The 2023 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University in the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas, and competed in the American Athletic Conference (The American). They were led by second-year head coach Rhett Lashlee.
For the first time since 2019, the Mustangs won six conference games. The Mustangs finished the regular season going 8–0 in conference play to qualify for the AAC Championship Game, for the Mustangs' first appearance in a conference championship game since the 2010 CUSA Championship Game. SMU defeated Tulane 26–14 in the title game for the program's first conference title since 1984 when the Mustangs won a share of the Southwest Conference title. After defeating Tulane, SMU accepted a bid to compete in the 2023 Fenway Bowl against Boston College. In the final CFP rankings, SMU fell one spot behind undefeated C-USA champion Liberty University, narrowly missing the opportunity to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Oregon on New Year's Day. This was SMU's final season in the American before they moved to the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2024.
The SMU Mustangs football team drew an average home attendance of 22,616 in 2023.
Preseason Media poll The American Athletic Conference preseason poll was released on July 25. The Mustangs were predicted to finish third in the conference.
Schedule SMU and the American Athletic Conference (AAC) announced the 2023 football schedule on February 21, 2023. The Mustangs' regular season schedule consisted of six home games and six away games.
SMU played three of the six new conference members, hosting Charlotte and North Texas and traveled to Rice. Additionally, SMU hosted AAC foes Tulsa and Navy and traveled to East Carolina, Temple, and Memphis.
For non-conference play, SMU hosted Louisiana Tech from Conference USA and FCS Prairie View A&M from the Southwestern Athletic Conference and traveled to Oklahoma and TCU, both from the Big 12 Conference.
Rankings
Personnel
Game summaries Louisiana Tech
Statistics LTSMU First downs 11 24 Total yards 269 457 Rushing yards 28 209 Passing yards 241 248 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 26:03 33:57 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Hank Bachmeier 21/33, 241 yards, TD, INT Rushing Charvis Thornton 8 rushes, 24 yards Receiving Koby Duru 3 receptions, 55 yards, TDSMU Passing Preston Stone 23/37, 248 yards, 3 TD Rushing L. J. Johnson Jr. 14 rushes, 128 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Hudson 2 receptions, 72 yards, TD
SMU opened the season by defeating Louisiana Tech 38–14. The previous day, SMU had announced that it would join the Atlantic Coast Conference starting in the 2024 season.
At No. 18 Oklahoma
Statistics SMUOU First downs 21 22 Total yards 367 365 Rushing yards 117 189 Passing yards 250 176 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 32:20 27:40 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 26/45, 250 yards, TD, INT Rushing Jaylan Knighton 15 rushes, 76 yards Receiving Jake Bailey 7 receptions, 73 yardsOklahoma Passing Dillon Gabriel 19/27, 176 yards, 4 TD Rushing Tawee Walker 21 rushes, 117 yards Receiving Andrel Anthony 7 receptions, 76 yards, TD
During the 2022 season, SMU signed a contract with the University of Oklahoma to play a two game series non-conference series, which would consist of one home game for each team in the 2023 and 2027 series. The Sooners defeated SMU 28–11 in Norman.
Prairie View A&M
Statistics PVSMU First downs 10 28 Total yards 156 566 Rushing yards 94 177 Passing yards 62 389 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 34:14 25:46 Team Category Player StatisticsPrairie View A&M Passing Trazon Connley 6/14, 51 yards Rushing Ronald Young Jr. 7 rushes, 32 yards Receiving Khristopher Simmons 3 receptions, 25 yardsSMU Passing Preston Stone 15/20, 300 yards, 5 TD, INT Rushing Camar Wheaton 16 rushes, 75 yards, TD Receiving Roderick Daniels Jr. 3 receptions, 96 yards, TD
At TCU
Statistics SMUTCU First downs 21 25 Total yards 416 457 Rushing yards 158 192 Passing yards 258 265 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:12 29:48 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 16/35, 258 yards, 2 INT Rushing Camar Wheaton 16 rushes, 73 yards, TD Receiving Jordan Kerley 1 reception, 51 yardsTCU Passing Chandler Morris 23/32, 261 yards, 3 TD Rushing Emani Bailey 25 rushes, 126 yards, TD Receiving Chase Curtis 2 receptions, 55 yards, TD
Prior to the start of the 2023 season, TCU announced it was indefinitely suspending the Battle for the Iron Skillet after the 2025 season. TCU defeated SMU 34–17.
Charlotte
Statistics CLTSMU First downs 23 19 Total yards 331 363 Rushing yards 167 228 Passing yards 164 135 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:25 24:35 Team Category Player StatisticsCharlotte Passing Trexler Ivey 10/17, 107 yards, TD, INT Rushing Terron Kellman 9 rushes, 69 yards Receiving Jack Hestera 7 receptions, 81 yards, TDSMU Passing Preston Stone 14/23, 135 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jaylan Knighton 11 rushes, 150 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jake Bailey 3 receptions, 34 yards
SMU defeated Charlotte 34–16. Former President George W. Bush attended the game and participated in the coin toss.
At East Carolina
Statistics SMUECU First downs 14 15 Total yards 333 290 Rushing yards 57 97 Passing yards 276 193 Turnovers 0 2 Time of possession 25:40 34:20 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 19/38, 276 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jaylan Knighton 11 rushes, 26 yards Receiving Jordan Kerley 3 receptions, 69 yardsEast Carolina Passing Mason Garcia 12/26, 155 yards Rushing Mason Garcia 12 rushes, 38 yards, TD Receiving Chase Sowell 7 receptions, 120 yards
At Temple
Statistics SMUTEM First downs 36 12 Total yards 563 131 Rushing yards 205 24 Passing yards 358 107 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 35:02 24:58 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 23/36, 300 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jaylan Knighton 15 rushes, 64 yards, TD Receiving Romello Brinson 5 receptions, 87 yardsTemple Passing Forrest Brock 7/15, 60 yards, INT Rushing Joquez Smith 4 rushes, 19 yards Receiving Zae Baines 2 receptions, 27 yards
Tulsa
Statistics TLSASMU First downs 14 26 Total yards 247 638 Rushing yards 123 192 Passing yards 124 446 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 30:13 29:47 Team Category Player StatisticsTulsa Passing Braylon Braxton 10/20, 92 yards, 2 INT Rushing Anthony Watkins 15 rushes, 50 yards Receiving Devan Williams 3 receptions, 57 yardsSMU Passing Preston Stone 15/20, 371 yards, 3 TD Rushing Camar Wheaton 9 rushes, 80 yards, 2 TD Receiving RJ Maryland 2 receptions, 95 yards, TD
SMU defeated Tulsa 69–10, attaining bowl eligibility. They scored over 50 points in the first half, doing so for the first time since their 77–63 victory over Houston the previous season.
At Rice
Statistics SMURICE First downs 28 13 Total yards 477 290 Rushing yards 223 124 Passing yards 254 166 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 31:31 28:29 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 15/28, 217 yards, 2 TD Rushing Preston Stone 8 rushes, 81 yards, TD Receiving Jake Bailey 4 receptions, 73 yardsRice Passing Chase Jenkins 10/16, 85 yards, INT Rushing Dean Connors 7 rushes, 77 yards, TD Receiving Rawson MacNeill 2 receptions, 68 yards
SMU defeated Rice 36–31, winning the Mayor's Cup. SMU quarterback Preston Stone and Rice quarterback JT Daniels both suffered from concussions during the game. Stone's concussion put his start against UNT the next week into question, while Daniels did not play again for the rest of the season, announcing his retirement after its conclusion.
North Texas
Statistics UNTSMU First downs 18 28 Total yards 372 552 Rushing yards 132 318 Passing yards 240 234 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 26:34 33:26 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Texas Passing Chandler Rogers 18/31, 240 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Oscar Adaway III 11 rushes, 90 yards, TD Receiving Trey Cleveland 3 receptions, 72 yards, TDSMU Passing Preston Stone 11/20, 234 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Jaylan Knighton 17 rushes, 129 yards, TD Receiving Moochie Dixon 3 receptions, 99 yards, TD
Quarterback Stone cleared concussion protocol prior to the game against UNT, allowing him to lead the team to a 45–21 victory in the Safeway Bowl.
At Memphis
Statistics SMUMEM First downs 23 24 Total yards 444 464 Rushing yards 158 62 Passing yards 286 402 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 28:10 31:50 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Preston Stone 15/23, 286 yards, 2 TD Rushing L. J. Johnson Jr. 21 rushes, 115 yards, TD Receiving Keyshawn Smith 3 receptions, 63 yardsMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 35/51, 402 yards, 2 TD Rushing Blake Watson 10 rushes, 41 yards, TD Receiving Roc Taylor 8 receptions, 146 yards
Both SMU and Memphis were undefeated in conference play prior to the game, meaning the loser would likely be eliminated from contention to play in the conference championship. SMU defeated Memphis 38–34.
Navy
Statistics NAVYSMU First downs 14 21 Total yards 253 487 Rushing yards 182 118 Passing yards 71 369 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 32:04 27:56 Team Category Player StatisticsNavy Passing Braxton Woodson 9/18, 71 yards, INT Rushing Braxton Woodson 18 rushes, 104 yards, TD Receiving Alex Tecza 3 receptions, 34 yardsSMU Passing Preston Stone 14/19, 322 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tyler Lavine 7 rushes, 49 yards, 3 TD Receiving Moochie Dixon 4 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TD
SMU defeated Navy 59–14 to win the Gansz Trophy and guarantee a spot in the conference championship game. SMU scored over 50 points in the first half, and quarterback Preston Stone threw for the most yards in the first quarter of an FBS game since 2019, but he suffered a broken leg late in the first half, leaving him unable to play for the rest of the season.
At No. 22 Tulane (AAC Championship Game)
Statistics SMUTULN First downs 21 12 Total yards 396 269 Rushing yards 193 31 Passing yards 203 238 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 34:07 25:53 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Kevin Jennings 19/33, 203 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Jaylan Knighton 15 rushes, 75 yards, TD Receiving R. J. Maryland 5 receptions, 56 yardsTulane Passing Michael Pratt 21/36, 238 yards, TD, INT Rushing Makhi Hughes 11 rushes, 44 yards Receiving Yulkeith Brown 5 receptions, 90 yards, TD
Backup quarterback Kevin Jennings made his first career start against Tulane in the championship game. On the first play of the game, Jennings fumbled the ball, allowing Tulane to return it to the 1-yard line and score immediately afterwards. Despite this and two interceptions, SMU led Tulane 14–7 at the end of the first half thanks to its strong defense, which forced Tulane to punt the ball nine times over the course of the game. In the second half, Jennings continued to lead SMU down the field, allowing kicker Collin Rogers to score four field goals. Near the end of the fourth quarter, safety Isaiah Nwokobia intercepted the ball to seal SMU's 26–14 victory over Tulane, winning SMU its first conference championship since 1984. After the game, Nwokobia was awarded the Most Outstanding Player award, becoming the first defensive player to win such an award in an AAC title game.
Vs. Boston College (Fenway Bowl)
Statistics SMUBC First downs 22 20 Total yards 309 364 Rushing yards 118 262 Passing yards 191 102 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 29:00 31:00 Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Kevin Jennings 24/48, 191 yards, TD Rushing Kevin Jennings 10 rushes, 51 yards Receiving Jake Bailey 6 receptions, 54 yardsBoston College Passing Thomas Castellanos 11/18, 102 yards, INT Rushing Thomas Castellanos 21 rushes, 156 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaeden Skeete 2 receptions, 40 yards
References