1982 SMU Mustangs football team

1982 SMU Mustangs football
Helms Poll National Champions
Cotton Bowl Classic Champions
Southwest Conference Champions
Conference Southwest Conference
Ranking
Coaches #2
AP #2
1982 record 11–0–1 (7–0–1 SWC)
Head coach Bobby Collins
Home stadium Texas Stadium
1982 Southwest Conference football standings
Conf     Overall
Team W   L   T     W   L   T
#2 SMU † 7 – 0 – 1     11 – 0 – 1
#17 Texas 7 – 1 – 0     9 – 3 – 0
#9 Arkansas 5 – 2 – 1     9 – 2 – 1
Houston 4 – 3 – 1     5 – 5 – 1
Baylor 3 – 4 – 1     4 – 6 – 1
Texas A&M 3 – 5 – 0     5 – 6 – 0
Texas Tech 3 – 5 – 0     4 – 7 – 0
TCU 2 – 6 – 0     3 – 8 – 0
Rice 0 – 8 – 0     0 – 11 – 0
† – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1982 SMU Mustangs football team represented the Southern Methodist University in the 1982 college football season. It was the first year for the team under head coach Bobby Collins and the Mustangs finished undefeated at 11-0-1. However, the tie in their final game against Arkansas caused the voters in the Associated Press poll to drop SMU out of the #2 spot in their ranking, thus denying them a shot at #1 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl (although as conference champions the Mustangs would have had to play in the Cotton Bowl). They instead won the Cotton Bowl by defeating Pittsburgh 7-3 in what was the final college football game for the "Pony Express" running back tandem of Eric Dickerson and Craig James (as well as for Pitt quarterback Dan Marino). The Mustangs were voted #2 in the AP Poll and the Helms Athletic Foundation declared the team to be their national champions.

Regular season

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Attendance
1982-09-11 Tulane* #8 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX W 51-7   33,814
1982-09-18 at Texas-El Paso* #6 Sun Bowl Stadium • El Paso, TX W 31-10   33,509
1982-09-25 Texas Christian #6 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX W 16-13   43,321
1982-10-02 North Texas State* #7 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX W 38-10   30,118
1982-10-09 at Baylor #6 Floyd Casey Stadium • Waco, TX W 22-19   30,000
1982-10-16 Houston #5 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX W 20-14   31,817
1982-10-23 at #19 Texas #4 Texas Memorial Stadium • Austin, TX W 30-17   80,157
1982-10-30 Texas A&M #4 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX W 47-9   50,008
1982-11-06 at Rice #2 Rice Stadium • Houston, TX W 41-14   25,000
1982-11-13 at Texas Tech #2 Jones Stadium • Lubbock, TX W 34-27   45,954
1982-11-20 #9 Arkansas #2 Texas Stadium • Irving, TX T 17-17   65,101
1983-01-01 vs. #6 Pittsburgh #4 Cotton Bowl • Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic) W 7-3   60,359
*Non-conference game. daggerHomecoming. #Rankings from AP Poll.

Team players drafted into the NFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL Club
Eric Dickerson Running Back1 2 Los Angeles Rams
Wes Hopkins Safety2 35 Philadelphia Eagles
Michael Carter Nose Tackle5 121 San Francisco 49ers
Gary Moten Linebacker7 175 San Francisco 49ers
Craig James Running Back7 187 New England Patriots

[2]

Awards and honors

References

  1. ↑ Eric's College Days at SMU, http://www.ericdickerson29.com/college.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/draft/1983.htm
  3. ↑ Eric Dickerson: Pro Football Hall of Fame, http://www.profootballhof.com/hof/member.jsp?PLAYER_ID=55