1966 SMU Mustangs football team

American college football season February 2026 August 2023 1966 SMU Mustangs football Southwest Conference SWC 9 10 8–3 6–1 Hayden Fry 5th Cotton Bowl SWC champion Cotton Bowl Classic L 9–24 vs. Georgia 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 1966 AP September 17 w y Illinois Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX 26–7 28,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/corpus-christi-times-smu-shocks-illini-i/168681584/ The Corpus Christi Caller-Times SMU shocks Illini in 26–7 upset win September 18, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com September 24 w y Navy Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX rivalry 21–3 58,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-brownsville-herald-white-leads-smu-p/168681753/ The Brownsville Herald White leads SMU past Navy 21–3 September 25, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 1 l y y Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium West Lafayette, IN 23–35 46,116 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kilgore-news-herald-purdue-smothers/168681878/ The Kilgore News Herald Purdue smothers Mustangs, 35–23 October 2, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 15 w Rice Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX rivalry 28–24 30,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-mustangs-squeeze-past-owls-in/168681993/ The Shreveport Times Mustangs squeeze past Owls in Southwest struggle, 28–24 October 16, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 22 w y Texas Tech Jones Stadium Lubbock, TX 24–7 40,350 https://www.newspapers.com/article/abilene-reporter-news-smu-miscues-down/168682111/ The Abilene Reporter-News SMU, miscues down Tech October 23, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com October 29 w y Texas Memorial Stadium Austin, TX 13–12 58,500 https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123836919/last-minute-kick-gives-smu-win-over-texa/ The Kilgore News Herald Last-minute kick gives SMU win over Texas, 13–12 October 30, 1966 April 30, 2023 Newspapers.com November 5 w Texas A&M Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX 21–14 53,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/waco-tribune-herald-ponies-stay-unbeaten/168682290/ Waco Tribune-Herald Ponies stay unbeaten November 6, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 12 l y Arkansas 6 Razorback Stadium Fayetteville, AR 0–22 42,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-post-dispatch-razorbacks-tail/168682455/ St. Louis Post-Dispatch Razorbacks' tailback cuts up SMU, 22–0 November 13, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 19 w Baylor Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX 24–22 30,000 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-austin-american-ponies-eke-out-242/168682620/ The Austin American-Statesman Ponies eke out, 24–22 November 20, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com November 26 w y TCU Amon G. Carter Stadium Fort Worth, TX rivalry 21–0 30,757 https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-avalanche-journal-mustangs-grazi/168682764/ Lubbock Avalanche-Journal Mustangs grazing in high Cotton November 27, 1966 March 23, 2025 Newspapers.com December 31 l y y 10 Georgia 4 Cotton Bowl Dallas, TX Cotton Bowl Classic CBS 9–24 75,504 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-terre-haute-tribune-georgia-wins-so/133814084/ The Terre Haute Tribune Georgia wins; Southern Methodist can't defense Bulldogs speedster January 1, 1967 October 21, 2023 Newspapers.com 1966–67 NCAA Statistics (SMU) https://stats.ncaa.org/teams/296157 National Collegiate Athletic Association March 23, 2025 Roster 1966 SMU Mustangs f 23 So Jerry LeVias WR y 18 Jr Mike Livingston QB y 24 So Mike Richardson Mike Richardson (running back, born 1946) RB y 3 Jr Dennis Partee K y *Hayden Fry References SMU Category:SMU Mustangs football seasons Category:Southwest Conference football champion seasons SMU Mustangs football