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SETTING THE SCENE
•    SMU returns to Ford Stadium to host in-state rival Houston on Saturday at 6 p.m. on NFL Network.
•    The Mustangs are coming off a 45-34 win at Tulsa. Quarterbacks Preston Stone and Kevin Jennings combined for 310 yards and a pair of touchdown passes, while Tyler Lavine rushed for 72 yards and three TDs and Rashee Rice had 180 receiving yards and two TDs. Defensively, Elijah Chatman had three tackles, a fumble recovery (FF Nick Roberts) for a TD and blocked a PAT.

QUICK HITS
•     Biletnikoff Watch List and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List selection Rashee Rice was named the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week and to the American Athletic Conference and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honor Rolls. Tyler Lavine joined Rice on both the AAC and ECTR lists. 
•     Rice also leads the nation in receiving yards (982) and receiving ypg (122.8) and is fourth in receptions/game (7.8).
•     Tanner Mordecai was named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2022.
•     DeVere Levelston ranks second nationally with a pair of blocked kicks, Nick Roberts is eighth in fumbles recovered (2) and Tanner Mordecai is ninth in passing yards per game (303.0). Ryan Bujcevski ranks 14th nationally in punting (44.7).
•     SMU is 29-13 since the start of 2019 and 16-4 at home. The total wins are the second most for a Texas FBS team and the third most home wins. 
•     The Mustangs won at least seven games each season from 2019-21, making it the longest stretch with at least seven wins since 2009-12, while 2021 marked the second eight-win season in three years. The 5-0 starts from 2019-21 were the first for the Mustangs since 1981-83. The 2021 season was the third consecutive season SMU was bowl eligible.

THE SERIES
This is the 37th meeting between SMU and Houston, with the Cougars holding the 22-13-1 all-time advantage. The Mustangs fell 44-37 in last season's meeting, but have won two of the last three (2018, 2019). The 2018 win was the last at home in the series when SMU defeated Houston 45-31. Since joining The American, Houston leads the series 5-3.

ABOUT THE COUGARS
Houston comes into Saturday's match-up sitting at 5-3, with a 3-1 mark in AAC play. The Cougars went 12-2 in 2021 with an appearance in the AAC Championship and a win over Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl.

THE COACHES
•    Rhett Lashlee is in his first season as the head coach at SMU and has a 4-4 record. Lashlee, who served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs for two seasons (2018-19), served as the Offensive Coordinator at Miami in 2020 and 2021. A one-time finalist (2013) and two-time semifinalist (2019, 2020) for the Broyles Award, Lashlee has the distinction of being the only coach ever nominated for the Broyles Award four different times at four different schools (Arkansas State, Auburn, SMU, Miami).

•    Dana Holgorsen is in his fourth season at Houston after spending eight seasons as head coach at West Virginia. His record at Houston stands at 24-18, while his career record is 85-59. 

LAST TIME VS. HOUSTON
HOUSTON (AP) — Marcus Jones returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining to give Houston a 44-37 victory over No. 19 SMU on Oct. 30, 2021.

After the Mustangs (7-1, 3-1 American Athletic) tied it at 37 on a 45-yard field goal by Blake Mazza with 30 seconds left, Jones took the kickoff a the goal line and broke several tackles before breaking loose for the Cougars (7-1, 4-1).

The Cougars finished with 489 yards and were 9 of 16 on third downs.

Mordecai was 24 of 37 for 305 yards and three touchdowns. Danny Gray caught five passes for 73 yards, and Rashee Rice had six catches for 51 yards and a score for the Mustangs, which finished with 355 yards.

Bryan Massey gave the Mustangs their first lead with a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to open the second half, but the Cougars answered with another touchdown from Tune to Dell.

Tre Siggers scored on a 2-yard run to give SMU a 34-30 lead with 5:46 left in the third.

TULSA NOTES
•    The 45 points at Tulsa are the most points in a road game since a 47-23 win at Temple (11/7/20)
•    SMU scored touchdowns on its first two possessions for the first time this season.
•    SMU had 468 yards of total offense (310 passing, 158 rushing), giving the Mustangs 441 yards+ in seven of eight games.
•    The 326 yards at halftime gave SMU the third game this season with 300+ yards at halftime (at North Texas, at Maryland)
•    SMU held Tulsa to 4-13 on third downs.
•    The Mustangs forced two turnovers, the fifth time this season with multiple takeaways in a game.

TOGETHER WE STAND
An initiative led by The American's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, American Athletic Conference football student-athletes will wear a branded logo with the "Together We Stand" slogan on their uniforms this week to support the conference's diversity and inclusion efforts.

The American's fall Unity Week is in conjunction with the annual NCAA Diversity and Inclusion social media campaign, designed to create a dialogue around diversity and inclusion and to communicate the benefits of inclusive environments in college sports.

MUSTANG CAPTAINS
Elijah Chatman, Tanner Mordecai, Jimmy Phillips Jr., Rashee Rice and Austin Upshaw were voted captains for the 2022 season. Upshaw was also honored with the No. 23 jersey in honor of Jerry LeVias (page 8).

SIGNAL-CALLERS GET THE CALL
Mustang quarterbacks registered a number of firsts in the 45-34 win over Tulsa Saturday. In his first career start, Preston Stone went 11-17 for 219 yards including a 75-yard TD to Rashee Rice on the first play from scrimmage. After an injury to Stone, Kevin Jennings made his first career appearance and went 8-11 for 91 yards and his first career passing TD, also to Rice.

SHARE THE WEALTH
SMU has had 15 players score touchdowns in 2022. The Mustangs finished 2021 with 16. Six different Mustangs have rushing TDs, led by Tyler Lavine with five, while nine have receiving TDs, led by Rashee Rice's six.

LASHLEE NAMED SMU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
Rhett Lashlee returned to SMU, this time as Head Football Coach, on Nov. 29, 2021. Lashlee previously served as offensive coordinator for the Mustangs, including during the record-setting 2019 season.

Lashlee, a one-time finalist (2013) and two-time semifinalist (2019, 2020) for the Broyles Award, presented to the nation's top assistant coach, comes back to the Hilltop after two seasons as the Miami Hurricanes' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Lashlee also has the distinction of being the only coach ever nominated for the Broyles Award four different times at four different schools (Arkansas State, Auburn, SMU, Miami).

In his first season in Coral Gables, the Hurricanes jumped to No. 32 in the FBS in total offense (from No. 98), No. 29 in passing offense (from No. 52), No. 26 in scoring offense (from No. 90), No. 17 in red zone offense (from No. 122) and No. 20 in first downs gained (from No. 84). In 2021, Miami again ranked 26th in scoring averaging, improving to 34.1 PPG, and jumped up to 22nd in total offense at 448.8 yards per game.

Prior to heading to Coral Gables, Lashlee helped lead the Mustangs to a 10-3 finish in 2019, guiding an offense that ranked No. 7 in FBS in scoring (41.8 points per game), No. 13 in passing offense (309 yards per game), No. 9 in total offense (489.8 yards per game) and No. 12 in first downs gained (322). SMU's 10 wins were the school's most since the 1984 season, and its 35 rushing touchdowns set a school record.

WATCH US
Eleven Mustangs are on 19 National Watch Lists in 2022.
Beau Barker | Burlsworth Trophy
Ryan Bujcevski | Ray Guy Award
Elijah Chatman | Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Award, Senior Bowl    
Brendan Hall | Ray Guy Award
DeVere Levelston | Senior Bowl
Bryan Massey | Paul Hornung Award
Tanner Mordecai | Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, CFPA National Performer of the Year, William V. Campbell Trophy, Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2022, Manning Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award
Terrance Newman | Wuerffel Trophy
Rashee Rice | Biletnikoff Award, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award, Senior Bowl    
Isaac Slade-Matautia | Butkus Award, Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, Senior Bowl
Jaylon Thomas | Senior Bowl

HOME SWEET HOME
SMU is 16-4 at home since the start of the 2019 season, which included a 5-1 record in 2021 and a 6-0 record in 2019. This 16 wins are the third highest total for an FBS team in Texas.

SMU set a record for the largest regular season attendance in Ford Stadium at the Sept. 24 game against TCU with 35,569 fans, including a record 4,590 students. The previous regular season record was 35,481 vs TCU (2010). The stadium record is 36,742 (Armed Forces Bowl, SMU vs Army, 2010).

SMU was 3-1 at home in 2020 and announced sellouts of 7,898 in all four games (COVID-19 restrictions). 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.

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

Yards	No. of Plays	Yards	No. of Plays
20+	51 (t16)	60+	4 (t16)
30+	25 (t7)	70+	2 (t16)
40+	14 (t9)	80+	- (-)
50+	8 (t8)	90+	- (-)

• On the first play from scrimmage at Tulsa, Preston Stone threw a career-long 75-yard TD pass to Rashee Rice.
• In the win over Navy, Tanner Mordecai became the first FBS QB this season with three 20+yard pass TDs and a 20+ yard rushing TD in a single game this season. His 60-yard TD run was a career long.
• Tanner Mordecai had two TD passes of 50+ yards (51 to J. Kerley, 75 to R. Daniels Jr.) against UNT. The 75-yard TD pass to Daniels Jr. was a career long.
• TJ McDaniel had a TD run of 57 yards vs. Lamar, a career long, Velton Gardner added a 39-yard run for a TD at UCF.
• Mordecai's 51-yard TD pass to RJ Maryland at Maryland gave him eight TD passes of at least 50 yards at SMU.

HOT START
SMU led or was tied after the first quarter in 32 of the past 42 games, and were also leading or tied at halftime in 32 of 42. 

SMU opened the 2019 season 8-0 for the first time since 1982 and started 5-0 for three consecutive seasons from 2019-21 for the first time since 1981-83. The 7-0 start in 2021 was the second in three seasons. 

ON THE RECEIVING END
Biletnikoff Watch List selection Rashee Rice is back on top in the national rankings for receiving yards (982) and receiving yards per game (122.8), while ranking fourth in receptions per game (7.8). 

Overall, SMU has had at least one 100-yard receiver in seven of eight games this season (four different players), most recently Rice (180 at Tulsa). The Mustangs have had 8+ players catch a pass in seven of eight games, while nine have caught a TD pass.

The Mustangs had three players on the 2021 Biletnikoff Award Watch List - Reggie Roberson, Jr., Rashee Rice and Danny Gray, with Rice returning for 2022. It was the 13th consecutive year a Mustang has made the list dating back to 2009. SMU was one of only 11 teams with multiple student-athletes listed in 2021, and one of only two (Nevada) with three players. It was the third straight season that the Mustangs have had at least two players mentioned.

SMU is one of only three schools in The American to have ended 2021 with at least three players with multiple 100-yard receiving games - Rice (4), Roberson, Jr. (10), Gray (3) - and was the only school in The American to have had five players with 100-yard receiving performances in 2020. The Mustangs also had multiple 100-yard receivers three times in 2020.

STREAKING
The Mustangs started 7-0 in 2021 for the second time in three seasons (8-0, 2019), while the 5-0 start gave SMU its third consecutive season of starting 5-0 for only the second time in program history (1981-83). The Mustangs' eight-game win streak to start the 2019 season was the longest since SMU won 10 straight in 1982. SMU was also 3-0 to open AAC play for the second time in three seasons.

The loss at Maryland snapped a regular-season, non-conference win streak of 14 straight, the most since a streak of 17 from 1979-85. SMU also had a win streak of seven straight regular-season, non-conference road games before that game.

500 CLUB
SMU had 520 yards of total offense against Maryland and has registered 500 yards of total offense in 13 of the past 27 games. The Mustangs averaged 465.9 yards of total offense in 2021, first in the AAC and 13th nationally. Nine of the top 12 totals on the single-game list have come in the last five seasons.

2022
Maryland - 520 (369 passing, 151 rushing)
North Texas - 576 (426 passing, 150 rushing)

2021
UCF - 631 (390 passing, 241 rushing)
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)

SMU SINGLE-GAME TOTAL YARDS         
1    Temple, 10-26-2013 (W, 59-49)         728
2    at North Texas, 9-19-2020 (W, 65-35)    710
3    Temple, 10-19-2019 (W, 45-21)         655
4    Houston Baptist, 9-29-2018 (W, 63-27)    653
5    Texas State, 9-14-2019 (W, 47-17)    639
6    at TCU, 9-28-1985 (W, 56-21)         636
     ECU 9-19-2019 (W, 59-51)         636
8    UCF, 11-13-2021 (W, 55-28)        631
9    at Rice, 11-11-1978 (W, 58-0)         618
10    Tulane, 10-21-2021 (W, 55-26)         612
11    at TCU, 9-25-2021 (W, 42-34)         595
12    at Connecticut 11-10-2018 (W, 62-50)    594

WHAT A RUSH
Tyler Lavine had three rushing TDs in the win at Tulsa (3rd career multi-TD game), giving the Mustangs their third game this season with 3+ (Lamar, TCU). It is the second time a single player has done so this season, with Tre Siggers posting three against TCU.

Velton Gardner leads the Mustangs with 277 yards off 55 carries, while Lavine has a team-best five TDs. SMU's six running backs who have seen action have combined for only a loss of 32 yards on the season off 217 carries.

The Mustangs posted 350 rushing yards at TCU in 2021, 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 (153) and Tre Siggers (110) gave the Mustangs two 100-yard rushers for the first time since the 2020 meeting with SFA.

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

THE BOYS ARE BACK
The Mustangs returned four offensive linemen who played starting roles in 2021 - Jaylon Thomas, Justin Osborne, Branson Hickman and Marcus Bryant. Seven Mustang offensive linemen have started at least one FBS game with the line making 120 career starts overall. 

The Mustangs finished 2021 with national rankings of ninth in scoring offense (38.4), 13th in total offense (465.9), 14th in passing offense (304.5) and 17th in sacks allowed (1.33).

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.

MAKING OUR POINT
The Mustangs scored 50+ points in three games (ACU 56, Tulane 55, UCF 55) in 2021. It was the third season the Mustangs have reached the threshold in at least three games. They finished the regular season atop The American in scoring offense at 38.4. 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. 

Fewest points allowed in consecutive games
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
1    2019    41.8
2    2020    38.6
3    2021    38.4
4    2017    37.8
-    2022    35.6
5    1981    33.2

SPECIAL SEASON
• Collin Rogers is 33-33 on PATs and 10-12 on field goals after going 6-6 on PATs against Tulsa. Rogers is 10-10 on the season from 46 yards or less (misses are 49, 52).
• Ray Guy Award candidate Ryan Bujcevski has 29 punts for 1,296 yards (long of 64), including eight of 50+, eight inside the 20, 15 fair catches and three touchbacks. He ranks 14th nationally in punting (44.7).
• Bryan Massey ranked second nationally in both kickoff returns (34.3) and kick return TDs (2) in 2021. The TD total tied the SMU career and single-season record. He was also tied for 12th nationally in combined kick returns at 686 yards.

CLUB TAKEAWAY
• Club Takeaway is open for business in 2022. The Mustangs have at least one takeaway in 16 of the past 21 games, 25 of the past 31 games and 45 of past 53 games.  
• The Mustangs had two takeaways against Tulsa (Elijah Chatman – 23-yard TD return (forced by Nick Roberts), Shanon Reid (Junior Aho force).
•  The multi-takeaway game was the fifth for SMU in 2022.
•  Chatman's return for a TD was the first for the Mustangs since Jordan Wyatt's vs. SFA (9/2/17).
• SMU ranks 17th nationally (2nd AAC) with eight fumble recoveries, including two from Nick Roberts (8th NCAA).
• SMU had seven takeaways in the first three games of the season (multiple takeaways in each game).

BLOCK PARTY
• The Mustangs rank sixth nationally and first in the AAC in blocked kicks with 3, two from DeVere Levelston  and one from Elijah Chatman (1st of career at Tulsa).
• Levelston's pair of blocked kicks (UNT, Cincinnati) rank second in the FBS.

GETTING DEFENSIVE
• Elijah Chatman opened 2022 on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Outland Trophy and Rotary Lombardi Award Watch Lists.
• The SMU Defense held No. 21/19 Cincinnati to 379 yards, the second-lowest of the season (364 at Tulsa).
• The Mustangs had nine TFLs and a season-high five sacks against TCU, including a career-high 3.0 sacks from Nelson Paul. Paul's were the most by an SMU players since 3.0 by DeVere Levelston vs UCF (11-13-21), and the team total was the most since 5.0 in the same game. In his first game this season after coming back from injury, Je'lin Samuels added 1.5 and Elijah Chatman had 0.5.
•  SMU tied its season high with five sacks at Tulsa (5 different players).

FOR THE RECORD
Under SMU Head Coach Rhett Lashlee, who previously served as the Mustangs' OC (2018-19), SMU broke program records in 2019 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).

THE VOTES ARE IN
SMU opened the season receiving votes in the AFCA Coaches Poll, making it the fourth straight season ranked or receiving votes. SMU was ranked as high as No. 15/14 in 2019 (week 10) and reached No. 19/16 (week 9) in 2021. The Mustangs were ranked or receiving votes in at least one poll in 12 weeks last season, second only to Cincinnati (16) in The American.

@T_MORDECAI
Tanner Mordecai has multiple passing TDs in 15 of 19 games at SMU, and 12 300+ yard games, which ties the SMU record. He missed the game at Tulsa due to concussion protocol.

Mordecai was named to the AAC Weekly Honor Roll after going 20-27 passing for 336 yards and three TDs against Navy. He posted 410 yards of total offense, including 74 rushing yards and a career-long 60-yard TD run. The 410 yards give Mordecai five of the top-20 single-game total offense performances in program history. He became the first FBS QB this season with three 20+ yard TD passes & a  20+ yard TD run in a single game (via ESPN Stats).

Mordecai threw for 3,628 yards and a school-record 39 touchdowns in 2021, while his 41 total TDs responsible for were also a program record. His seven passing TDs against ACU were an SMU record, his 308 completions ranked second at SMU and while his 454 attempts were ninth. 

He finished 2021 ranked in the top 20 nationally (AAC rank):
5 (1) | Passing TDs | 39
6 (1) | Points responsible for | 248
6 (1) | Points responsible/game | 20.7
8 (1) | Completions per game | 25.67
10 (1) | Total offense | 319.2
10 (1) | Passing yards/game | 302.3
12 (1) | Passing yards | 3,628
15 (2) | Completion % | 67.8
16 (2) | Passing efficiency | 158.0

Watch Lists: Walter Camp Award... CFPA National Performer of the Year Trophy... Maxwell Award... William V. Campbell Trophy... Davey O'Brien Award.... Manning Award... Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award... Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award.

@DOUB11E_R
Biletnikoff Watch List and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List selection Rashee Rice leads the nation in receiving yards (982) and receiving yards per game (122.8) and is fourth in receptions per game (7.8). He currently has a streak of 36 straight games with a reception (4th NCAA). He was named a second-team midseason All-American by The Athletic and Pro Football Focus.

Rice went 9-180 with two TDs at Tulsa, giving him his fifth 100-yard game of the season (9th career) and fourth career multi-TD game. He was named the East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player and to the AAC and Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Honor Rolls.

Rice's 12 receptions at UCF were a career high and his 122 receiving yards gave him his fourth 100-yard game this season and eighth of his career. He has 8+ receptions in four of seven games in 2022. He set a new career high for receiving yards with 193 at Maryland.

Rice was listed on All-American Athletic Conference preseason teams by Phil Steele, Dave Campbell's, College Football News and Athlon Sports. He was ranked No. 50 on DCTF's Lone Star List and No. 8 on CFN'S top AAC players list. Rice is also on the East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List.

@C__ROG41
Freshman kicker Collin Rogers has opened his collegiate career 33-33 on PATs and 10-12 on field goals. He is 10-10 on the season from 46 yards or less (misses are 49, 52).

Ranking among true freshmen:
5. FG % - .833
T5. FG Made - 10
3. Total Points Scored - 63
1. Total Points Scored (kickers) - 63

@BROCHIA.ELI
Named a "freak" in college football, Elijah Chatman saw action in all 12 games in 2021, making 11 starts, and registered 40 tackles, including 10 TFLs for 39 yards and 2.5 sacks for 19. He added a team-high two fumble recoveries, a forced fumble and three quarterback hurries. For his efforts, Chatman was named second-team All-AAC.

He is listed on Bronko Nagurski and Outland Trophy Watch Lists and had a breakout game with three tackles, a 23-yard fumble return and a blocked kick at Tulsa. For the season, Chatman has 26 tackles, four TFLs, three sacks, a fumble recovery for a TD and a blocked PAT.

CHATMAN, GOREE AMONG TOP FREAKS IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL - BRUCE FELDMAN
The Mustangs have another future Freak on their defense in freshman linebacker Pierre Goree, a 6-1, 220-pounder who ran wind-aided 10.08 and 10.09 100-meter times this spring and blazed a 10.22 in May at an event in Austin, but Chatman, No. 65 on the list, is the SMU player for now we're spotlighting. Not only is he pound for pound one of the strongest people in college football, Chatman is one of the strongest period. On the field, Chatman made 25 tackles, 10 TFLs and 2.5 sacks. In the weight room, the 6-1, 295-pound Shreveport, La., product bench pressed 495 pounds this offseason and has done 42 reps at 225. He also back-squatted 615 and power-cleaned 335, and did a muscle-up weighing 290.

@BRYAN_MASSEY0
Second team all-conference selection Bryan Massey saw action in all 12 games last season and registered a team-leading 20 kick returns for 686 yards, which ranked 12th in the NCAA and 11th all-time at SMU. His two kick return TDs ranked second in the NCAA and tied both the SMU career and single-season records. The 36.1 yards/return led the conference. Overall, Massey posted three 100-yard return games (Tulane, Houston, Tulsa) and finished with 734 all-purpose yards.

2021 National Rankings (AAC)
2 (1) | Kickoff returns | 34.3
2 (2) | Kickoff return TDs | 2
12 (2) | Combined kick returns | 686
 
On defense, Massey registered 29 tackles (22 solo), including 1.5 TFLs. He added one interception for 48 yards and six pass breakups.

Massey is on the Paul Hornung Award Watch List and earned preseason All-America honors from Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Network, Phil Steel and Athlon Sports. He was limited due to injury to start the season and has 27 tackles in six games played.

BEN THERE, DONE THAT
Ben Redding played in his 55th game as a Mustang, which ties for third all-time on SMU's games played list. 

SMU CAREER GAMES PLAYED
1    Hayden Howerton, 2017-21    59
2    Delano Robinson, 2017-21    56
3    Shaine Hailey, 2017-21    55
      Ben Redding, 2018-22    55    

GRIDIRON GRADS
2022 opened with 18 Mustangs on the roster who have already earned undergraduate degrees - Joe Bissinger, Ryan Bujcevski, Owen Condon, Beau Corrales, Turner Coxe, Ar'mani Johnson, Will Kuehne, Tanner Mordecai, Terrance Newman, Jimmy Phillips Jr., Ben Redding, Shanon Reid, Nick Roberts, Tre Siggers, Isaac Slade-Matautia, Jaylon Thomas, Austin Upshaw & Gary Wiley.

MUSTANGS IN THE CLASSROOM
SMU had 45 student-athletes named to the AAC All-Academic team following the 2021-22 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.

TRIBUTE 23
Since 2009, the SMU coaching staff has chosen a deserving student-athlete to wear the number 23 to honor Jerry LeVias. Austin Upshaw earned the honor for the 2022 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. He is in both the College Football and SMU Athletics Halls of Fame.

Players To Wear #23
Austin Upshaw, WR, 2022
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

GRAY, CALCATERRA SELECTED IN 2022 NFL DRAFT
Danny Gray and Grant Calcaterra were selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, joining 172 previous Mustangs selected in NFL Drafts. The pair match SMU's total from the 2021 draft, and are the most since the Mustangs had three in 2018. In total, SMU has had eight players selected since 2018.
 
Gray was selected in the third round as the 105th overall pick by the San Francisco 49ers. He is the fourth Mustang wide receiver to be selected in the Draft since 2018. Calcaterra was selected as the 198th overall pick in the sixth round by the Philadelphia Eagles.

#PONYUPDALLAS
SMU 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 are 8-4 when donning the Dallas threads.

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.

THE PONY EXPRESS SHOW PRESENTED BY COX SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
The first season of The Pony Express Show presented by the Cox School of Business features Head Football Coach Rhett Lashlee and takes place Wednesdays at 7 p.m. at Ozona Grill and Bar.
 
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 Lashlee using the hashtag #PonyExpress, or by clicking the "Ask The Coach" button on SMUMustangs.com. Fans will also hear from SMU Football assistant coaches.
 
"We are excited to host the first season of Coach Lashlee's Pony Express show. We have proudly served both SMU students and their great fans over the past 25 years. We have no doubt that this will be another great year together." – Cory Wauson, Area Director of Ozona Grill and Bar
 
"We are thrilled to be sponsoring The Pony Express Show with Coach Lashlee! We are already encouraging our alumni, students, faculty, staff and football fans to attend and hear about everything that's happening with the SMU Football program. Pony Up!" -Kevin Knox, Assistant Dean & Executive Director

SMU ATHLETICS LAUNCHES NEW STUDENT-ATHLETE SUCCESS DEPARTMENT
As part of its goal of Shaping Champions and preparing students for life, SMU Athletics proudly announced the creation of a new Student-Athlete Success Department. This new department encompasses all student-development-centered efforts such as Life After Ball, SAAC and community service initiatives. Additionally, it will house NIL Education and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming. Due to a generous donation from Suzanne and Glenn Youngkin, SMU Athletics will be able to grow staffing in these critical areas in our support of our student-athletes.

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."

MUSTANG STUDENT-ATHLETES & NIL
SMU Football student-athletes benefit from Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunities through SMU Athletics' conference-leading BOLD NIL program. SMU topped the AAC for NIL Deals among INFLCR partners, ranking No. 1 in Total Transactions, Total Transaction Value and Average Transaction Value. To date, football student-athletes have amassed over 140 total transactions, totaling more than $408,000 with an average transaction value of almost $2,900. SMU student-athletes overall have over 250 transactions for over $574,000 with an average transaction value of over $2,000.

SMU ATHLETICS CELEBRATES RECORD FUNDRAISING YEAR
The SMU Mustang Club broke the all-time fundraising record with $73 million in gift receipts and new commitments for the 2022 fiscal year, which ended May 31. The totals represent an increase of nearly $47 million from the previous fiscal year. It is the first fiscal year in which cash donations and commitments have eclipsed $70 million since the Mustang Club was founded in 1935. Through the generosity of Mustang donors, cash gifts rose 71% from fiscal year 2021 and totaled $36 million. The best-ever performance resulted from the contributions of 3,105 donors.

NEW NAMES, NEW FACES (PREVIOUS SCHOOL)
The Mustangs welcomed 10 new assistant coaches to the Hilltop in 2022.
Scott Symons | Defensive Coordinator (Liberty)
Casey Woods | Offensive Coordinator (Missouri)
Rob Likens | Assistant Head Coach / Wide Receivers / Pass Game Coordinator
Craig Naivar | Special Teams Coordinator / Safeties (USC)
Jonathan Brewer | Quarterbacks (Miami)*
Kyle Cooper | Outside Linebackers / Recruiting Coordinator (Miami)*
Khenon Hall | Running Backs (Texas Southern)
Rickey Hunley, Jr. | Cornerbacks / Pass Game Coordinator
Garin Justice | Offensive Line / Run Game Coordinator (Miami)
Calvin Thibodeaux | Defensive Line (Oklahoma)
*Served on SMU's staff 2018-19

NEW FACES, SAME CONFERENCE
The American has finalized entrance agreements with its six incoming member institutions, who will officially join the conference July 1, 2023.
 
The establishment of the entry date comes after the conference reached agreement with its three exiting schools – UCF, Cincinnati and Houston – to terminate their conference membership as of June 30, 2023. The American announced in October that UAB, FAU, Charlotte, UNT, Rice and UTSA had their applications for membership approved by the conference's nine continuing members. 
 
The six new members will join East Carolina, Memphis, Navy (football only), South Florida, SMU, Temple, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State (basketball and Olympic Sports only) – to bring The American's membership to 15 schools, beginning with the 2023-24 academic year. The American will compete as a 14-team league in football and in men's and women's basketball among other sports.

SMU2WWE
Beau Morris, Mustang offensive lineman from 2018-21, was one of 14 individuals to earn a WWE contract as part of the Next In Line program, following Summer Slam tryouts. Morris is not the first Mustang to grace the ring. He joins WWE Hall of Famer "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan and 23-time world champion Fritz Von Erich, patriarch of the Von Erich family and owner of Dallas-based World Class Championship Wrestling.

SYMONS NAMED TO DCTF 40 UNDER 40 LIST
Scott Symons was hired as SMU's Defensive Coordinator in December 2021 after spending three seasons as Defensive Coordinator at Liberty, while also working with safeties and linebackers.

Liberty closed out the 2021 season with a win in the Lending Tree Bowl and finished in the top 20 in passing yards allowed (9th, 180.3), red zone defense (10th, .725), total defense (15th, 320.2) and tackles for loss (16th, 7.1), while also ranking 26th in sacks (2.85) and 27th in scoring defense (21.5).

In 2020, Symons helped the Flames to a 10-1 season and a No. 17 final ranking in the AP Poll, their highest in program history. He was named to the Broyles Award Watch List and led the defense to a top-20 ranking in total defense (No. 11, 317.7). Liberty also ranked No. 12 in passing yards allowed (184.0) and No. 22 in scoring defense (20.5). The 2019 season saw Liberty finish 28th nationally in sacks (2.69/game) and 31st in interceptions (12).

During his time with the Flames, Symons mentored NFL free agent signees Solomon Ajayi, Elijah Benton, Jessie Lemonier and Bejour Wilson. Liberty also won back-to-back FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl titles in 2019 and 2020.

DICKERSON NAMED TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
Eric Dickerson was inducted as part of the 2020 class of the College Football Hall of Fame. As part of the famed Pony Express, Dickerson was a unanimous first-team All-American and helped lead the Mustangs to a National Championship (Helms Athletic Foundation) and an 11-0-1 record in 1982. Dickerson was the SWC career leader with 47 rushing touchdowns and was third on the career list with 4,450 rushing yards. He left SMU as the all-time rushing leader and was tied with Doak Walker for most career points (288). Dickerson also had 28 100-yard rushing games at SMU.

SMU won back-to-back Southwest Conference titles in 1981 and 1982, when Dickerson was twice named the SWC Player of the Year and led SMU to a win in the 1983 Cotton Bowl. He finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting in 1982 and was a second-team All-American in 1981. Dickerson is also a member of the SMU Athletics Hall of Fame, Cotton Bowl Hall of Fame, SWC Hall of Fame and Texas Sports Hall of Fame.
 
A first-round draft choice of the Los Angeles Rams in 1983, Dickerson broke the NFL single-season rushing record with 2,105 yards in 1984. He finished his professional career in 1993 as the NFL's second all-time leading rusher and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999. 

Mustangs in the CFB Hall of Fame
1954 Ray Morrison, coach, 1915-16, 1922-34
1955 Matty Bell, coach, 1935-41, 1945-49
1959 Doak Walker, back, 1945, 1947-49
1964 Kyle Rote, back, 1948-50
1969 Gerald Mann, quarterback, 1926-27
1973 Bobby Wilson, halfback, 1933-35
1982 Don Meredith, quarterback, 1957-59
2003 Jerry LeVias, wide receiver, 1966-68
2003 Hayden Fry, coach, 1962-72
2020 Eric Dickerson, back, 1979-82

PONY UP-GRADES!
Opened in 2000, Gerald J. Ford Stadium has a horseshoe configuration with an open south end zone adjacent to Mockingbird Lane. The architecture is consistent with the Collegiate- Georgian style of the entire SMU campus and features traditional, yet state-of-the-art design concepts. The stadium has a seating capacity of 32,000 with the possibility for future expansion to 45,000. The configuration includes nearly 600 club level seats and 240 seats in 24 spacious luxury suites housed in a three-level tower and press box. In addition to housing the club and suites, the press box provides excellent sightlines and comfortably accommodates more than 125 working print, digital, radio and television media. The playing surface is 25 feet below ground level, with half of the stadium's seats sunk below grade, ensuring a smooth transition into the surrounding neighborhood and the remainder of the SMU campus.

The stadium has undergone millions of dollars' worth of upgrades since its opening, and in January 2022, SMU announced the $100 million Garry Weber End Zone Complex project at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Sparked by a $50 million commitment from the Garry Weber Foundation – the largest gift in the history of SMU Athletics – the new three-level complex will increase the functionality, efficiency and overall experience of Mustang Football and its fans. It also continues SMU's century-long commitment to competing at the highest levels. On Sept. 23, 2022 SMU announced a $15 million gift from Bill and Liz Armstrong toward the end zone project. See pages 11-12 for additional facility information and updates.

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 SMU Hall of Famers Reggie Dupard, Eric Dickerson, Craig James, Jerry Ball, Russell Carter and Don Meredith. 

Former President George W. Bush 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. 

Eric Dickerson, Craig James and Lance McIlhenny were part of the coin toss against Lamar (2022), and former President Bush returned for the game vs. Navy.