1966 SMU Mustangs football team

1966 SMU Mustangs football
SWC champion
Cotton Bowl Classic, L 9–24 vs. Georgia
Conference	Southwest Conference
Ranking
Coaches	No. 9
AP	No. 10
Record	8–3 (6–1 SWC)
Head coach	Hayden Fry (5th season)
Home stadium	Cotton Bowl

1966 Southwest Conference football standings

v t e	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

Date	Opponent	Rank	Site	TV	Result	Attendance	Source
September 17	Illinois*		Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX		W 26–7	28,000	[1]
September 24	Navy*		Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (rivalry)		W 21–3	58,000	[2]
October 1	at Purdue*		Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN		L 23–35	46,116	[3]
October 15	Rice		Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (rivalry)		W 28–24	30,000	[4]
October 22	at Texas Tech		Jones Stadium Lubbock, TX		W 24–7	40,350	[5]
October 29	at Texas		Memorial Stadium Austin, TX		W 13–12	58,500	[6]
November 5	Texas A&M		Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX		W 21–14	53,000	[7]
November 12	at No. 6 Arkansas		Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR		L 0–22	42,000	[8]
November 19	Baylor		Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX		W 24–22	30,000	[9]
November 26	at TCU		Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX (rivalry)		W 21–0	30,757	[10]
December 31	vs. No. 4 Georgia*	No. 10	Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX (Cotton Bowl Classic)	CBS	L 9–24	75,504	[11]
*Non-conference game Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

^[12]

Roster

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 Hayden Fry Coordinators/assistant coaches Legend (C) Team captain (S) Suspended (I) Ineligible Injured Redshirt

References

1. "SMU shocks Illini in 26–7 upset win". The Corpus Christi Caller-Times. September 18, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "White leads SMU past Navy 21–3". The Brownsville Herald. September 25, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Purdue smothers Mustangs, 35–23". The Kilgore News Herald. October 2, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
4. "Mustangs squeeze past Owls in Southwest struggle, 28–24". The Shreveport Times. October 16, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "SMU, miscues down Tech". The Abilene Reporter-News. October 23, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Last-minute kick gives SMU win over Texas, 13–12". The Kilgore News Herald. October 30, 1966. Retrieved April 30, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
7. "Ponies stay unbeaten". Waco Tribune-Herald. November 6, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "Razorbacks' tailback cuts up SMU, 22–0". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. November 13, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Ponies eke out, 24–22". The Austin American-Statesman. November 20, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Mustangs grazing in high Cotton". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. November 27, 1966. Retrieved March 23, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Georgia wins; Southern Methodist can't defense Bulldogs speedster". The Terre Haute Tribune. January 1, 1967. Retrieved October 21, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "1966–67 NCAA Statistics (SMU)". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved March 23, 2025.