Dallas experienced a football flashback last fall with the SMU Mustangs in contention for a conference title led by a high-scoring offense.
The Ponies went 10-3 in 2019, including a 6-2 conference mark, and look to take another step toward an American Athletic Conference title this season. SMU won 10 games for the first time since 1984 and made an appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl.
The Mustangs visit TCU in the 100th Battle for the Iron Skillet on Sept. 12 and have an October grind hosting defending conference champion Memphis on Oct. 1, visiting an improved Tulane team on Oct. 17 and returning to Dallas to play Cincinnati on Oct. 24.
The Mustangs have five former Texas High School Football standouts that will be looked upon for a huge 2020 season.
Shane Buechele, senior quarterback, Arlington Lamar
Buechele traded in his burnt orange for royal blue and etched his name into the record books in his first season in SMU after transferring from Texas.
The former Arlington Lamar star set new school records with 3,929 passing yards and 34 passing touchdowns. Buechele completed 63 percent of his pass attempts and added two rushing touchdowns.
He comes into the 2020 season listed on the Maxwell, O’Brien, Manning and Wuerffel Awards watchlists.
Buechele threw for more than 6,000 yards and 73 touchdowns in high school and was a two-time Associated Press Class 6A All-State selection.
Trevor Denbow, senior linebacker, Corsicana
Denbow was one of SMU’s leaders on defense last year and also contributed with punts.
He posted 64 tackles, including 39 solo and had four pass deflections while punting 43 times , eight of which landed inside the 20-yard-line and six went for more than 50 yards.
Denbow was a USA Today All-American at Corsicana as a senior after recording 45 solo tackles, 36 assisted tackles, two interceptions and was the District 17-5A Player of the Year.
Kylen Granson, senior tight end, Austin Westlake
Granson had a solid season in 2019 after transferring from Rice posting 721 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 43 receptions. He also had a streak of four consecutive games with at least one receiving touchdown.
As a senior he helped Westlake make a run to the Class 6A, Division I State Championship Game and had 739 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
Hayden Howerton, senior offensive lineman, Katy
Howerton anchored a Mustang offensive line that allowed just 17 sacks in 13 games in 2019 and helped light up the scoreboard.
He started in all 13 games a season ago and helped the SMU offense finish seventh nationally in scoring offense with 41.8 points per game and nine offensively in yards per game with 489.8 per game.
The former Katy standout helped the team make a run to the Class 6A, Division I, Region III state semifinals and post a 10-3 record in 2016.
Reggie Roberson Jr., senior wide receiver, Mesquite Horn
Roberson looks to have one last big year in Big D and comes into the season with 1,605 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 95 receptions in two full seasons at SMU.
He is on the Biletnikoff preseason watch list.
Roberson was a threat on offense and special teams at in high school. He was the District 11-6A Special Teams MVP as a senior and was also an all-district first team selection after averaging 169 all-purpose yards per game.
