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SMU’s back on the big stage, but Mustangs are still fighting to prove they belong
SMU's football and basketball teams reached major playoffs within two years of joining the ACC but face challenges advancing beyond early postseason losses.
- Less than two years after joining the Atlantic Coast Conference, the SMU Mustangs have regained access to marquee postseason events, returning to both the College Football Playoff and NCAA Tournament.
- SMU's football program reached the College Football Playoff in its first ACC season but saw that run end in December 2024 after two first-half pick-sixes in a 38-10 loss to Penn State as the final at-large selection.
- In Dayton on Wednesday night, Head Coach Andy Enfield led men's basketball back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017, yet SMU fell 89-79 to Miami in the First Four.
- Proving they belong when all eyes are on them remains a challenge, with coaches emphasizing higher standards. "What I don't want to happen for us is to just be OK with making the tournament or getting into the CFP," Enfield said.
- Despite losing contributors like Boopie Miller and Jaron Pierre Jr., SMU collected four Quad 1 wins and first ranked victories since 2022, returning pieces including Samet Yigitoglu, Jaden Toombs and Jermaine O'Neal Jr. to build forward.
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24 Articles
24 Articles
Dallas News+22 Reposted by 22 other sources
SMU’s back on the big stage, but Mustangs are still fighting to prove they belong
In an interview with The News, AD Damon Evans said SMU is “not content” with making the NCAA Tournament and the College Football Playoff.
·Dallas, United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources24
Leaning Left1Leaning Right0Center21Last UpdatedBias Distribution95% Center
Bias Distribution
- 95% of the sources are Center
95% Center
C 95%
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