurricane Harvey free tickets and concessions vouchers for Saturday's game. Those affected by the storm can contact the SMU Ticket Office at 214-SMU-GAME or use this online form and request tickets and vouchers good for admission, a hot dog, chips and a soda.
•     Sept. 2 serves as the 17th anniversary of the Mustangs returning to campus to play at Ford Stadium. SMU defeated Kansas, 31-17, before a sellout crowd of 32,267.
•     Preseason Heisman Trophy candidate and Biletnikoff Preseason Watch List member Courtland Sutton returns to the Hilltop for his junior season. The 2016 first-team All-AAC selection had a record setting season last year setting a sophomore record with 1,246 receiving yards on the season and set an SMU single-game record with 252 receiving yards against USF. Sutton led the team in receptions (76), receiving touchdowns (10) and receiving yards, and was ranked in the top 20 nationally in receiving yards per game (103.8-12th), receiving yards (1,246-19th) and receptions per game (6.3-20th).
•      Evan Brown (Rimington, Outland), Justin Lawler (Bednarik, Nagurski, Wuerffel, Hendricks) and Braeden West (Doak Walker, Paul Hornung) have also been named to multiple preseason watch lists.

THE SERIES
•     SMU and Stephen F. Austin will meet for the third time, with the Mustangs holding a 2-0 lead. Both victories came at home for the Mustangs, defeating SFA, 31-23, in 2009 and, 52-0, in 2012.

ABOUT THE LUMBERJACKS
•     Stephen F. Austin posted a 5-6 overall record in 2016, going 4-5 in Southland Conference action. 

THE COACHES
•     Chad Morris is in his third season at the SMU helm. 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. Year two saw even more improvement, as SMU won five games and came within one win of bowl eligibility. SMU produced a 1,000-yard rusher (Braeden West 1,036) and 1,000-yard receiver (Courtland Sutton 1,246) for the first time since 2011 and had three players with at least 1,000 all-purpose yards for the first time since 2011 (Sutton, West, James Proche). Following the campaign, Justin Lawler, Darrion Millines, Horace Richardson and Sutton were named first-team All-AAC, the most Mustangs to be named first-team All-Conference since 2011. His career record stands at 7-17.
•     Clint Conque is in his fourth season at the helm and is 17-18 overall. In his first season at SFA, Conque led the Lumberjacks to a Division I FCS First-Round appearance. Conque's career record stands at 122-77 overall. 

LAST TIME VS. SFA
DALLAS (AP) -- Zach Line got SMU off and running with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the second quarter and then the Mustangs' defense and special teams took over, securing a 52-0 victory over Stephen F. Austin on Sept. 8, 2012.
After the teams battled to a scoreless tie at the end of the first quarter, Line scored on a 3-yard run and a 1-yard run. He finished with 60 yards on 19 carries.
Kenneth Acker excelled for SMU (1-1) on defense and special teams. He returned a blocked field-goal attempt 56 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the first half, and scored on a 77-yard interception return early in the fourth quarter.
SMU intercepted seven passes and recovered three fumbles by Stephen F. Austin (1-1), returning one fumble and two interceptions for touchdowns.
SMU defensive end Margus Hunt set the NCAA career record with his 9th blocked FG. He now has 15 total blocks (9 FG, 6 PAT), which is third in NCAA history. The block was on a 23-yard FG attempt at 4:57 of the 1st quarter.

ALL-TIME VS. SFA (2-0)
2009^    W    31-23
2012^    W    52-0
^ SMU home game
 
SALUTE TO OUR HEROES
The 2017 SMU football home opener serves as a "Salute To Our Heroes" game, honoring all active military members and veterans.
With the assistance of the George W. Bush Institute, SMU Athletics hopes to help educate the public and bring awareness to the issues that veterans face while in transition to civilian life. SMU Athletics is also working with on-campus veterans group MilVets to honor SMU student veterans throughout the game.

ALL OF A SUTTON
Preseason Heisman Trophy candidate and All-America selection Courtland Sutton returns for his junior season on the Hilltop. Sutton was named to the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Preseason Watch Lists, and was a first-team All-AAC selection by multiple outlets.
Sutton earned first-team All-AAC honors in 2016 after a standout season that included setting SMU's single-game record for receiving yards (252), as well as the sophomore record for receiving yards in a season (1,246). In 12 games, the wide receiver led the team in receptions (76), receiving yards (1,246) and receiving touchdowns (10). Sutton finished among the nation's top-20 in receiving yards per game, receiving yards and receptions per game. He became just the ninth Mustang to register 1,000 yards in a season, placing himself third on SMU's all-time list, and ranks ninth in school history with 2,135 receiving yards and sixth with 19 receiving touchdowns. 
For his efforts, he was a 2016 All-American Athletic Conference first-team selection.
The Brenham, Texas, native has collected a long list of preseason awards including All-America recognition from the Associated Press (2nd Team), USA Today (2nd Team), College Football News (1st Team), CBS Sports (1st Team) and Sports Illustrated (2nd Team). 
He was selected No. 18 on SI College Football's Freaks List and No. 28 on its Top 100 Players of 2017 preseason list, and is the No. 11 player on Dave Campbell's Texas Football 50 Most Import College Football Players in Texas preseason list. College Football 24/7 lists him No. 1 on their Top Wide Receivers to Watch in 2017 list. 
He leads AAC returning receivers and ranks in the top 20 nationally in career receiving yards (2,135), yards per catch (16.8) and career touchdowns (19).



LAYIN' DOWN THE LAW
Senior defensive end Justin Lawler starts 2017 with an impressive list of preseason honors, including spots on the Chuck Bednarik, Bronko Nagurski and Wuerffel Trophy Preseason Watch Lists. He's also a nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team and was honored as a first-team All-AAC selection by Athlon Sports and College Football News.
Lawler earned first-team All-AAC honors in 2016, making him the first Mustang defensive lineman to do so since Margus Hunt in 2012. He started all 12 games at defensive end, finishing second on the team with 65 tackles, while adding seven quarterback hurries, two blocked field goals and a fumble recovery.
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.
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.
   

BACK AT IT
Jordan Wyatt returns as the only member of a backfield that made SMU the only team in the country with three players with four interceptions. Wyatt, Horace Richardson and Darrion Millines were also three of only 68 players in the country with four or more INTs.
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 Liberty, 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 were also two of just eight  players in the country who had two INT TDs or more in 2016.
The Mustangs had six different players (Richardson (6), Millines (5), Wyatt (4), Rodney Clemons (1), Anthony Rhone (1), Zelt Minor (1)) notch interceptions, making SMU the only FBS school with three players with four or more picks in 2016.
SMU had multiple INTs in five games last season (3 at North Texas, 2 at Baylor, 4 vs. Liberty, 2 at Temple, 3 at East Carolina) and had picks in nine out of 12 games overall.
SMU had 18 interceptions total last season, which tied for 9th in the FBS, and finished tied for 18th in the country in takeaways with 26 (eight fumble recoveries).

BIG BEN
Ben Hicks was thrust into a starting role in 2016 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.
In game six against Tulsa, Hicks set then-career-highs with 29 completions and two passing TDs.
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 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. 
Against USF, Hicks finished 25-41 passing for a career-high 380 yards with two TDs. He now has 17 passing TDs this season, which is tied for eighth in program history. 
Hicks finished the season third among freshman in passing yards per game.

BIG GAME JAMES
Freshman All-America Honorable Mention selection James Proche is back for a 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).
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.

GO WEST, YOUNG MAN
Running back Braeden West opens 2017 on the Doak Walker and Paul Hornung Award Watch Lists. In 12 games last season, West finished with 202 carries and six rushing touchdowns as the Mustangs' primary ball carrier, and was one of three Mustangs (James Proche and Courtland Sutton) with at least 1,000 all-purpose yards after finishing with 1,128 total yards (1,036 rushing and 92 receiving)
West had 15 receptions and registered six games with 100+ all-purpose yards, brings his season total to 1,036 rushing, 14th at SMU in a single-season.

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA
After missing most of the 2016 season due to injury, Xavier Jones returns in 2017. Jones was named a preseason candidate for the 2016 Doak Walker Award.
The Spring, Texas, native had a standout first season on the Hilltop, 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.
In the 2016 season opener at UNT, Jones ran for over 100 yards for the second time in his last three games (dating back to 2015), and his 10.5 YPC was the seventh-best mark of any FBS ball carrier. He also scored SMU's first TD of the season on a 49-yard run.
Jones missed three straight games (Baylor, Liberty, TCU) with a hamstring injury, but returned against Temple to record 25 yards on four carries, but left the game with a shoulder injury and missed the remainder of the season.

EVEN EVAN
For the second straight season, Evan Brown was named to the Rimington Trophy Preseason Watch List. The award is given annually to the top center in FBS college football.
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 played 35 at SMU and adds on a spot on the Outland Trophy Preseason Watch List to his resume in 2017. 

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.

WE'RE BACK!
The Mustangs rank fourth nationally in yards returning with 94.8%

1.    Troy    98.7%
2.    Florida Atlantic    96.2%
3.    Wake Forest    95.9%
4.    SMU    94.8%

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 482 straight games.

NATIONAL NEWCOMERS
SMU was the only team in the country with a passer, rusher and receiver ranked among the top 10 for freshmen in yards per game.

Ben Hicks, QB    244.2 (3rd)
Ke'Mon Freeman, RB    54.2 (10th)
James Proche, WR    59.1 (7th)

CON-GRAD-ULATIONS
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.

SMU IN THE CLASSROOM
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 has set multiple term and cumulative GPA records since Morris' arrival on the Hilltop in 2014.

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).



IMPROVED DEFENSE
The Mustangs continue to improve on defense each season under defensive coordinator Van Malone. 
SMU had 18 interceptions total last season, which tied for 9th in the FBS, and finished tied for 18th in the country in takeaways with 26 (eight fumble recoveries).
Last year, SMU yielded 36.2 points per game, and 453.0 total yards (242.5 passing, 210.5 rushing).

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

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. Morris has bestowed the honor to Jerry Ball for week one. 
Ball was a defensive lineman at SMU from 1983-86, earning All-Southwest Conference honors from 1984-86. Ball, who was a Playboy All-American in 1986, ranks fourth all-time at SMU in sacks. Ball led the Mustangs in tackles in 1984 and guided SMU to a SWC Co-Championship, as well as a 27-20 win over Notre Dame in the 1984 Aloha Bowl. Ball played 13 seasons in the NFL and was a four-time Pro Bowl selection. Ball helped lead two teams to NFC Championship games, first with the Detroit Lions in 1991 and later with the Minnesota Vikings in 1998. He was elected to the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
 
Tentative Schedule (subject to change)
Sept. 2    Jerry Ball
Sept. 9    Craig Swann
Sept. 23    Clark Hunt
Sept. 30    Chris Bordano
Oct. 27    Donald Mitchell
Nov. 4    Eric Dickerson
Nov. 25    Terrence Mann

THREE-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
SMU is one of just 26 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.
The NCAA recognizes three SMU teams as National Champions: 1935 (Dickinson & Houlgate), 1981 (National Championship Foundation) & 1982 (Helms Athletic Foundation).

PREP PREPAREDNESS
SMU Head Coach Chad Morris is one of 18 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. 

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

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.

TEMPO TALK
Chad Morris joins Mustang fans for Tempo Talk on Mondays at Ozona, located at 4615 Greenville Ave. 
Rich Phillips, the voice of the Mustangs, will host the event live from 7-8 PM on KAAM 770 AM radio every Monday night starting Aug. 28th. There will be food and drinks specials, trivia and prizes on site each week.
 

Shows will air on the following dates:

Monday, August 28
Monday, September 4
Monday, September 11
Monday, September 18
Monday, September 25
Monday, October 2
Monday, October 16
Monday, October 23
Monday, October 30
Monday, November 6
Monday, November 13
Monday, November 20

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