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SETTING THE SCENE
•    No. 19/16 SMU travels to Houston to face the Cougars on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN2.
•     The Mustangs are coming off a 55-26 win over Tulane in a Thursday night match-up. Tanner Mordecai threw for 427 yards and three TDs, while rushing for another. Tre Siggers had a pair of rushing TDs and Danny Gray led the Mustangs with 140 receiving yards. Delano Robinson had a team-high eight tackles, and Isaac Slade-Matautia had his second interception of the season.
•     Tanner Mordecai was named the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week for the third time this season following the win over Tulane. He was also named to the 40-member Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2021. Danny Gray was added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List.
•     SMU is 7-0 to open the year for the second time in three seasons (2019, 10-3). The 5-0 starts the last three seasons were the first for the Mustangs since the 1981-83 seasons. With a win, SMU would have its best start since the 8-0 record to open the 2019 campaign. This is the third consecutive season the Mustangs are bowl eligible.
•     The Mustangs are up two spots in the AP poll to No. 19 this week, while climbing three spots in the Coaches Poll to No. 16.
•     SMU reached No. 16 in both the AP and Coaches Polls during the 2020 season, and was ranked as high as No. 15/14 in 2019. The Mustangs have been ranked or receiving votes in at least one poll dating back to week four of the 2019 season.
•     SMU is coming off a seven-win season in 2020 (7-3) and has won seven games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since the 2011-12 seasons (10-3 in 2019).
•     Sonny Dykes has led SMU to 24 wins since the start of the 2019 season, the most for a team in Texas.

THE SERIES
This is the 36th meeting between SMU and Houston, with Houston holding the 21-13-1 all-time advantage. The 2020 game was canceled, but the Mustangs have won two straight and three of the last four. SMU won the last meeting in Houston (2019), 34-31.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Houston is coming off a 31-24 overtime win over ECU, moving the Cougars to a perfect 4-0 in AAC play. Overall, Houston is 6-1, with its only loss coming against Texas Tech to open the season.

THE COACHES
•    Sonny Dykes is in his fourth season and is 29-14 as head coach of the Mustangs. He is just the fourth Mustang head coach to win 20 games in his first three seasons. Dykes has been a finalist for Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year and the Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards. The seven wins in 2020 were the first in back-to-back seasons since the 2011-12 seasons, and the bowl bid was the second in three seasons under Dykes. In 2019, Dykes led SMU to an historic season that saw the Mustangs go 10-3, winning the most games since 1984 and earning their highest national ranking (15/14) since 1985.
•    Dana Holgorsen is 13-14 in his third year as head coach of Houston, and 74-55 overall as a head coach. Holgorsen came to Houston after eight seasons as head coach at West Virginia.

LAST TIME VS. HOUSTON
HOUSTON (AP) -- Shane Buechele threw for 203 yards and two touchdowns, Xavier Jones ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns and No. 16 SMU held off Houston 34-31 on Oct. 24, 2019.

Buechele was 20 of 38. James Proche caught seven passes for 83 yards and a touchdown, and Kylen Grayson had six receptions for 76 yards and a touchdown for SMU (8-0, 4-0 American).

Jones had a career-long 62-yard rushing touchdown with 10:41 left in the second quarter and added a 2-yard scoring run 47 seconds into the second half after SMU forced a Houston fumble and Richard McBryde recovered it.

Houston closed to 34-31 on a 96-yard touchdown pass from Tune to Stevenson and added a 2-point conversion with 4:47 left. After Houston forced an SMU punt, the Mustangs forced a turnover on downs at the Houston 45. Houston forced another SMU punt, but Tune was sacked at midfield to end the game.

The Mustangs took advantage of Houston's three turnovers, converting them into 14 points. SMU had seven sacks for 51 yards and 13 tackles for loss.

LAST TIME OUT
DALLAS (AP) - Tanner Mordecai threw three touchdown passes to push his nation-leading total to 29, ran for another score and No. 21 SMU dominated the first half in a 55-26 victory over Tulane. Mordecai had 300 of his career-high 427 yards at halftime, capped by a 22-yard toss to Reggie Roberson, Jr. for a 31-7 lead 53 seconds before the break. 

Tre Siggers had 81 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Danny Gray had eight catches for a career-high 140 yards, the biggest a 43-yarder on third-and-14 from the SMU 18-yard line with Tulane building momentum in the third quarter.

QUICK HITS
•     SMU is 24-6 since the start of 2019 and 13-1 at home in that span.
•     The Mustangs have started the season 7-0 for the second time in three seasons (2019). After winning five games to open the season, SMU made it only the second time in history to have started 5-0 in three consecutive seasons (1981-83).
•     SMU is one of only nine teams nationally that are undefeated. The Mustangs are also bowl eligible for the third consecutive season.
•     The Mustangs had exactly 300 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in the first half against Tulane, making them the first team this season to accomplish the feat vs. an FBS team. The last team to do so was Alabama vs. LSU (12/5/2020).
•     SMU leads the nation at just 0.29 sacks per game allowed, and the 525.4 yards of total offense rank sixth.
•     The Mustangs rank fifth nationally in punt return defense (1.20) and ninth in kickoff returns (29.29).
•     Shaine Hailey was selected to wear the No. 23 jersey in honor of Jerry LeVias in 2021.
•     Delano Robinson, Shaine Hailey, Reggie Roberson, Jr., Hayden Howerton, Trevor Denbow, Tanner Mordecai and Grant Calcaterra were selected as 2021 captains.

HOME SWEET HOME
SMU is 13-1 at home since the start of the 2019 season.

SMU was 3-1 at home in 2020 and announced sellouts of 7,898 in all four games. The loss to then-No. 9/10 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).

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.

TROPHY GETTERS
The Mustangs have a pair of trophies in the case already this season, winning both the Iron Skillet and Gansz Trophy rivalries. SMU defeated TCU 42-34 on Sept. 25 to retain the Iron Skillet for the second straight seasons, and defeated Navy 31-24 on Oct. 9 for its second consecutive in that match-up as well.

HOT START
SMU led or was tied after the first quarter in 23 of the past 29 games, and were also leading or tied at halftime in 23 of the past 29. The Mustangs have also been leading at the end of the first quarter in six of seven games in 2021. 

SMU opened the 2019 season 8-0 for the first time since 1982 and has started 5-0 for the third consecutive season for the first time since 1981-83. The 7-0 start is the second in three seasons. 

MAKING OUR POINT
SMU scored 50+ points three times in 2020 (65 at UNT, 50 vs. SFA, 51 vs. Navy). This season, the Mustangs have a pair of 50+ point games after opening with 56 against ACU and scoring 55 against Tulane. The only other time SMU had three games of 50+ in a season was 1928.

The Mustangs allowed only 21 points over the first two games of 2021, the fewest to open the season since 1996 and the fewest in consecutive games since 2011. They currently lead The American in scoring offense at 42.7.

1996 
8/31 Tulsa W 17-10
9/7 at Arkansas W 23-10
2011 
9/17 Northwestern State W 40-7
9/24 at Memphis W 42-0

SMU SEASON SCORING AVERAGE
---    2021    42.7
1    2019    41.8
2    2020    38.6
3    2017    37.8
4    1981    33.2
5    2012    30.5
6    2018    30.4

STREAKING
The Mustangs have started 7-0 for the second time in three seasons (8-0, 2019), while the 5-0 start reached against USF gave SMU its third consecutive season of starting 5-0 for only the second time in program history (1981-83). SMU is also 3-0 to open AAC play for the second time in three seasons.

On the road, SMU is at least 3-0 for the third straight season (4-0 in 2019, 4-0 in 2020).

The win over TCU on Sept. 25 brought the regular-season, non-conference win streak to 12 straight, the most since a streak of 17 from 1979-85. SMU has also won six straight regular-season, non-conference road games. The Mustangs' eight-game win streak to start the 2019 season was the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982. 

WATCH US
The 11 Mustangs on 17 National Awards Watch Lists give the program five straight seasons where SMU is represented on 10+ lists.
Ulysses Bentley IV | Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, CFPA, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Grant Calcaterra | Mackey Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Danny Gray | Biletnikoff Award, Paul Hornung Award, Reese's Senior Bowl
Shaine Hailey | AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy
Brendan Hall | Ray Guy Award Watch List
Hayden Howerton | William V. Campbell Trophy, Senior CLASS Award
Blake Mazza | Lou Groza Award
Tanner Mordecai | Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award, Manning Award
Rashee Rice | Biletnikoff Award
Reggie Roberson, Jr. | Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Reese's Senior Bowl, Mayo Comeback Player of the Year
Jaylon Thomas | Outland Trophy, Reese's Senior Bowl

WHAT A RUSH
SMU had season-high four rushing TDs against Tulane. 

The Mustangs posted 350 yards at TCU, the most since 366 yards at North Texas in 2020. The game was also the last time SMU had more rushing than passing yards as well. Ulysses Bentley IV (153) and Tre Siggers (110) gave the Mustangs two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the 2020 meeting with SFA.

Siggers leads the Mustangs with 473 yards and four TDs off 101 carries this season. He registered 81 yards with two TDs against Tulane. It was his third straight game with a rushing TD and tied a career high.

After a Freshman All-America season, Bentley IV has 55 carries for 405 yards and two TDs 2021. Against UNT, Bentley IV posted the seventh longest run in program history with an 85-yard TD. It was the longest for a Mustangs since a 96-yard TD run by Kris Briggs vs. Tulsa in 2002. 

SMU set the single-season rushing touchdown record in 2019 with 35 and finished with 24 (10 games) in 2020. 

LET'S GET EXPLOSIVE
How SMU ranks among the nation in explosive plays:
 

Yards	No. of Plays	Yards	No. of Plays
20+	43 (T19)	60+	4 (T16)
30+	18 (T39)	70+	1 (T45)
40+	11 (T23)	80+	1 (T5)
50+	5 (T32)

500 CLUB
SMU had a season-high 612 yards (438 passing, 174 rushing) of total offensive against Tulane and has registered 500 yards of total offense in 10 of the past 17 games. The Mustangs are averaging 525.4 yards of total offense in 2021, first in the AAC and sixth nationally.

2021
Tulane - 612 (438 passing, 174 rushing)
TCU - 595 (245 passing, 350 rushing)
La Tech - 578 yards (395 passing, 183 rushing)
UNT - 536 yards (311 passing, 225 rushing)

2020
Temple - 549 yards (355 passing, 194 rushing)
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)

Eight of the top 11 totals on the single-game list have come under Sonny Dykes.

CLUB TAKEAWAY
The Mustangs had four (3 INT, 1 FR) takeaways in the season-opening win over ACU, and went on to post a pair against UNT (2 INT). SMU had a streak of seven straight games with a takeaway heading into the game at Navy.

Isaac Slade-Matautia had an interception against Tulane, giving SMU takeaways in 17 of the past 19 games and 37 of the past 41. In all, SMU has ten in 2021 (7 INT, 3 FR).

The four total against ACU were the most since Oct. 2, 2020 against Memphis and the three INTs were the most since Oct. 5, 2019 against Tulsa. SMU had six games in 2020 with multiple takeaways.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
•     Shaine Hailey (12), DeVere Levelston (11) and Mike Williams (10) all posted career-highs in tackles in the win over Navy. 
•     The Mustangs thwarted a pair of fourth-down attempts with under five minutes left in the fourth quarter against Navy. SMU's defense held Navy to 241 total yards (177 rushing) after the Midshipmen registered 406 (348 rushing) in the previous game vs. UCF.
•     Delano Robinson had a team-high eight tackles against Tulane and has led or co-led SMU in the last 11 of 16 games.
•     Isaac Slade-Matautia registered his second INT of the season in the win over Tulane.

THE BOYS ARE BACK
The Mustangs returned all five offensive linemen who started at least nine games each in 2020. Jaylon Thomas, Hayden Howerton, Alan Ali, Justin Osborne and Beau Morris currently have a combined 161 career starts. Howerton alone has 48, the most for an active Mustang. Ten Mustang offensive linemen have started at least one FBS game, including redshirt freshman Branson Hickman, who has made two consecutive starts at center.

The offensive line tops the FBS allowing 0.29 sacks through seven games, and help the Mustangs lead the conference in fourth down conversation % (5th NCAA, .250), first down offense (11th, 190), passing offense (10th, 333.3) and scoring offense (6th, 42.7).

SMU finished the 2020 season ranked ninth nationally in red zone offense (.920), 12th in total offense (494.5) 13th in passing offense (318.0) and 15th in scoring offense (38.6). They were also in the top 15 in three of the four categories in 2019, after not cracking the top 25 on any of the lists in 2018.

ON THE RECEIVING END
Danny Gray joined Rashee Rice and Reggie Roberson, Jr., on the Biletnikoff Award Watch List this week. This is the 13th consecutive year a Mustang has made the list dating back to 2009. SMU is one of only 11 teams with multiple student-athletes listed in 2021, and one of only two (Nevada) with three players. This is the third straight season that the Mustangs have had at least two players mentioned.

The Mustangs opened 2021 with 12 receivers catching a pass against ACU, the first time with 10+ receivers since the 2020 meeting with UNT, and four different players caught TD passes. Against Tulane, SMU had 10, the third game with 10+ on the season. Both tight end Tommy McIntyre and running back Tyler Lavine had their first receiving TDs against Tulane.     

SMU is the only school in The American to have had five players with 100-yard receiving performances in 2020, including three current Mustangs. 

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)

Kylen Granson
149 at Temple (Nov 07, 2020).

Tyler Page
131 at Temple (Nov. 07, 2020)
101 at Tulane (Oct. 16, 2020)

SMU had multiple 100-yard receivers three times in 2020.
at Temple (Tyler Page, Kylen Granson)
at North Texas (Rashee Rice, Reggie Roberson, Jr.)
at Tulane (Rashee Rice, Tyler Page, Danny Gray)

@T_MORDECAI
Tanner Mordecai currently leads the nation in passing TDs and points responsible for (186), while his total offense (3rd, 357.9), completion percentage (5th, .711), completions per game (5th, 26.71), passing efficiency (6th, 176.3), passing yards per game (6th, 331.4) and passing yards (8th, 2,320) are all in the top 10.

He has at least four TDs in five of seven games and has passed for 300+ yards in six of seven games this season. The seven TDs against ACU broke the SMU single-game record. He has multiple TDs in every game.

Mordecai earned back-to-back AAC Offensive Player of the Week honors after wins at La. Tech and against UNT, and earned his third after the win over Tulane. He was added to the mid-season Maxwell Award, Davey O'Brien Award and Manning Award Watch Lists.

@THEKINGREGGIE
Reggie Roberson, Jr., returned for the 2021 season after suffering a season-ending knee injury in the Oct. 3, 2020 game against Memphis. He opened 2021 on Watch Lists for the Maxwell Award, Biletnikoff Award, Reese's Senior Bowl and the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award and was named a Mayo Comeback Player of the Year candidate.

He is 30-406 in 2021 with five TDs, including one in each of the last five games. His 29 straight games with a reception rank tied for ninth in the NCAA. Roberson, Jr., also has 10 career 100+ yard games, which is second in The American.

Roberson, Jr., started all four games he played in last season before suffering a season-ending injury. He registered 22 catches for 474 yards and team-leading five receiving touchdowns. In the game against No. 25 Memphis, he had a season-high 243 receiving yards off five receptions with two TDs.

@RICERASHEE11
Rashee Rice tipped the ball to Reggie Roberson, Jr., for a TD on the final play in the win over La. Tech (9/18). He caught four passes for 73 yards with a pair of TDs. The two receiving TDs were a career high and gave him his second career multi-TD game. 

He is second on the team with 415 receiving yards off 35 catches, and his six TDs are second on the team. The game at Navy ended a five-game active streak for TD catches for Rice. 

Rice has caught 100% of his targets in four of seven games this season.

@BENTLEYDOO
Ulysses Bentley IV registered his sixth career 100-yard game after going 20-153 and a TD against TCU. He had 186 all-purpose yards (13 receiving, 20 kickoff) to give him his third straight, and seventh career, game with 100+. It tied for the fifth best rushing performance fro a Mustang against TCU. Bentley IV did not play against USF.

Ulysses Bentley IV was named an FWAA Freshman All-American, Co-Rookie of the Year in The American and to the conference first team in 2020. He opens 2021 on the Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, CFPA Award and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch Lists.

Bentley IV went 10-141 rushing against UNT, posting the seventh longest run play in program history with an 85-yard TD. His 14.1 yards per carry ranked third overall at SMU (minimum 10), and gave him two of the top-10 performances in program history. 

He registered 100+ all-purpose yards against La. Tech with 153 (61 rushing, 11 receiving, 81 KO returns). The return yardage featured a career-long 72-yard return.

He did not play in SMU's win over USF with an ankle injury, and was limited at Navy and against Tulane.

@GCALCATERRA
Grant Calcaterra has three TDs off 26 receptions and 324 yards in 2021. In the week three win over La. Tech, Calcaterra had a career-high seven receptions for 103 yards, and matched that reception total with seven for 90 against Tulane.

In his return to football after a previous retirement, Calcaterra started the year on Mackey Award, Reese's Senior Bowl and College Gridiron Showcase Watch Lists, and was mentioned on the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl Big Board. 

@DGRAY_5
Danny Gray was one of six student-athletes added to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List this week.
 
Gray had career highs in receptions (8) and yards (140) to lead the Mustangs in their most recent win over Tulane. It was his second 100-yard game of the season and third of his career. At TCU, Gray posted a 100-yard game with 130 yards off four receptions. His 68-yard TD catch was a career long.
 
He opened the season with five straight games with a TD catch, including a pair against ACU and USF.

THE SPECIALIST
Bryan Massey has quickly made himself known as a return specialist for the Mustangs in 2021. On only five kickoff returns, Massey has 261 yards and a touchdown. He had a 95-yard return for a TD against Navy and was named the American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts. Against Tulane, Massey added three KO returns for 127 yards.

@XRICHMANEX BACK FOR MOORE
Linebacker Richard Moore opened his seventh year of eligibility with five tackles, including two for loss and a sack against ACU. He currently has 20 tackles, including three for loss and a sack.

After starting his career at Texas A&M (2015-16), Moore served a year in residence on the Hilltop in 2017. He earned AAC honorable mention accolades in 2018 after starting all 12 games and leading the team with 92 tackles (56 solo).

In 2019, Moore started SMU's first three games before a season ending injury. He registered 15 tackles (8 solo), including a half sack. Moore saw action in the game at ECU in 2020.

He is one of 21 student-athletes who have been on an FBS roster for seven seasons.

@JAYLONTHOMAS10
For the second consecutive season, Jaylon Thomas is listed on the Outland Trophy Watch List, honoring the nation's top interior lineman. He started all nine games played at left tackle in 2020. Following the season, he was selected to the American Athletic Conference second team. He is the first Mustang to make two appearances on the Outland Trophy Watch List and is also on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List.

@BLAKEMAZZA
Blake Mazza is on the Lou Groza Watch List to open the 2021 season and is 35-37 on PATs and 7-9 on field goals.

One of 20 previous semifinalists for the award on the 2021 list, Mazza was a finalist in 2019 and was on the list in 2020. He was also an All-Pac-12 honorable mention selection and a Second-Team All-Pac-12 honoree by the Associated Press in 2020 and a conference first-team selection in 2019.

TRIBUTE 23
Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias. Shaine Hailey has been awarded the honor for the 2021 season.

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.

Players To Wear #23
Shaine Hailey, LB, 2021
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

@SHAINE_HAILEY
Shaine Hailey is the Mustangs' nominee for the AFCA Good Works Team and is on the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for 2021. 

Hailey is second on the team with 39 tackles, including three for loss, and his pair of forced fumbles is also a team best.

Hailey serves as the Chair of Community Outreach and Donor Relations for The Detente Collective, an organization that seeks to foster the intellectual, educational, and personal growth of students through community outreach focusing on education, homelessness, domestic violence victim support and women's issues. He is also the co-leader of the Feeding Homeless Initiative for the organization.

Hailey graduated from SMU with a degree in economics with financial applications and is working toward his masters in management.

ON THE FIELD, IN THE CLASSROOM, IN THE COMMUNITY
Hayden Howerton was selected as the Mustangs' nominee for the William V. Campbell Trophy and is one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award.

The Campbell Trophy recognizes candidates who must be a senior or graduate student in their final year of playing eligibility, have a GPA of at least 3.2 on a 4.0 scale, have outstanding football ability as a first team player or significant contributor and have demonstrated strong leadership and citizenship. The Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

He has played in 54 games on the Hilltop, which ties for the SMU career games played record. He has 48 straight starts, the third most at SMU (Kelvin Beachum 52, Rodney Clemons 50).

Howerton started all 10 games at left guard in 2020 and helped the Mustangs to national rankings of ninth (1st AAC) in red zone offense (.920), 13th in passing offense (318.0) and 15th in scoring offense (38.6).

A team captain and part of the leadership council, Howerton has volunteered with youth clinics, taken part in local hospital visits, participated in an initiative to help feed the homeless, elementary school reading programs, served as a homeless shelter volunteer, assisted in turning over cots and passing out blankets during winter months and served as an elementary school reading tutor.

Howerton has an undergraduate degree from SMU in Applied Physiology and Sport Management with a Concentration in Sport Performance Leadership. He is working on his Masters in Management. 

#PONYUPDALLAS
SMU has added blue Dallas-themed jerseys to its rotation in 2021, which highlight some of the same features as the white jerseys, which debuted in 2019.

The Mustangs defeated UNT, 35-12, in the Sept. 11 debut and wore them in the 42-34 win over TCU on Sept. 25.

• The helmet decal features 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.

SEEING RED
The Mustangs finished the 2020 season 46-50 (92%; 32 TDs, 14 FGs) in the red zone. SMU was perfect seven times (8-8 at UNT, 6-6 vs. SFA, 5-5 at Tulane, 6-6 vs. Navy, 3-3 at Temple, 3-3 at Tulsa, 5-5 at ECU) 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. 

SMU was perfect in the red zone (6-6) against USF and Tulane.

FOR THE RECORD
In 2019, SMU broke program records for scoring average (41.8), scoring (544), rushing TDs (35), total offense (489.8), yards (6,368), first downs (322), kick return average (26.2 and sacks (51.0). The Mustangs went on to top the total offense record (494.5) in 2020, and also set marks for completion percentage (65.4) and yards per play (6.57).

MUSTANGS IN THE CLASSROOM
SMU had 47 student-athletes named to the AAC All-Academic team following the 2020-21 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.

GRIDIRON GRADS
2021 opened with 25 student-athletes on the roster who have already earned an undergraduate degree - Alan Ali, Cobe Bryant, Grant Calcaterra, Turner Coxe, Trevor Denbow, Shaine Hailey, Charles Headen III, Hayden Howerton, Ar'mani Johnson, Will Jones, Harrison Loveless, Spencer Luce, Blake Mazza, Tommy McIntyre, Richard Moore, Beau Morris, Toby Ndukwe, Jacob Oehrlein, Ben Redding, Christopher Reese, Delano Robinson, Tre Siggers, Isaac Slade-Matautia, Kadarius Smith and Mike Williams.


SAME NAMES, NEW LOOK
Three of the Mustangs' 10 assistant coaches have been elevated from their previous positions. Ra'Shaad Samples now serves as assistant head coach and running backs coach, while Stefan McClure was elevated to cornerbacks coach and Kenny Perry serves as Special Teams Coordinator. McClure was previously a defensive graduate assistant and Perry was a special teams quality control analyst.

WELCOME TO THE HILLTOP
The Mustangs welcomed a pair of coaches to the staff in 2021, including defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt and defensive line coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe.

With over 40 years of coaching experience at the NCAA and professional levels, Leavitt joins the Mustangs from FAU, where he most recently served in the same position since December 2019. He also had stops at Florida State, Oregon and Colorado, where he was named a finalist for the Broyles Award, honoring the nation's top assistant coach, and was the FootballScoop Defensive Coordinator of the Year. He was hired as USF's first head coach in 1996. He spent 2011-14 in the NFL as linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers.

Uzo-Diribe comes to the Hilltop after two seasons at Kansas, and previously spent three seasons at Colorado, including 2016 with Leavitt. He earned a spot on 247Sports' most recent 30-Under-30 list.

@RASHAADSAMPLES
Assistant head coach and running backs coach Ra'Shaad Samples was named to Dave Campbell's 40 Under 40 from the state of Texas and the 247Sports 30Under30.

Samples helped Ulysses Bentley IV to FWAA Freshman All-America honors (the first Mustang in history) and AAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2020. The redshirt freshman was also a member of the Doak Walker and CFPA Award Watch Lists. Samples also developed Burlsworth Trophy nominee Tyler Lavine, a walk-on who had a career season as a redshirt-sophomore in 2020.
The Mustangs' 2021 recruiting class is the highest-ranked in program history and features the highest signee for SMU. It also boasts the highest average recruiting rating in the American Athletic Conference and is better than 16 Power 5 programs.

Samples finished as the No. 1 recruiter in the conference (247sports), after the December Signing Day period, landing him as a top-30 recruiter in the country among the Power 5 and Group of 5. Among Group of 5 schools, Samples was the nation's top recruiter.

@STEFANMCCLURE21
McClure was one of two SMU coaches named to the 247Sports 30Under30 list. In 2020, McClure helped mentor Brandon Crossley to a national ranking of eighth in interceptions with four, including one for a touchdown at Tulsa, one in overtime against Tulane and one in the end zone against Memphis. Brandon Stephens registered a team-high 11 passes defended, which led the American Athletic Conference. He went on to earn an invite to the 2021 NFL Combine and NFLPA Bowl and was selected in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.

BOLD  - BIG OPPORTUNITIES LIVE IN DALLAS
As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the addition of its BOLD (Big Opportunities Live in Dallas) Program to its suite of student-athlete development tools, with the goal of helping student-athletes navigate and capitalize on new Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) legislation.

BOLD will, among other things, provide SMU student-athletes with the means to navigate the evolving NIL landscape. The BOLD program incorporates INFLCR, a comprehensive NIL education and compliance solution, and campus resources from the Cox School of Business, the Dedman School of Law, and the Meadows School of the Arts.

While the acronym BOLD emphasizes SMU's ties to the City of Dallas, the word is also important in its ties to SMU and the University's Brand Promise, which states, "For the bold, curious, and creative, SMU is the comprehensive research university whose enterprising spirit in a vibrant community empowers leaders to tackle grand challenges."

SMU IN TIMES SQUARE
The week of Aug. 9, the Mustangs made their presence known in Times Square with a series of billboards featuring SMU's Born & Raised campaign, the BOLD Program and 2021 Watch List selections.
 

FAST LAYNE    
Paul Layne holds an unrivaled Mustang record, having attended every SMU game for the last 45-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. In 2020, Layne received a special invitation from Tulane to attend SMU's 37-34 overtime win, since Yulman Stadium was closed to spectators. 

Starting when Layne attended SMU and was a team cheerleader, he's attended 537 straight games. His 500th was SMU's 63-27 victory over HBU on Sept. 29, 2018. 

IT'S ALWAYS SONNY ON THE HILLTOP    
The fourth season of It's Always Sonny on the Hilltop with Head Coach Sonny Dykes begins Monday, Aug. 30 at Ozona Grill and Bar, and will run throughout the 2021 campaign.
 
There will be food and drink specials, trivia and prizes on site each week. Ozona Grill and Bar is located at 4615 Greenville Ave., just a short distance from the SMU campus.

Fans can also catch LIVE video on the SMU Mustangs Facebook page, or listen on SMUMustangs.com and on TuneIn. Tweet your questions for Coach Dykes using the hashtag #AlwaysSonny, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com.

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). Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson performed the coin toss in SMU's 2021 season opener against ACU, and Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top flipped the coin before the win over Tulane.