2017 SMU Mustangs football team

The 2017 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2017 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in Dallas, Texas, and competed in the West Division of the American Athletic Conference. They were led by third-year coach Chad Morris during the entire regular season until December 6, when he resigned to become the head coach at Arkansas. On December 11, SMU hired Sonny Dykes as head coach, and he led them in their bowl game. They finished the season 7–6, 4–4 in AAC play to finish in a tie for third place in the West Division. They were invited to the Frisco Bowl where they lost to Louisiana Tech.

2017 SMU Mustangs football
ConferenceAmerican Athletic Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record7–6 (4–4 American)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorJoe Craddock (3rd season)
Offensive schemePower spread
Defensive coordinatorVan Malone (3rd season)
Base defense4–2–5
Home stadiumGerald J. Ford Stadium
Seasons
← 2016
2018 →
2017 American Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
No. 6 UCF xy$   8 0     13 0  
No. 21 South Florida   6 2     10 2  
Temple   4 4     7 6  
Cincinnati   2 6     4 8  
UConn   2 6     3 9  
East Carolina   2 6     3 9  
West Division
No. 25 Memphis xy   7 1     10 3  
Houston   5 3     7 5  
Navy   4 4     7 6  
SMU   4 4     7 6  
Tulane   3 5     5 7  
Tulsa   1 7     2 10  
Championship: UCF 62, Memphis 55
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
As of January 9, 2018
Rankings from AP Poll.
The 2017 SMU football team taking the field before the game against North Texas

Schedule edit

SMU announced its 2017 football schedule on February 9, 2017. The schedule consisted of 7 home and 5 away games in the regular season. The Mustangs hosted AAC foes UConn, Tulane, Tulsa, and UCF, and traveled to Cincinnati, Houston, Tulane, and UCF.[1] The Mustangs hosted three of the four non-conference opponents, Arkansas State from the Sun Belt Conference, North Texas from Conference USA and Stephen F. Austin from the Southland Conference, and traveled to TCU of the Big 12 Conference.

With a 7–5 regular season result, the team was invited to the 2017 Frisco Bowl, to face Louisiana Tech on December 20.

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 26:00 p.m.Stephen F. Austin*ESPN3W 58–1420,478
September 96:00 p.m.North Texas*
ESPN3W 54–3224,638
September 162:30 p.m.at No. 20 TCU*ESPNUL 36–5644,489
September 236:00 p.m.Arkansas State*
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
  • Dallas, TX
ESPN3W 44–2123,672
September 303:00 p.m.UConn
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
  • Dallas, TX
ESPNewsW 49–2817,237
October 76:00 p.m.at HoustonCBSSNL 22–3531,153
October 213:00 p.m.at CincinnatiESPNUW 31–28 OT30,885
October 278:00 p.m.Tulsa
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
  • Dallas, TX
ESPN2W 38–3414,930
November 46:15 p.m.No. 15 UCF 
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
  • Dallas, TX
ESPN2L 24–3124,445
November 112:30 p.m.at NavyCBSSNL 40–4336,157
November 1811:00 a.m.at No. 18 MemphisESPNewsL 45–6635,329
November 2511:00 a.m.Tulane
  • Gerald J. Ford Stadium
  • Dallas, TX
CBSSNW 41–3814,209
December 207:00 p.m.vs. Louisiana Tech*ESPNL 10–5114,419
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game
  • All times are in Central time

Weekly awards edit

Game summaries edit

Stephen F. Austin edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Lumberjacks 0 7 0 7 14
Mustangs 21 17 6 14 58

North Texas edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Mean Green 10 0 7 15 32
Mustangs 10 14 16 14 54

At TCU edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Mustangs 16 6 7 7 36
No. 20 Horned Frogs 7 21 7 21 56

Arkansas State edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Red Wolves 14 0 0 7 21
Mustangs 10 20 7 7 44

UConn edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Huskies 7 3 10 8 28
Mustangs 7 14 7 21 49

At Houston edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Mustangs 9 3 10 0 22
Cougars 7 14 7 7 35

At Cincinnati edit

1 2 3 4OT Total
Mustangs 14 7 0 73 31
Bearcats 10 10 0 80 28

Tulsa edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Golden Hurricane 14 14 6 0 34
Mustangs 7 14 7 10 38

UCF edit

1 2 3 4 Total
No. 15 Knights 7 14 7 3 31
Mustangs 7 7 10 0 24

At Navy edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Mustangs 5 6 21 8 40
Midshipmen 13 21 6 3 43

At Memphis edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Mustangs 10 14 14 7 45
No. 18 Tigers 10 21 14 21 66

Tulane edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Green Wave 7 14 17 0 38
Mustangs 14 13 7 7 41

Vs. Louisiana Tech–Frisco Bowl edit

1 2 3 4 Total
Bulldogs 21 21 6 3 51
Mustangs 3 7 0 0 10

Players in the 2018 NFL Draft edit

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Courtland Sutton WR 2 40 Denver Broncos
Justin Lawler DE 7 244 Los Angeles Rams
Trey Quinn WR 7 256 Washington Redskins

References edit

  1. ^ "SMU Announces 2017 Football Schedule" (Press release). Southern Methodist University Department of Athletics. February 9, 2017. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
  2. ^ "SMU corner Jordan Wyatt named Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week". September 5, 2017.
  3. ^ "SMU CB Jordan Wyatt named AAC Defensive Player of the Week after historic performance". September 4, 2017.
  4. ^ "Quinn Named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Semifinalist".
  5. ^ "SMU WR Trey Quinn named AAC Offensive Player of the Week after 17-catch game". October 23, 2017.