A bye week actually helped the SMU football team rise in the latest AP Top 25 Poll and Coaches Poll
SMU didn't play a football game on Saturday, but with the results of other teams, the Mustangs were able to climb the rankings in the latest polsl.
The Mustangs, ranked No. 21 last week after jumping three spots from two weeks ago, found themselves in top 20 as the latest AP Top 25 poll was released early Sunday afternoon. SMU is now ranked No. 19.
Not a subscriber? Try our premium access FOR FREE until TUESDAY, Oct. 15!
(PROMO CODE: PonyUp1984)
SMU now ranks ahead of No. 23 Iowa, which was No. 17 last week but lost to Penn State. The Mustangs also leapfrogged unranked Wake Forest, which was No. 19 but fell to Louisville. Additionally, SMU watched unranked Virginia -- ranked No. 20 last week -- fall to Miami on Friday.
The new ranking is the highest for SMU since the 1986 season. The Mustangs are now one of three teams ranked from the state of Texas. The Texas Longhorns slid from No. 11 to No. 15 after losing to Oklahoma in the Red River Showdown. Baylor jumped from No. 22 to No. 18 -- and jumped ahead of SMU -- after holding off Texas Tech in double overtime.
SMU is now the highest-ranked AAC team with Memphis losing to Temple on Saturday. Cincinnati checked in at No. 21. Tulane and Temple are on the outside looking in, technically ranked Nos. 26 and 28, respectively.
SMU gets a bump in Coaches Poll
Last week, the Mustangs were ranked No. 22 in the Coaches Poll. On Sunday, the Mustangs checked in at No. 19 in the latest poll.
As with the AP Top 25 Poll, SMU is the highest-ranked AAC team per the Coaches Poll. Cincinnati and Temple checked in at Nos. 21 and 25, respectively, after not being ranked last week.
In looking at the other in-state ranked teams, Texas dropped from No. 11 to No. 15, while Baylor jumped five spots -- and ahead of SMU -- from No. 23 to No. 18.
