1978 SMU Mustangs football team

1978 SMU Mustangs football
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Record4–6–1 (3–5 SWC)
Head coach
Offensive schemeWishbone
Defensive coordinatorSteve Sidwell (3rd season)
Base defense3–4
Home stadiumCotton Bowl
1978 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf. Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 Houston $ 7 – 1 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
No. 11 Arkansas 6 – 2 – 0 9 – 2 – 1
No. 9 Texas 6 – 2 – 0 9 – 3 – 0
Texas Tech 5 – 3 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
No. 19 Texas A&M 4 – 4 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
3 – 5 – 0 4 – 6 – 1
Baylor 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Rice 2 – 6 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
TCU 0 – 8 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1978 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. Led by third-year head coach Ron Meyer, the Mustangs compiled an overall record 4–6–1 with a mark of 3–5 in conference play, tying for sixth place in the SWC.[1]

With sagging attendance in recent years, including a dismal 6,918 against conference foe Rice, SMY athletic director Russ Potts orchestrated "Mustang Mania." Potts wanted to make SMU more visible in the Dallas area. Average attendance at SMU home games jumped from 25,644 in the previous year to 51,960 in the 1978 season. This was the highest average attendance for SMU home games since 1950.[2]

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9TCU
W 45–1441,112[3]
September 16vs. Florida*
W 35–2534,101[4]
September 23at No. 3 Penn State*
L 21–2677,404[5]
October 7at No. 14 Ohio State*
T 35–3587,712[6]
October 14at Baylor
W 28–2136,500[7]
October 21No. 11 Houston
L 28–4264,871[8]
October 28at No. 7 Texas
L 3–2265,289[9]
November 4Texas A&M
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
L 17–2057,208[10]
November 11at Rice
W 58–014,000[11]
November 18at Texas Tech
L 16–1945,101[12]
November 25Arkansas
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
L 14–2744,647[13]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

[14]

Roster

1978 SMU Mustangs football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
TE 87 Bob Fisher Jr
QB 10 Mike Ford So
OL 77 Perry Hartnett Fr
OL 71 Mike Jusko So
OL 67 Mike Mason So
OL 76 Lee Spivey So
QB 12 Jim Bob Taylor Fr
RB 33 Walt Foster Sr
WR 21 Emanuel Tolbert Jr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
DB 27 Charles Bruton So
DL 99 Eric Ferguson Fr
DB 9 Mark Gibson So
DL 80 Byron Hunt So
DL 61 Charles Hunt Jr
DB 20 James Mobley  Fr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured
  • Redshirt

Team players in the NFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
D. K. Perry Defensive back 8 200 New York Giants

References

  1. ^ "2020 Football Media Guide".
  2. ^ "D Magazine : SPORTS is Mustang Mania Horsefeathers?". Archived from the original on January 22, 2013. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
  3. ^ "Ponies gallop past Horned Frogs 45–14". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. September 10, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "SMU drops Florida". The El Paso Times. September 17, 1978. Retrieved October 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Lions regroup to nip SMU, 26–21". The Pittsburgh Press. September 24, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "SMU 'tutors' Bucks in 35–35 tie". The Lima News. October 8, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ford leads miraculous SMU comeback". Abilene Reporter-News. October 15, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Houston bombards SMU 42–28". The El Paso Times. October 22, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Fierce Longhorn defense throttles SMU". The Marshall News Messenger. October 29, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "A&M slips past SMU with clutch field goal". The Kilgore News Herald. November 5, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "SMU pops Rice". The Odessa American. November 12, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "T-Tech tips Mustangs". Tulsa World. November 19, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Arkansas rallies to clip SMU, 27–14". The Odessa American. November 26, 1978. Retrieved October 20, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "1978 SMU Mustangs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved October 20, 2024.
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