1948 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1948 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the during Southwest Conference during the 1948 college football season. Led by 11th-year head coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs compiled an overall record of 9–1–1 with a mark of 5–0–1 in conference play, winning the SWC title. SMU was invited to the Cotton Bowl Classic, where they defeated Oregon. Junior Doak Walker was awarded the Heisman Trophy. Walker established several other SWC records that still stand.[1]

1948 SMU Mustangs football
SWC champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
APNo. 10
Record9–1–1 (5–0–1 SWC)
Head coach
CaptainJoe Ethridge, Floyd Lewis
Home stadiumOwnby Stadium
Seasons
← 1947
1949 →
1948 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 SMU $ 5 0 1 9 1 1
Texas 4 1 1 7 3 1
Baylor 3 2 1 6 3 2
Rice 3 2 1 5 4 1
Arkansas 2 4 0 5 5 0
TCU 1 4 1 4 5 1
Texas A&M 0 5 1 0 9 1
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Schedule

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DateOpponentRankSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 25at Pittsburgh*W 33–1431,469
October 2Texas Tech*W 41–623,000
October 9at Missouri*No. 4L 14–2030,892
October 16at RiceNo. 14W 33–732,600
October 23Santa Clara*No. 11W 33–050,000[2]
October 30at TexasNo. 11W 21–668,750[3]
November 6Texas A&MNo. 8
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 20–1455,000
November 13at ArkansasNo. 7W 14–1223,000
November 20BaylorNo. 10
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 13–658,000
November 27TCUNo. 8
T 7–767,431
January 1vs. No. 9 Oregon*No. 10
W 21–1369,000[4][5][6]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Rankings

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Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking
( ) = First-place votes
Week
Poll12345678Final
AP4 (13)1411118 (1)710810

Awards and honors

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Team players drafted into the NFL

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Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Doak Walker Halfback 1 3 New York Bulldogs
Paul Page Halfback 1 4 New York Giants
Dick McKissack Back 2 21 Chicago Cardinals
Joe Ethridge Tight end 6 54 Green Bay Packers
Dave Moon Back 14 136 Pittsburgh Steelers
Floyd Lewis Guard 18 174 Green Bay Packers
Bob Folsom End 19 183 Green Bay Packers

[7]

References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 20, 2007. Retrieved December 5, 2007.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Harry M. Hayward (October 24, 1948). "Doak Walker, SMU Humiliates Broncs In Cotton Bowl, 33-0; Even Subs Score". The San Francisco Examiner. pp. 23, 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "68,750 see Walker leead SMU to victory over Texas, 21–6". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. October 31, 1948. Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "SMU beats Ducks, 21-13". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). United Press. January 1, 1949. p. 1.
  5. ^ Strite, Dick (January 2, 1949). "Oregon, Cal both drop bowl games". Eugene Register-Guard. (Oregon). p. 1.
  6. ^ Smits, Ted (January 2, 1949). "Oregon handed 21 to 13 defeat by Southern Methodist in Cotton Bowl". Spokesman-Review. (Spokane, Washington). Associated Press. p. 3, sports.
  7. ^ "Reference at www.pro-football-reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved March 28, 2018.