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SETTING THE SCENE
•    No. 18/18 SMU heads to Philadelphia for an American Athletic Conference match-up with Temple on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on ESPN+. The game was originally scheduled for Thursday night.

•     Following Saturday's 51-37 win over Navy, SMU climbed to No. 18 in both the AP and Coaches Poll. Shane Buechele threw for 300 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while Ulysses Bentley IV, Tyler Lavine and Rashee Rice all registered a pair of TDs. On defense, Delano Robinson had a team-high nine tackles, while Richard McBryde had 2.0 sacks and Terrance Newman had a forced fumble.

•     Shane Buechele was named to the American Athletic Conference Weekly Honor Roll for the fourth time this season for his performance in the win over Navy. He was also an Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honorable Mention selection for the third time this season, while Ulysses Bentley IV earned accolades for the second time in 2020.

THE SERIES
This is the seventh meeting between SMU and Temple with the all-time series tied at 2-2-2. SMU won last season's meeting 45-21 in Dallas when Temple was ranked rv/25 in the polls, but Temple has taken two of the last three. The series dates back to 1942 and opened with back-to-back ties between the programs (1942, 1946).

ABOUT THE OWLS
Temple comes into Saturday's match-up 1-3 overall, only having played an American Athletic Conference schedule in 2020. The lone win came at home against USF on Oct 17, while losses have come against Navy, Memphis and Tulane, all of which SMU has defeated this season.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his third year on the Hilltop and is 21-12 as head coach of the Mustangs, including 16-4 in the last 20 games. Dykes is the fourth Mustang head coach to win 20 games in his first three seasons at the helm of the program (Matty Bell, Ray Morrison & Bobby Collins). In 2019, he led SMU to an historic season going 10-3, winning the most games since 1984 and earning their highest national ranking (15/14) since 1985. He was named one of nine finalists for the 2019 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and one of 10 finalists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. He was also a semifinalist for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award and was on the watch list for the Dodd Trophy Coach of the Year Award. Prior to his time at SMU, Dykes spent four seasons at Cal (2013-16) and three seasons at Louisiana Tech (2010-12). Dykes' career record stands at 62-57.

•    Rod Carey is in his second season as the head coach of Temple and led the Owls to an 8-5 record in 2019 and an appearance in the 2019 Military Bowl. Prior to arriving at Temple, Carey spent eight seasons at Northern Illinois, most recently as head coach from 2012-18. 
 
LAST TIME VS. TEMPLE
DALLAS (AP) -- Shane Buechele set career highs with six touchdown passes and 457 passing yards as No. 19 SMU improved to 7-0 with a 45-21 win over Temple on Oct. 19, 2019.

Reggie Roberson Jr. had a career-high 250 receiving yards on seven catches, including touchdowns of 75, 75 and 33 yards.

The Mustangs have opened the season with seven straight wins for the first time since 1982, when they were 10-0-0 en route to an 11-0-1 finish. The seven-game winning streak is their longest since winning eight straight during the 1984-85 seasons. SMU (3-0 American) remains in first place in the West Division.

Temple (5-2, 2-1) scored on a 1-yard runs by Ra'Mahn Davis and Anthony Russo and a 25-yard pass from Russo to Branden Mack. The Owls are one game behind first-place Cincinnati in the East.

Buechele, in his first year at SMU after playing the previous three years at Texas, was 30 for 53 passing. He also threw touchdown passes of 10 yards each to James Proche and Kylen Granson and 5 yards to Xavier Jones. Buechele's previous yardage high was 375 as a Longhorn in 2017.

TEMPLE TIES
The first two games in the SMU-Temple series were marked by scant yards, few points and zero wins. The two teams combined for 13 points, 14 completions, 172 yards passing and two ties.

In 1942, the expected "aerial attack'' never got airborne. A steady rain put a damper on passes, laterals and the two PATs as the teams slogged through a muddy 6-6 tie in Dallas.

In 1946, the Mustangs boarded the train to Philadelphia without the two tailbacks expected to fill the void of Doak Walker, who was in the Army. SMU would have won that meeting, but jumped offside Temple's missed PAT. The mulligan was good for a 7-7 tie.

One important tie between the two schools was head coach Ray Morrison. Morrison was SMU's first football coach and served two stints on the Hilltop, coaching 1915-16 and 1922-34. After his second stop at SMU, Morrison moved to Temple, where he went 31-38-9 from 1940-1948, even coaching against SMU in that 1946 meeting.

On the morning of Sept. 14, 1915, Morrison held his first practice at SMU, thus marking the birth of the SMU football program. Morrison came to the school in June of 1915 when he became the coach of the University's football, basketball, baseball and track teams, as well as an instructor of mathematics. A former All-Southern quarterback at Vanderbilt, Morrison immediately installed the passing game at SMU. He was known as the author of the "aerial circus." His teams broke tradition by using the forward pass on any down and from any field position.

The first SMU team consisted entirely of freshmen. The Mustangs played their first game Oct. 10, 1915, dropping a 43-0 decision to TCU in Fort Worth. SMU bounced back in its next game, its first at home, to defeat Hendrix College, 13-2. Morrison came to be known as "the father of the forward pass" because of his use of the passing game on first and second downs instead of as a last resort. The Mustangs finished that season with a record of 2-5 and scored just three touchdowns while giving up 131 points. SMU did record the first shutout in school history with a 7-0 victory over Dallas University that year.

SMU finished the 1916 season 0-8-2 and suffered its worst loss ever, a 146-3 drubbing by Rice. The Mustangs were outscored, 455-27, by their opponents while managing ties against Austin College (0-0) and Southwestern (9-9). Morrison left SMU following the 1916 season to work with the Army YMCA at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., as Director of Sports and Recreation.

Morrison returned to SMU in 1920 to organize a Department of Physical Education and took over the football program again in 1922, having much greater success in his second run. Morrison's coaching star reached its zenith in the mid-1920s at SMU, as his 1923 Mustangs finished 9-0-0 and his 1926 edition finished at 8-0-1. He led SMU to SWC Championships in 1923, 1926 and 1931. He moved on to Vanderbilt (his alma mater) in 1935, but he had helped set the table for SMU's 1935 National Championship. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1954.

The teams have more than made up for the low-scoring match-ups that opened the series, though, as they have played back-to-back shootouts - a 59-49 SMU victory in 2013 and a 60-40 Temple victory in 2015.

HOT START
The Mustangs have been leading or tied after the first quarter in 16 of the past 19 games, and are outscoring opponents 70-31 after the first 15 minutes. SMU has also been leading or tied at halftime in 15 of the past 19. The Mustangs opened the season 5-0, giving them consecutive 5-0 starts for the first time since the 1982-1983 seasons.

SMU open the 2019 season 8-0 for the first time since 1982, and outscored opponents 86-20, while outgaining them 1,165-462 (145.66-57.75) in the first quarter. At the half, SMU outscored opponents 176-86 and outgained them 2,155-1,253 (269.38-156.63).

MAKING OUR POINT
SMU scored 51 points in Saturday's win over Navy, the third time this season the Mustangs have scored 50+ (65 at UNT, 50 vs. SFA). The only other time SMU had 3 games of 50+ was 1928.

SMU had 31 points in the second quarter, that is the most for SMU in a quarter since scoring 31 points in the third quarter of a 72-42 home win against Houston on Oct. 18, 2012.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Mustangs finished the 2019 season 6-0 at home, posting a perfect record at home for the first time since going 4-0 in 1968 when games were played at the Cotton Bowl. The Mustangs last went perfect on campus in 1939 when they were 5-0. SMU last won six games at home in 2017, finishing 6-1 overall.

SMU opened 3-1 at home in 2020 and announced sellouts of 7,898 in all four games. The loss to No. 9 Cincinnati snapped a streak of eight consecutive home wins at Ford Stadium (4th longest streak home winning streak in program history - 18, 1925-28; 17, 1934-36; 10, 1946-48; 8, 2019-20).

WATCH US
Eight Mustangs are on national Watch Lists for the 2020 season:
Alan Ali | Rimington Trophy 
Ulysses Bentley IV | FWAA Freshman All-American, Doak Walker, CFPA
Shane Buechele | Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award, Wuerffel Trophy, CFPA, Golden Arm Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Kylen Granson | Biletnikoff Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Chris Naggar | Ray Guy Award
Tyler Page | William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist
Reggie Roberson, Jr. | Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Jaylon Thomas | Outland Trophy

500 CLUB
SMU has registered 500 yards of total offense in five of seven games in 2020 and 11 of the past 20.

2020 Totals Over 500
Navy - 555 yards (300 passing, 255 rushing)
Tulane - 581 yards (439 passing, 142 rushing)
No. 25/24 Memphis - 549 yards (474 passing, 75 rushing)
North Texas - 710 yards (344 passing, 366 rushing) Second most in a game at SMU
Texas State - 544 yards (367 passing, 177 rushing)

SEEING RED
The Mustangs are 35-39 (90%) on the season (25 TDs, 10 FGs) in the red zone after going 6-6 against Navy. SMU has been perfect four times this season (8-8 at UNT, 6-6 vs. SFA, 5-5 at Tulane) after going perfect three times in 2019 (at USF, 5-5; at Memphis, 5-5; ECU 4-4). The 8-8 at North Texas was the most since going 7-7 at UConn in 2018. 

FOR THE RECORD
The Mustangs set season records in scoring (544), scoring average (41.8), total yards (6,368), total yards per game (489.8), total plays (1,037), rushing TDS (35), total first downs (322) and total TDs (73), while tying the passing TDs record (35). On defense they set records for sacks (51) and TFLs (111).

STREAKING
With the win over No. 25 TCU in 2019, 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. 

The Mustangs' eight-game win streak to start the season was the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982. SMU's win over SFA brought the regular-season, non-conference win streak to eight straight, the most since a streak of 17 from 1979-85.

WHAT A RUSH
SMU set the single-season rushing touchdown record in 2019 with 35 and has 18 in 2020. Ulysses Bentley IV leads the way with 10 TDs, which ties the single-season freshman record for rushing TDs set by Xavier Jones in 2015. Six different Mustangs account for the other eight TDs.

SMU outrushed Navy (255-191) on Saturday for the first time since Nov. 21, 1998 (274-131 in a 24-11 win at Navy). It was the first time SMU has had multiple players rush for two or more TDs since Ke'Mon Freeman (3) & Xavier Jones (2) did so at Connecticut on Nov. 10, 2018 (W, 62-50) with Bentley and Tyler Lavine each posting a pair.

The Mustangs had a pair of 100-yard rushers against SFA as TJ McDaniel joined Bentley IV with 104 yards. SMU also had five total rushing TDs with Danny Gray, Terrance Gipson and TaMerik Williams all posting their first career rushing TDs.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY
The Mustangs returned four offensive linemen who started at least 12 games each in 2019 in Jaylon Thomas, Hayden Howerton, Alan Ali and Beau Morris. The four have started all seven games this season and have a combined 114 starts. The line helped the SMU offense to national rankings of seventh in scoring offense (41.8), ninth in total offense (489.8) and 13th in passing offense (309.0) a season ago.

The Mustangs currently rank fourth nationally in first downs (176), seventh in total offense (523.0) and 13th in passing (330.1) and scoring offense (39.6).

ON THE RECEIVING END
The Mustangs had three 100-yard receivers in the win over Tulane: Danny Gray (5-133, TD), Rashee Rice (7-139, TD) and Tyler Page (4-101). It was the first time since 2017 (C. Sutton, J. Proche, T. Quinn vs Tulsa) with three and second time this season with multiple (at UNT - Roberson, Jr. 9-103, Rice 5-102).

SMU is the only school in The American to have four players with 100-yard performances this season.

Rashee Rice
139 at Tulane (Oct 16, 2020)
102 at North Texas (Sept. 19, 2020)
101 at Texas State (Sept. 05, 2020)

Reggie Roberson, Jr.
243 vs Memphis (Oct. 03, 2020)
103 at North Texas (Sept. 19, 2020)

Danny Gray
133 at Tulane (Oct. 16, 2020)

Tyler Page
101 at Tulane (Oct. 16, 2020)

In the win over Navy, Rice posted his third straight game with a receiving TD and his first multi-TD game, Ulysses Bentley IV had career-highs for receptions and yards (4-68) and Austin Upshaw posted his first career receiving TD.

LET'S GET EXPLOSIVE
SMU is among national leaders in explosive plays.

Yards	No. of Plays	Yards	No. of Plays
20+	45	60+	6^
30+	35	70+	3
40+	16^	80+	2*
50+	9*

*leads nation  ^second

CLUB TAKEAWAY
The Mustangs continue the party in 2020 with 13 takeaways after six games, including at least one in nine straight games and 29 of the past 31. SMU's 13 (6 INTs, 7 FRs) takeaways rank third nationally. 

Against Navy, Terrance Newman recorded his first career forced fumble followed by the first career recovery from Gary Wiley. 

The defense posted a season-high four against No. 25 Memphis including interceptions from Trevor Denbow and Crossley and a forced fumble from Junior Aho. 

Starting with SMU's game versus TCU in 2018, the Mustangs posted a 19-game takeaway streak that ended at Memphis in 2019. The streak was the second longest active streak in the nation at the time. Overall, the defense forced 21 takeaways in 2019 (9 INTs, 12 FRs), ranking them fourth in the American Athletic Conference and 34th nationally.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
SMU registered a program-record 51 sacks and 111 tackles-for-loss in 2019. The 3.92 sacks ranked first in the nation, while the 8.5 TFLs were third. The Mustangs have 19 sacks and 53 TFLs in 2020. 

•     Delano Robinson had a team-high nine tackles with 1 sack and 2 TFLs against Navy. He has now led SMU in tackles in 5 of last 6 games.

•     Richard McBryde posted a career-high 2 sacks against Navy.

•     Chace Cromartie finished with a career-high 6 tackles with 2 TFLs against Navy.

•     Brandon Crossley's three INTs this season tie for first nationally.

•     SMU's 13 (6 INTs, 7 FRs) takeaways rank third nationally, with the seven fumble recoveries ranking fourth.

@BGSHANEBUECHELE
Shane Buechele has multiple TDs in 16 of the last 19 games and 50 career TDs at SMU (3rd), with 80 overall. He enters the game second nationally in passing yards (2,226), ninth in passing TDs (16) and passing yards per game (318.0) and 11th in points responsible for (102), and had the highest passer rating on throws 10+ yards down field in week 9 (158.3).

He registered a career-high 474 passing yards off 32 completions and added three TDs in the victory over No. 25 Memphis on Oct. 3 to earn Davey O'Brien National Quarterback of the Week and AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors, Honorable Mention accolades from the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and a Manning Award Star of the Week nod. His 474 passing yards were the third most in a game at SMU, while his career-best 501 yards of total offense were second for a Mustang.

Buechele threw for 367 yards and one TD in the season opener against Texas State, and went on to earn National POTW honors from the CFPA for his week two performance, throwing for 344 yards and four TDs, while also adding 29 yards on the ground and a rushing TD.

Buechele has been named to the Maxwell, Manning, Davey O'Brien, CFPA Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Golden Arm Award and Wuerffel Trophy Watch Lists.
Buechele threw for 3,929 yards and 34 touchdowns in 2019, both SMU records.

BUECHELE RAISES $50,000 FOR CITY OF DALLAS COVID-19 ASSISTANCE FUND
Shane Buechele and his girlfriend, Paige Vasquez, raised $50,000 for the Mayor's Disaster Relief Fund for COVID-19. Back in April the couple decided to start a GoFundMe account so that they could give back to the place they call home. 

"I was impressed with Shane Buechele's performance on the field last season for SMU, but I am far more impressed with his commitment to his community here in the city of Dallas," said Mayor Eric Johnson. "Dallas is a resilient city. We will recover from COVID-19, and the funds raised by Shane and Paige will help us get there."

Their GoFundMe account was created to help the city during this time of uncertainty. The pair felt that they could team up and use their voices to rally support and give back to their community.
 
"Dallas is home. I grew up here," Buechele said. "It's been amazing to see how many people have sent in donations. Everyone wants to help and give back in some way and I'm glad they're able to do that through the donation page Paige and I started."

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 (2012-13) 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). Also joining the Mustangs this year is former Longhorn Chris Naggar. 

THE SPECIALIST
Chris Naggar has been named the American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the week four times in seven weeks during the 2020 season and is a member of the Ray Guy Award Watch List.

In back-to-back weeks (Tulane, No. 25/24 Memphis), Naggar hit game winning field goals to keep the Mustangs undefeated. Following the win over Memphis, he was also named one of three  Lou Groza Collegiate Place Kicker Award Stars of the Week. 
 
Naggar is 13-for-16 on the season for field goals, 32-of-34 on PATs and has 27 touchbacks on 48 kickoffs for 2,979 yards. He ranks third nationally in total points scored at 71.

He started the season 8-8 before missing a 45-yard FG attempt, and his 13 FGs made tie for ninth in a season at SMU. 

DYNAMIC DUO
Shane Buechele and Reggie Roberson, Jr., combined for 7,334 career yards, and have connected on 1,389 yards between the pair at SMU. The duo was named the best quarterback/wide receiver duo in the state of Texas by Dave Campbell Texas Football. Following the win over No. 25 Memphis, Buechele was named the Davey O'Brien Award National Quarterback of the Week and Roberson, Jr., was named the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week.

@DGRAY_5
In the win over Tulane, Danny Gray posted a receiving and rushing TD for the second time this season (SFA), and capped off four straight games with a receiving touchdown. His 32-yard rushing TD was a career-long run, while his 133 receiving yards were also a career-high. Gray's yards per catch (26.6) ranked second nationally in week seven.

Gray added 43 yards off kick returns for 208 all-purpose yards.

For his efforts, he was named to the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Weekly Honor Roll.

Gray did not play in the win over Navy.

@BENTLEYDOO
Ulysses Bentley IV leads the Mustangs with 695 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns through the first seven games of 2020 and is listed on FWAA Freshman All-American, Doak Walker and CFPA Watch Lists. His 10 rushing TDs tie the SMU freshman record.

He scored his first seven TDs in the opening three games of the season, which tied for the sixth most in a three-game span at SMU.

Bentley (25-149, 2 TD) posted his fourth game of the season with multiple rushing TDs in the win over Navy and third 100-yard rushing game of the season. His 217 all-purpose yards game him his second game of the season with 200+ (248 yards at UNT).

IN THE GRAN SCHEME OF THINGS
A member of the Biletnikoff Award Watch List, Kylen Granson registered 43 receptions for 721 yards in 2019 and tied SMU's record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end with nine. He earned second-team All-American Athletic Conference honors.

Granson collected an extensive list of preseason accolades for 2020, including Dave Campbell's Texas football All-Texas Team honors, as well as All-AAC honors from Phil Steel's Magazine, College Football News and Athlon Sports.

In just his second season on the Hilltop, Granson ranks as one of the top tight ends in program history.

OFFENSIVE LINEMEN EARN WATCH LIST RECOGNITION
Jaylon Thomas was named to the Outland Trophy Watch List, while Alan Ali was recognized as a member of the Rimington Trophy Watch List. 

Both Mustangs started all 13 games in 2019, and Thomas went on to earn All-American Athletic Conference Second-Team honors.

The pair blocked for an offense that ranked seventh nationally in scoring offense (41.8), ninth in total offense (489.8) and 13th in passing offense (309.0). 

The program set records for scoring average (41.8), scoring (544), total offense (6,368), yards per game (489.8), plays (1,037), TDs (73), rushing TDs (35) and first downs (322).

MR. VERSATILE
Tyler Page has been recognized by Head Coach Sonny Dykes as having the ability to fill multiple roles for the Mustangs. The wide receiver had four receptions for 101 yards against Tulane for his second career 100-yard game, and also connected on a career-long 55-yard pass to Rashee Rice. He has 252 receiving yards this season and has six punt returns for 65 yards. Page is 4-7 passing for 102 yards with a TD in his career. 

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY
Tyler Page is representing SMU as the 2020 nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy. Page has a 3.9 grade-point-average in finance and has been named to the SMU Honor Roll with High Distinction, Distinction and the Honor Roll.

Page played in all 13 games in 2019 and registered 13 catches for 198 yards. He added five kickoff returns for 127 yards and a punt return for six yards. 

In the community, Page participates in SMU's visits to the Children's Hospital, youth football camps, The Big Event and elementary school service events and visits. 

HE'S IN!
Stanford graduate transfer Mike Williams opted back in for the 2020 season after initially choosing to sit out his first season on the Hilltop. Williams returned to action in the win week five win over Memphis and started in SMU's win over Navy.

In three seasons at Stanford, Williams played in 38 games, started all 25 during his sophomore and junior seasons.  He registered 72 tackles, including 8 TFLs, 2 sacks and 2 QB hurries. 

@THEKINGREGGIE
Reggie Roberson, Jr., suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Oct. 3 game against Memphis.

A Biletnikoff Watch List honoree, Roberson, Jr., was named a 2020 preseason third-team All-America selection by Phil Steele's Magazine, as well as a first-team All-AAC honoree. He's also been honored as the best wide receiver in Texas by Dave Campbell's Texas Football, a member of the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Watch List honoree and a preseason all-conference selection by Dave Campbell and Athlon Sports. 

Reggie Roberson, Jr., had five receptions for 243 yards and two TDs in the win over  Memphis for the third best single-game receiving total in program history. He was named the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week and to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll.

The senior now has nine 100-yard games and four multi-TD games for his career, and his 17 touchdowns place him tied for eighth on SMU's program list. The 70- and 85-yard catches were his fifth and sixth of at least 50 yards as a Mustang.

Roberson, Jr., opened 2020 with 99 yards and a 51-yard TD reception at Texas State. At UNT, he registered nine catches for 103 yards and two TDs. He also finished with 128 all-purpose yards (25 KOR).

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 Brandon Stephens has been awarded the number for 2020.
Players To Wear #23
Brandon Stephens, DB, 2020
Rodney Clemons, S, 2019
Jordan Wyatt, CB, 2018
Nick Horton, DE, 2016-17
Jeremiah Gaines, TE, 2015
Stephon Sanders, LB, 2012-14
Chris Banjo, DB, 2009-11

GRIDIRON GRADS
The 2020 opened with 10 student-athletes who have already earned an undergraduate degree -- Shane Buechele, Kevin Johnson, Richard McBryde, Richard Moore, Tommy McIntyre, Chris Naggar, Jacob Pugh, Kadarius Smith, Brandon Stephens and Mike Williams.

MUSTANGS IN THE CLASSROOM
SMU had 56 student-athletes named to the AAC All-Academic team following the 2019-20 season. To be eligible for the honor, a nominee must have competed in an AAC-sponsored sport, attained a minimum grade-point average of 3.00 for the preceding academic year, and completed a minimum of two consecutive semesters or three consecutive quarters of academic work, with a total of 18 semester or 27 quarter credits, not including remedial courses.

SAME NAMES, NEW LOOK
Nine of the ten assistant coaches on the Mustang coaching staff return for the 2020 season, but three with new roles this year. A.J. Ricker has added the Co-Offensive Coordinator title to his offensive line duties, Chris Brasfield has been named assistant head coach and special teams coordinator and Ra'Shaad Samples is now in charge of running backs.

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
Garrett Riley joined the Mustang football staff as Offensive Coordinator and quarterbacks coach in January of 2020.
 
Riley arrived on the Hilltop after spending the 2019 season as running backs coach at Appalachian State, and was set to be promoted to Offensive Coordinator. The Mountaineers went 13-1 last season, including a Sun Belt Championship and a win in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl over UAB. 
 
Prior to his time at Appalachian State, Riley spent three seasons at Kansas (2016-18) in various capacities. From 2013-15, Riley worked with the offense at ECU, spending the 2015 season as the outside receivers coach and 2013 and 2014 as an offensive assistant.
 
Riley got his start in the collegiate ranks in 2012 as running backs coach at Augustana College (Ill.), and prior to that was a quarterbacks and passing game assistant at Roosevelt High School in Lubbock, Texas, in 2011.

IT'S ALWAYS SONNY ON THE HILLTOP
WE'RE GOING FULLY VIRTUAL WITH THE SHOW! 

Catch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page or SMUMustangs.com and listen on TuneIn by searching "SMU."

The third season of It's Always Sonny on the Hilltop with Head Coach Sonny Dykes begins Monday, Aug. 31, and will run throughout the 2020 campaign. The show will take place Mondays at 7 p.m.
 
Catch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page or SMUMustangs.com and listen on TuneIn.
 
Fans can tweet their questions for Coach Dykes using the hashtag #AlwaysSonny, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com.

#PONYUPDALLAS
In 2019, The Mustangs debuted Dallas-themed uniforms to symbolize the relationship between SMU and the city of Dallas in wins over North Texas on Sept. 7, No. 25 TCU on Sept. 21 and Houston on Oct. 24. SMU opened the 2020 season against Texas State in the Dallas jerseys.

• 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.

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

SMU JOINS THE PLAYERS COALITION 
The Mustangs announced they would be joining the Players Coalition in June.

The Players Coalition exists to end social injustices and racial inequality so future generations have the opportunity to thrive without barriers. The mission "is to achieve social and racial equality using Players Coalition influence and support to impact systemic social and civic change in the areas of Police & Community Relations, Criminal Justice Reform and Education & Economic Advancement in low-income communities."

Former Mustang and current Arizona Cardinal Kelvin Beachum serves on the organization's task force.

MUSTANGS PARTNER WITH JEREMY DARLOW
The SMU football program has announced a partnership with brand marketing consultant and best-selling author Jeremy Darlow.
 
The partnership, which gives Mustang football players access to Darlow's online course, The Darlow Rules, helps collegiate student-athletes develop and grow their personal brands.
 
A former marketing director for adidas with 15-plus years of brand marketing experience, Darlow now owns and operates a consultancy focused on helping athletes, coaches and teams build their brands. Over the course of his career, he has worked with some of the most heralded athletes, celebrities and NCAA programs in and around sports, including Aaron Rodgers, Von Miller, Adrian Peterson, Dak Prescott, Kris Bryant, Carlos Correa, Lionel Messi, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Notre Dame, Michigan, UCLA, Miami, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
 
SMU is the first school in Texas and the first program in the American Athletic Conference accepted into the program.
 
The partnership also includes access to conversations with Darlow to help further develop the brand marketing plan.

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.

GREAT FAMILY 
The Mustangs are wearing Great Family patches on their jerseys during the 2020 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).