DALLAS, Texas — (THEHILLTOPICS) SMU's move from a Group of Five conference to the Power Four is paying off. SMU is proving itself as one of the top teams in the ACC this season, a legitimate championship and playoff contender.
But how did SMU go from being considered a struggling team with little hope for the future to now being part of the conversation?
When we look at times now, the support for Southern Methodist University (SMU) has grown beyond its campus, with a noticeable rise in local businesses and surrounding cities backing the school. While SMU is based in Dallas, communities outside the city and its suburbs also claim the university as their own. This trend has sparked a unique sense of pride and excitement across the region, with residents rallying behind the school in unexpected ways. The surge in support highlights SMU's expanding influence and its connection to the broader Dallas-Fort Worth area. To have once faced the death penalty, create one of the most successful NIL programs in college football, and leave a conference that fought so hard to keep them out, only to dominate, is nothing short of ironic.
THE DEATH PENALTY: The 1987 Southern Methodist University football scandal unfolded when the NCAA investigated and penalized the SMU Mustangs football program. To remain competitive with more extensive programs, SMU's coaching staff and athletic department resorted to unethical practices in recruiting and retaining players. (Money, of course)
However, the irony is that years later, the NCAA would approve paying for something for which SMU was sanctioned.
NIL ERA: College athletes were prohibited from earning income based on their athletic skills for many years. This changed in 2021 when the NCAA revised its rules, permitting students to benefit financially from their name, image, and likeness, commonly called NIL. Currently, the NCAA has stated that the current rules are temporary until Congress has the opportunity to create national laws allowing for clearer regulations for future college athlete NIL deals. That means that currently, all athletes have some opportunity to profit from NIL as state laws have decided to allow student-athletes to partake.
A NEW ERA:
Last season, Lashlee led the Mustangs to an 11-3 finish and an AAC title, their first conference championship since 1984. When Lashlee came from Miami, he got straight to work with SMU and recruiting and even brought some of his own guys with him. These players were key components of Lashlee's formula.
The key decision-makers took the necessary steps to bring the Mustangs to this point.
Now that the team is in the ACC, they understand the importance of seizing the opportunity, and that's just what SMU did the past season.
Leading to the team dominating the ACC conference for a final conference matchup in the championship with Clemson.
