Pony Express back and rolling at SMU | Arkansas Democrat Gazette

DALLAS — There were moments when Eric Dickerson believed that SMU should permanently shut down its football program, especially following the infamous NCAA “death penalty.”

Reflecting on a crushing 95-21 defeat to Houston among other lopsided losses after the program’s resumption in 1989, Dickerson said, “I really meant it because it became an embarrassment.” However, the former star from SMU’s glorious past now finds himself among the proponents of the new “Pony Express” as they surge to the top of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during their league debut as the eighth-ranked Mustangs.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame running back proudly admits that he sports more SMU gear now than during his collegiate career. Teaming with Craig James in a backfield, their senior year in 1982 marked an incredible 11-0-1 record—just five years before SMU faced severe NCAA sanctions.

Currently ranked No. 8, SMU (11-1, 8-0 ACC) is set to compete in the ACC Championship Game against No. 17 Clemson (9-3, 7-1) on Saturday night in Charlotte, North Carolina. The victorious team will advance to the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.

“I would have never, ever dreamed this,” Dickerson expressed. “And it just makes me feel so proud.” The Mustangs have claimed back-to-back 11-win seasons for the first time in their history, having won the American Athletic Conference championship last year without losing a league game.

This marks their sixth successive winning season, the longest stretch since they recorded winning records in the final seven seasons before going on hiatus in 1987 and 1988. During the 30 seasons in between, the Mustangs only managed a winning record five times. They had a total of 13 wins in their last seven seasons in the Southwest Conference before transitioning through various conferences finally achieving their long-awaited return to a major conference this summer.

Head coach Rhett Lashlee, who previously served as the offensive coordinator at SMU and Miami, likens their transition to the ACC to “a boxer moving up in weight class.” He stated, “I said we’ve got to be like Roy Jones Jr. — we want to win multiple weight classes,” and boasts a commendable record of 29-10 overall.

SMU is the ninth school to transition from a Group of Five to a power conference since 2011. None of the previous eight managed to start better than a 1-1 record in their conference debuts, and only Louisville finished with a winning record (5-3) in the ACC after changing from the AAC in 2014.

Remarkably, these Mustangs remain undefeated against ACC opponents. Athletic Director Rick Hart acknowledged the unusual success, “I’d be fooling myself if I said I wasn’t surprised because no one’s ever done it before. But I’m not surprised at the qualities that have led to the success that our team has exhibited consistently throughout the season. There’s been just a confidence, not an arrogance. A confidence. You know, they believe in themselves and each other.”

Lashlee himself is yet to fully appreciate the rapid success the Mustangs have seen in the ACC. “It’s been pretty cool for us to realize to some degree our potential fast,” he remarked. “But, you know, we’re going to live in the moment now and try to see how far this year can go.”

In an impressive nine-game winning streak since bringing Kevin Jennings on as their starting quarterback, the Mustangs are averaging over 40 points per game. This included a significant victory in their first ACC game, a decisive 42-16 win against Florida State, who was undefeated last season.

While Dickerson never envisioned SMU reaching the ACC Championship Game in its debut season, his spirits were lifted last year when he attended a practice session. He reached out to former teammates to share his optimism. “When I saw the athletes that we had … and I’m like, man, we have some athletes, and I hadn’t seen that in so long,” he explained. “That’s what it takes, and that’s what made me have a sense that we had a shot, we had a chance.”

In a thrilling season for the Mustangs, celebrations continue as they reminisce on their past and look optimistically toward a promising future.