1945 SMU Mustangs football team

The 1945 SMU Mustangs football team was an American football team that represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1945 college football season. In their eighth, non-consecutive season under head coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs compiled a 5–6 record (4–2 against conference opponents) and outscored opponents by a total of 201 to 110. After a stretch in which the team lost six of seven games, SMU finished the season with three consecutive shutout victories over Arkansas (21-0), Baylor (34-0), and TCU (34-0).[1] The team played its home games at Ownby Stadium in the University Park suburb of Dallas.

1945 SMU Mustangs football
ConferenceSouthwest Conference
Record5–6 (4–2 SWC)
Head coach
CaptainTom Dean, Howard Maley
Home stadiumOwnby Stadium
1945 Southwest Conference football standings
ConfOverall
TeamW L TW L T
No. 10 Texas $ 5 –1 –010 –1 –0
SMU 4 –2 –05 –6 –0
TCU 3 –3 –05 –5 –0
Rice 3 –3 –05 –6 –0
Texas A&M 3 –3 –06 –4 –0
Baylor 2 –4 –05 –5 –1
Arkansas 1 –5 –03 –7 –0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

Three SMU players received first-team honors from the Associated Press (AP) and/or United Press (UP) on the 1945 All-Southwest Conference football team: back Doak Walker (AP-1, UP-1); end Gene Wilson (AP-1, UP-1); and tackle Tom Dean (AP-1, UP-1).[2][3]

Schedule
DateTimeOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 22Blackland AAF
W 51–06,500 [4]
September 298:00 p.m.at Corpus Christi NAS
L 7–2216,000[5][6][7]
October 6Missouri
  • Ownby Stadium
  • University Park, TX
L 7–10
October 12at No. 14 Oklahoma State
L 12–26
October 20Rice
  • Ownby Stadium
  • University Park, TX (rivalry)
W 21–18
October 27at Tulane
L 7–1928,000[8]
November 3Texas
  • Ownby Stadium
  • University Park, TX
L 7–1223,000[9]
November 10at Texas A&M
L 0–3
November 17Arkansas
  • Ownby Stadium
  • University Park, TX
W 21–0
November 24Baylor
  • Ownby Stadium
  • University Park, TX
W 34–010,000
December 1at TCU
W 34–0

References
  1. "1945 SMU Mustangs Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  2. "AP 1945 First Team". The Paris News. December 10, 1945. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  3. "All-Southwest Conference". The Shreveport Times. December 6, 1945. p. 18 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Ratliff, Harold V. (September 23, 1945). "Powerful SMU Ponies Crush Blackland Air Field, 51-0". San Angelo Standard-Times. San Angelo, Texas. p. 10, section 1. Retrieved April 2, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  5. "Overflow Crowd, Rain Forecast For Comet-SMU Game Tonight". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Corpus Christi, Texas. September 29, 1945. p. 1. Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  6. Lee, Bill (September 30, 1945). "Navy Comets Roar Over Southern Methodist, 22 To 7". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Corpus Christi, Texas. p. 1D. Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  7. Lee, Bill (September 30, 1945). "Comets (continued)". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. Corpus Christi, Texas. p. 2D. Retrieved March 28, 2023 – via Newspapers.com open access.
  8. "Intercepted passes give Tulane 19 to 7 triumph over SMU". Corpus Christi Caller-Times. October 28, 1945. Retrieved April 11, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. "Bobby Layne's passes give Steers victory late in game". Sunday American-Statesman. November 4, 1945. Retrieved April 29, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.


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