Game Notes | Live Stats | Twitter Updates
SMU Athletics Mobile App
 
TV: ESPN2 | Channel Finder
Radio: KLIF 570
Listen

Coach Dykes Weekly Media Availability
Oct. 14, 2019: It's Always Sonny On The Hilltop (Audio)
Coach Dykes: American Athletic Conference Weekly Teleconference
Proche Media Availability 

SETTING THE SCENE
•    The No. 19 SMU Mustangs host No. 25 Temple Saturday for the first Top-25 match-up to be played at Ford Stadium. Kick is set for 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

•     SMU defeated Tulsa in week seven in overtime, 43-37, after erasing a 21-point deficit in the fourth quarter to move to 6-0 for the first time since 1982. Entering the SMU-Tulsa game, over the past 15 seasons, FBS teams trailing by 21+ entering the 4th quarter were 9-3,000. 

•     Following the bye week, the Mustangs moved up to No. 19 in both the AP and Coaches Poll. It's the highest ranking for SMU since October 1986 (No. 18).

•     The Mustangs were named the Reveal Suits National Team of the Week following the win over Tulsa. It was the second FWAA National Team of the Week honor for SMU. The first came after SMU ended TCU's 22-game home win streak in 2011 with an OT win that gave them their best start to a season (4-1) in 25 years at that time.

•     James Proche was named the Walter Camp Award National Player of the Week, the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week and the AAC Offensive Player of the Week after his 153-yard, two-TD performance in the overtime win against Tulsa. Xavier Jones earned an Earl Campbell Honor Roll nod.

•     Six Mustangs were named to Watch Lists to open the 2019 season, including James Proche, who earned a spot on the Maxwell, Biletnikoff, Paul Hornung and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Lists. Reggie Roberson, Jr. (Biletnikoff, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose) joins him on a pair, while Xavier Jones (Doak Walker), Tyler Page (Wuerffel), Demerick Gary (AFCA Good Works) and Shane Buechele (Earl Campbell Tyler Rose) also earned mentions.

THE SERIES
Saturday's match-up will be the sixth between SMU and Temple, with the Owls leading the all-time series 2-1-2.  Temple has won the last two meetings, most recently a 45-20 game in 2016. SMU's only victory was a 59-49 win at home in 2013.

ABOUT THE OWLS
Temple comes into Saturday's game at 5-1 on the season and 2-0 in conference play. Last week, the Owls knocked off then-No. 23 Memphis 30-28 at home and also have a win over then-No. 21 Maryland. It is the first time Temple has beaten two ranked teams in a season.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his second season as head coach of the Mustangs and has an 11-8 record on the Hilltop. In his first season, SMU boasted one of the most explosive offenses in school history and a vastly-improved defense. The season included his first win as SMU head coach, a 31-30 overtime victory over Navy at home, and a 45-31 win over then-No. 17 Houston at Ford Stadium. Dykes' career record stands at 52-53.
•    Rod Carey is in his first season at Temple after serving as head coach at Northern Illinois for six seasons. He coaches the Huskies to six bowl games and a 52-30 overall record.

LAST TIME VS. TEMPLE
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Ryquell Armstead scored a pair of touchdowns and rushed for more yards than he'd gained all last month as Temple recovered from an early pick-six to defeat SMU 45-20 on Oct. 1, 2016.

The sophomore broke up the left sideline 37 yards to score the game's final TD and gained 159 of the Owls' 244 yards rushing. Armstead had gained 154 yards in all of September.

Jordan Wyatt had SMU on the board before the game was a minute old when he picked off Phillip Walker's third pass and returned it 35 yards for a TD.

But Temple (3-2, 1-0 American Athletic) responded with three quick scores -- a Jahad Thomas 12-yard run, a 42-yard pass from Walker to Ventell Bryant and Armstead's 1-yarder -- before the opening quarter ended.

Freshman Ben Hicks went 22-for-42 for 199 yards and two TDs for SMU (2-3, 0-1). The Mustangs intercepted Walker twice for 12 on the season, among FBS leaders.

QUICK HITS
•    James Proche, Shane Buechele, Richard Moore and Rodney Clemons were voted captains for the 2019 season.

•    The Mustangs are 6-0 for the first time since 1982 (11-4 in the last 15 games). It's the best start since going 10-0 to begin that season before finishing 11-0-1. 

•    The 21-point comeback against Tulsa on Oct. 5 tied for the second largest in program history. SMU trailed 30-9 at the end of the third quarter and scored on its last three possessions to force overtime and go on to win 43-37.

•    SMU had 440 yards of total offense in the win over Tulsa, 307 after halftime. The Mustangs also went 6-7 on fourth-down conversions (4-4 in the fourth quarter, 2-2 on fourth down on the last scoring drive of regulation and 1-1 in the first OT).

•    SMU did not allow a sack for the second time this season in the win at USF, and have only allowed six in 2019.

•    SMU has scored at least 30 points in six consecutive games, tied for the fourth longest active streak in the nation. 

•    The Mustangs went 4-0 in September. The last time they did so when playing at least four games was November of 1984 against Texas A&M, at Rice, at Texas Tech and against Arkansas.

HOT START
Not only is SMU 6-0 to start the season for the first time since 1982, but the Mustangs have outscored opponents 69-20 and outgained them 820-381 (136.7-63.5) in the first quarter this season. At the half, SMU has outscored opponents 131-66 and outgained them 1,537-948 (256.2-158.0). 
 
WHAT A RUSH
The Mustangs have 22 rushing touchdowns in 2019 after just 17 during the 2018 season. 

In the win over USF, Xavier Jones (2), Shane Buechele and Tyler Lavine posted rushing TDs for SMU. The Mustangs had 252 rushing yards in the game, giving them their third 300-yard game this season.

SMU registered 56 carries for 390 yards (14th most in a game for SMU) and five rushing TDs in the win over Texas State, giving the Mustangs the most rushing yards since the 467 total against TCU on Sept. 28, 1985. It was also the most rushing TDs since the five at Connecticut in 2018.

TJ McDaniel posted 159 yards off eight carries and three TDs to become the first Mustang with 150+ yards and 3 TDs in his SMU debut. He was the third freshman in school history to accomplish the feat, and ninth player (10th time) overall to post the numbers.

In addition to McDaniel, Jones also had 108 yards in the game, giving SMU two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the game at UConn in 2018.

Jones leads the Mustangs with 646 yards off 114 carries and 12 rushing TDs. Both Jones (4th, 34) and Ke'Mon Freeman (T7th, 24) rank in the top 10 on SMU career rushing TD list.

STREAKING
With the win over No. 25 TCU, SMU had its first five-game, non-conference winning streak since 1984-85. The 1984 season was also the last time SMU went perfect in regular season, non-conference action and 1950 was the last time the Mustangs went 4-0 or better in regular season, non-conference action. 
    
CLUB TAKEAWAY
The Mustang defense has 13 takeaways this season, giving them at least one takeaway in 17 straight games (35 total). In 11 of those games, SMU has had multiple takeaways. The 17 straight games is currently the fourth- longest active streak in the nation. 

Ar'mani Johnson (2) and Chevin Calloway (1) registered their first career interceptions in the win over Tulsa. Johnson ran his first back for a 64-yard TD.

Rodney Clemons had a pair of interceptions at USF, making him the first Mustang to post two in a game since Horace Richardson at ECU in 2016.

The three fumble recoveries in the win over No. 25 TCU were the most since SMU had three against Navy on Sept. 22, 2018.

Overall, the Mustangs are +3 in turnover margin this season, only having lost the turnover battle in the game against Texas State. 
    
DYNAMIC DUO
The receiving duo of James Proche and Reggie Roberson, Jr. has a combined 17 100-yard receiving games in its career, the most of any duo on a team in The American. In 2019, the pair has already posted four 100-yard games (Proche vs. UNT, Tulsa; Roberson Jr. at Arkansas State, at TCU).

Proche leads the AAC in receptions per game (7.5), while Roberson is second in yards (545).

GETTING DEFENSIVE
• Turner Coxe registered his second sack of the year against Tulsa to give the Mustangs 26 for the season, surpassing their total of 25 from the 2018 season. SMU ranks fifth nationally and first in the AAC in team sacks (4.33).

• Ar'mani Johnson (2) and Chevin Calloway (1) had their first career interceptions in the win over Tulsa. Johnson ran the first back for 64 yards for a TD.

• For the third straight game, Richard McBryde led the Mustangs in tackles. McBryde and Patrick Nelson had a team-high nine against Tulsa.

• Rodney Clemons registered four tackles, a pass break-up and his second-career blocked kick against Tulsa. His first also came against Tulsa, a field goal block he ran back 45 yards to the endzone in 2018.

CHANNEL 3
James Proche continues to climb the SMU record books with 45 receptions for 529 yards and five TDs in 2019. The senior is in the top three all-time at SMU for career receiving yards (3,253), receptions (235) and receiving TDs (31). 

Proche was named the Walter Camp Award National Player of the Week, the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week and the AAC Offensive Player of the Week after his 153 yard, two-TD performance in the overtime win against Tulsa. Proche caught the game-winner in the third OT, a 25 yard pass from Shane Buechele. It was his 11th-career 100-yard game, sixth-career game with 10 or more receptions and fifth straight with a TD reception (tied for the longest streak at SMU).

In the win over USF he had 125 all-purpose yards (96 receiving, 29 punt returns) moving him into the top-10 all-time at SMU. He now sits ninth with 4,173 after his 18th career game with 100+ all-purpose yards in the win over Tulsa.

Proche is also the FBS career active leader in receiving yards and receiving TDs.

2019 Watch Lists
Maxwell Award - College Player of the Year
Biletnikoff Award - Outstanding FBS receiver
Paul Hornung - Demonstrates an extreme, high-level of versatility
Earl Campbell Tyler Rose - Nation's top offensive player with a Texas tie

James Proche led SMU with 93 receptions for 1,199 yards and 12 touchdowns en route to All-American Athletic Conference honors in 2018, and returned in 2019 as the NCAA's FBS active career leader in receiving yards. He led the conference and was in the top 12 nationally in receptions per game, receiving TDs, receiving yards per game and receiving yards.

PONYUP, ARLINGTON
Shane Buechele set the record for most passing yards by a Mustang in his first start with 360 in the season-opening win at Arkansas State on Aug. 31. The junior went 30-for-49 with 360 yards. The totals were his second-highest in career attempts and yardage, and third-highest for completions.

In week two, Buechele went 21-31 with 292 passing yards and 3 TD (3rd career 3+ TD game), while adding 24 yards on the ground. The 316 yards of total offense gave him his first consecutive games of 300+ yards.

Buechele was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll after the win over No. 25 TCU. The junior completed 23 passes for 288 yards and two TDs, while rushing for 30 yards and his fifth-career rushing TD. His 318 yards of total offense gave him his third game this season with 300+.

Buechele was named Co-Offensive Player of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week following the win over USF. The junior threw for 226 yards and three TDs off a season-high completion percentage of 84.0. He was also five for 27 rushing with his second rushing TD of the season. 

After a pair of touchdown passes to James Proche in the win over Tulsa, Buechele now has multiple TD passes in five straight games.

Among career active FBS leaders, Buechele is 11th in completion percentage (.633), 14th in passing yards per game (217.3) and completions per game (18.45) and 19th in passing yards (6,301).

In three seasons at Texas, Buechele threw for 4,636 yards and 30 touchdowns. He set the UT freshman record with 2,958 yards and had the second most TDs as a freshman (21). He was also the first Texas quarterback since 2009 to have at least 2,500 passing yards and 20 touchdowns in a season.

TEXAS TIES
Shane Buechele isn't the only Texas transfer who has found success with the Mustangs. In two seasons on the Hilltop, quarterback Garrett Gilbert ranked second all-time at SMU in 300-yard passing games (9), third in career yardage (6,460) and completions (603) and tied for fifth in touchdown passes (36).

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA
Running back Xavier Jones had a career-high tying three rushing touchdowns to open the season against Arkansas State and matched that total in week two against North Texas. His back-to-back performance made him the first Mustang to have 3+ TDs in consecutive games since Zach Line in 2011 (5 vs Northwestern St. 9/17, 3 at Memphis 9/24) and earned him a spot on the Doak Walker Award Watch List and AAC Player of the Week honors.

Jones posted his 11th career game with multiple TDs in the win over Tulsa, and 10th career 100-yard rushing game (26-121 yards). He has at least one rushing TD in every game this season, and multiple rushing TDs in four.

His 34 career rushing and 36 total TDs are tied for fifth among FBS career active leaders, while his 2,806 rushing yards are 14th.

In 2015, Jones set the freshman record for rushing TDs with 10, and was a member of the Doak Walker Watch List in 2016 and 2018 and the Maxwell Award Watch List in 2018.

STAY ACTIVE
CJ Sanders joined the Mustangs after three seasons at Notre Dame and is the FBS active leader in combined kick return yards (2,979) and is tied for combined kick return touchdowns (5) and kickoff returns (110). He ranks second in kickoff return yards (2,650) and kickoff return touchdowns (4).

The redshirt senior wasted no time getting started in 2019, returning his fourth-career kickoff return for a touchdown en route to AAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors. The 98-yard return ties him for the eighth longest at SMU. Overall, Sanders finished with three returns for 133 yards against Arkansas State. 

He posted his second 100-yard return game  of the season in the win over Tulsa (119 yds). 

Sanders played only four games in 2018 due to an injury and was named a Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award Nominee. Ten times during the 2019 college football season, three inspiring student-athletes from all levels of college football, who have overcome injury, illness or other challenges, will be recognized as nominees.

THE KING REGGIE
Reggie Roberson, Jr. opened the 2019 season with a career-high 180 yards off 11 receptions to lead the Mustangs over Arkansas State. It was the fifth 100-yard game of his career. In week two, Roberson Jr. tied his career high with a pair of touchdown receptions against North Texas. In week three, he led the Mustangs with four catches for 68 yards.

In week four, Roberson Jr. posted his sixth-career 100-yard receiving game, leading the Mustangs with 122 yards off four catches in the win at TCU.

Roberson, Jr. ranks second nationally with nine 30+ yard receptions on the season and tied for seventh with 11 over 20 yards.

He is a member of both the Biletnikoff and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK
SMU welcomes 14 transfers, including seven graduate transfers, and five junior college transfers for the 2019 season. In total, the Mustangs have 60 new names on the roster this season.

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 Rodney Clemons has been awarded the number for 2019.
    
GRIDIRON GRADS
The 2019 SMU roster opened the season with 21 student-athletes who have already earned a degree, tying for the highest total in the country. Zach Abercrumbia, Chris Biggurs, Shane Buechele, Rodney Clemons, Pono Davis, Charlie Flores, Luke Hogan, Kevin Johnson, Xavier Jones, Richard McBryde, Tommy McIntyre, Richard Moore, Tyeson Neals, Patrick Nelson, Merek Pierce, James Proche, Kevin Robledo, CJ Sanders, Delontae Scott and Brandon Stephens. Of the 20 remaining, SMU has nine graduate transfers. 

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
Ra'Shaad Samples joined the Mustang coaching staff in July after serving as an assistant wide receivers coach at Texas. Prior to his stint at Texas, Samples spent two years as an offensive assistant at Houston in 2016 and 2017 working with the running backs and receivers (2016) under Darrell Wyatt and working with the quarterbacks (2017) under Brian Johnson. He played a role in the mentorship of Kyle Allen, D'Eriq King and Marquez Stevenson. 

Samples played in six games at Oklahoma State in 2014 as a redshirt freshman, registering three catches for 11 yards. In 2015, he transferred to Houston, and sat out the 2015 season due to transfer obligations and the 2016 season due to injury.

A.J. Ricker joined the Mustang staff in January and serves as the offensive line coach. Ricker came to the Hilltop after serving in the same capacity at Kansas in 2018.

Ricker served in an offensive analyst capacity at Oklahoma State in 2017 and Houston in 2016. While at OSU, the Cowboys posted the nation's top passing offense with 389.2 yards per game, and ranked second nationally in total offense (568.9). In 2016, Houston ranked 17th in passing offense (296.3) and 26th in scoring offense (35.6).

In addition to Samples and Ricker joining staff, Randall Joyner took over defensive line duties, while Josh Martin now adds special teams coordinator to his duties.

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY    
Junior Tyler Page is one of 93 student-athletes from college football's Football Bowl Subdivision named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List. The Wuerffel Trophy, known as "College Football's Premier Award for Community Service," is awarded to the FBS player that best combines exemplary community service with athletic and academic achievement.        

Page is a Finance major in the Cox School of Business from Friendswood, Texas, and currently boasts a 4.0 grade-point-average in his major. He was named to SMU's Honor Roll with High Distinction in the fall of 2018 and the Honor Roll with Distinction on three other occasions. Page is also a three-time All-American Athletic Conference All-Academic Team honoree.

One of SMU's most faithful participants in community service activities, Page has regularly taken part in Children's Hospital visits, elementary school service events, The Big Event, SMU youth football clinics and various other activities.

Senior Demerick Gary was announced as a nominee for the 2019 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team. The award is given annually to college football players for the impact they make off the field.

Gary is a leader in community service initiatives for the Mustangs, taking part in a variety of events. Activities include visits to the Children's Hospital, working with Feed My Starving Children, elementary school pep rallies and SMU football youth clinics. On the field, Gary played in 11 games for the Mustangs in 2018, making seven starts. The Dallas native registered 23 tackles, including three for loss. He also added a fumble recovery, one break-up and a quarterback hurry.

Coming into 2019, Gary has played in 36 games, recorded 59 tackles, 16 TFLs and 4.5 sacks. Gary is majoring in journalism.
    
IT'S ALWAYS SONNY ON THE HILLTOP    
The second season of It's Always Sonny on the Hilltop with Head Coach Sonny Dykes begins Monday, Aug. 26 at Ozona Grill and Bar, and runs throughout the 2019 campaign. The show will stream live each Monday from 7-8 p.m. 

Fans can also tweet their questions for Coach Dykes using the hashtag #AlwaysSonny, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com. The show will also be available on the TuneIn App by searching "SMU", on Facebook live at Facebook.com/SMUMustangs and on Twitter (@SMUMustangs) and Instagram (@SMU.Mustangs).

There will be no show Nov. 11 due to SMU's off week.

#PONYUPDALLAS
The Mustangs wore Dallas-themed uniforms to symbolize the relationship between SMU and the city of Dallas in wins over North Texas on Sept. 7 and No. 25 TCU on Sept. 21.

• The helmet decal featured the famous Triple D interlocked with the timeless SMU Pony, symbolizing the unity between the city of Dallas and SMU.

• The stripe on the helmet and jersey sleeves pay homage to the Dallas Cowboys.

• The number and pant stripe pay tribute to the 1966 Dallas Cowboys, led by quarterback and SMU alum Don Meredith.

• The script 'Dallas' featured on the chest pays homage to SMU alum and AFL founder Lamar Hunt and the Dallas Texans.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL 150TH ANNIVERSARY
The 2019 football season marks college football's 150th anniversary. The Mustangs will wear the CFB150 uniform patch to commemorate the season.

As part of the national celebration of the 150th season of college football in 2019, the American Athletic Conference will showcase some of the great moments and key individuals from its member schools who have added to the rich tradition of the sport and its contribution to American society and culture.

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 513 straight games. His 500th was SMU's 63-27 victory over HBU on Sept. 29, 2018.

PONY UP-GRADES!
Across all funds, donors gave more than $18.7 million to support Athletics in fiscal year 2019, a total that includes $9.6 million in capital gifts.    

Specific to Ford Stadium, SMU has made significant investments since 2011, including an upgraded locker room finished in August 2018, 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.

Prior to the 2016 season, Paragon Sports Constructors installed a new synthetic turf playing field at Ford Stadium. The new synthetic turf field is PowerBlade Bolt as manufactured by Shaw Sports Turf. The design for the new field remained the same, featuring the Mustang logo at mid-field with 'SMU' and 'Mustangs' in opposing end zones.

In the summer of 2013, SMU added a new 233-seat Hall of Champions Club and seven new suites in time for SMU's move to the American Athletic Conference. Among the great features of the new Club and suites is their indoor/outdoor design which allows fans to enjoy the comfort of indoor amenities as well as the excitement of sitting out in the bowl and hearing the roar of the crowd and the hard-hitting action on the field.

SMU also opened the Indoor Performance Center prior to the 2019 season. 

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), UNT (2015), Memphis (2016), Navy (2018) and Texas State (2019).