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1966 SMU Mustangs football team

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1966 SMU Mustangs football
SWC champion
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 9
APNo. 10
Record8–3 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach
Home stadiumCotton Bowl
Seasons
← 1965
1967 →
1966 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 10 SMU $ 6 1 0 8 3 0
Arkansas 5 2 0 8 2 0
Texas 5 2 0 7 4 0
Texas A&M 4 3 0 4 5 1
Baylor 3 4 0 5 5 0
Texas Tech 2 5 0 4 6 0
TCU 2 5 0 2 8 0
Rice 1 6 0 2 8 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1966 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1966 NCAA University Division football season. Led by fifth-year head coach Hayden Fry, the Mustangs compiled an overall record of 8–3 with a conference mark of 6–1, winning the SWC title.

The Mustangs seemingly blew their chances at the SWC championship with a 22–0 loss on November 12 at Arkansas, the two-time reigning SWC champion. However, SMU's title hopes reopened by Texas Tech, which upended the Razorbacks, 21–16 in Arkansas' season finale on November 19. Seven days later, SMU shut out rival TCU, 21–0.

SMU earned a berth in the Cotton Bowl Classic, played in their home stadium, the Cotton Bowl. The Mustangs lost the game to Georgia on New Year's Eve.

Schedule

[edit]
DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 17Illinois*W 26–728,000
September 24Navy*
W 21–358,000
October 1at Purdue*L 23–3546,116
October 15Rice
W 28–2430,000
October 22at Texas TechW 24–740,350
October 29at TexasW 13–1258,500[1]
November 5Texas A&M
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 21–1453,000
November 12at No. 6 ArkansasL 0–2242,000
November 19Baylor
  • Cotton Bowl
  • Dallas, TX
W 24–2230,000
November 26at TCUW 21–030,000
December 31vs. No. 4 GeorgiaNo. 10
CBSL 9–2475,504[2]
  • *Non-conference game
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

[edit]
1966 SMU Mustangs football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 23 Jerry LeVias So
QB 18 Mike Livingston Jr
RB 24 Mike Richardson So
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
K 3 Dennis Partee Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Last-minute kick gives SMU win over Texas, 13–12". The Kilgore News Herald. October 30, 1966. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Georgia wins; Southern Methodist can't defense Bulldogs speedster". The Terre Haute Tribune. January 1, 1967. Retrieved October 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.