The SMU Mustangs football statistical leaders are individual statistical leaders of the SMU Mustangs football program in various categories, including passing, rushing, receiving, total offense, defensive stats, kicking, and scoring. Within those areas, the lists identify single-game, single-season, and career leaders. Since the 2024 season, the Mustangs have represented Southern Methodist University in the NCAA Division I FBS Atlantic Coast Conference.
Although SMU began competing in intercollegiate football in 1915, the school's official record book considers the "modern era" to have begun in 1945. Records from before this year are often incomplete and inconsistent, and they are generally not included in these lists.
These lists are dominated by more recent players for several reasons: Since 1945, seasons have increased from 10 games to 11 and then 12 games in length. The NCAA didn't allow freshmen to play varsity football until 1972 (with the exception of the World War II years), allowing players to have four-year careers. Bowl games only began counting toward single-season and career statistics in 2002. The Mustangs have played in eight bowl games since this decision, giving many recent players an extra game to accumulate statistics. SMU also played a first-round game in the 2024–25 College Football Playoff. Since 2018, players have been allowed to participate in as many as four games in a redshirt season; previously, playing in even one game "burned" the redshirt. Since 2024, postseason games have not counted against the four-game limit. These changes to redshirt rules have given very recent players several extra games to accumulate statistics. The American Conference, in which SMU played from 2013 to 2023, has held a championship game since 2015. SMU played in that game in 2023, giving players in that season yet another game to compile statistics. The Mustangs' current home of the ACC also holds a championship game, and SMU played in that game in its first ACC season in 2024. Due to COVID-19 disruptions, the NCAA ruled that the 2020 season would not be counted against any football player's athletic eligibility, giving players active in that season five years of eligibility instead of the standard four.
These lists are updated through Week 5 of the 2026 season. Players active in 2026 are in bold.
Passing
Passing yards
+ Career 1 Kevin Jennings 9,322 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2 Ben Hicks 9,081 2016 2017 2018 3 Chuck Hixson 7,179 1968 1969 1970 4 Tanner Mordecai 7,152 2021 2022 5 Shane Buechele 7,024 2019 2020 6 Garrett Gilbert 6,460 2012 2013 7 Mike Ford 6,239 1977 1978 1979 1980 8 Mike Romo 6,041 1989 1990 1991 1992 9 Kyle Padron 5,902 2009 2010 2011 10 Ramon Flanigan 5,640 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
+ Single season 1 Shane Buechele 3,929 2019 2 Kyle Padron 3,828 2010 3 Kevin Jennings 3,641 2025 4 Tanner Mordecai 3,628 2021 5 Ben Hicks 3,569 2017 6 Garrett Gilbert 3,528 2013 7 Tanner Mordecai 3,524 2022 8 J. J. McDermott 3,421 2011 9 Kevin Jennings 3,245 2024 10 Chuck Hixson 3,103 1968
+ Single game1Garrett Gilbert538 2013 Temple2Garrett Gilbert484 2013 Rutgers3 Shane Buechele 474 2020 Memphis 4 Kevin Jennings 464 2026 Missouri State 5 Kyle Padron 460 2009 Nevada 6 Shane Buechele 457 2019 Temple 7 Shane Buechele 456 2019 Memphis 8 Mike Romo 450 1989 North Texas 9 Mike Romo 449 1990 Rice 10 Tanner Mordecai 432 2022 North Texas
Passing touchdowns
+ Career 1 Tanner Mordecai 72 2021 2022 2 Ben Hicks 71 2016 2017 2018 3 Kevin Jennings 69 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 4 Shane Buechele 57 2019 2020 5 Justin Willis 51 2006 2007 2008 6 Kyle Padron 41 2009 2010 2011 7 Chuck Hixson 40 1968 1969 1970 8 Bo Levi Mitchell 36 2008 2009 Garrett Gilbert 36 2012 2013 10 Mike Romo 35 1989 1990 1991 1992 Preston Stone 35 2021 2022 2023 2024
+ Single season 1 Tanner Mordecai 39 2021 2 Shane Buechele 34 2019 3 Tanner Mordecai 33 2022 Ben Hicks 33 2017 5 Kyle Padron 31 2010 6 Preston Stone 28 2023 7 Justin Willis 26 2006 Kevin Jennings 26 2025 9 Justin Willis 25 2007 10 Bo Levi Mitchell 24 2008 |
+ Single game 1 Tanner Mordecai 9 2022 Houston 2 Tanner Mordecai 7 2021 Abilene Christian 3 Mike Romo 6 1990 Vanderbilt Shane Buechele 6 2019 Temple 5 Justin Willis52006 Sam Houston State Bo Levi Mitchell52008 Texas State Garrett Gilbert5 2013 Rutgers Shane Buechele 5 2019 East Carolina Tanner Mordecai 5 2021 Louisiana Tech Preston Stone 5 2023 Prairie View A&M Kevin Jennings 5 2026 UC Davis
Rushing
Rushing yards
+ Career1Eric Dickerson4,4501979 1980 1981 19822Zach Line4,1852009 2010 2011 20123Reggie Dupard3,7721982 1983 1984 19854Craig James3,7431979 1980 1981 1982 5 Xavier Jones 3,438 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 6 Jeff Atkins 3,260 1983 1984 1985 1986 7 Wayne Morris 3,044 1972 1973 1974 1975 8 Keylon Kincade 3,038 2000 2001 2002 2003 9 Donte Womack 2,790 1994 1995 1996 1997 10 Alvin Maxson 2,734 1971 1972 1973
+ Single season1Eric Dickerson1,6171982 2Zach Line1,4942010 3Eric Dickerson1,4281981 4Brashard Smith1,33220245Keylon Kincade1,28020036Keylon Kincade1,2792002 7Reggie Dupard1,2781985 Zach Line1,2782012 9 Xavier Jones 1,276 2019 10 Reggie Dupard 1,249 1983
+ Single game1Mike Richardson2441968 Texas A&M2ShanDerrick Charles2432001 San Jose State3Eric Dickerson2411982 Houston 4 Ulysses Bentley IV 227 2020 North Texas5Craig James2251980 BYU6Braeden West220 2016 Liberty7Jeff Atkins2181983 Rice8Donte Womack2121997 ArkansasShanDerrick Charles2122001 UTEP10Wayne Morris2021975 TexasZach Line202 2010 Marshall
Rushing touchdowns
+ Career1Eric Dickerson471979 1980 1981 1982Zach Line472009 2010 2011 2012 3 Xavier Jones 45 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 4 Reggie Dupard 41 1982 1983 1984 1985 5 Doak Walker 31 1945 1947 1948 1949 6 Ramon Flanigan 27 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 7 Ke'Mon Freeman 26 2016 2017 2018 2019 8 Tyler Lavine252019 2020 2021 2022 2023 9 Kyle Rote 24 1948 1949 1950 Alvin Maxson 24 1971 1972 1973
+ Single season 1 Xavier Jones 23 2019 2 Eric Dickerson 19 1981 3 Eric Dickerson 17 1982 Zach Line 17 2011 5 Redman Hume 16 1927 Reggie Dupard 16 1984 7 Reggie Dupard 14 1985 Brashard Smith142024
+ Single game1 Zach Line 5 2011 Northwestern State 2 Multiple players 4 Most recent:ShanDerrick Charles, 2001 vs. UTEP
Receiving
Receptions
+ Career 1 James Proche 301 2016 2017 2018 2019 2 Emmanuel Sanders 285 2006 2007 2008 2009 3 Cole Beasley 255 2008 2009 2010 2011 4 Jason Wolf 235 1989 1990 1991 1992 5 Rashee Rice 233 2019 2020 2021 2022 6 Darius Johnson 232 2009 2010 2011 2012 7 Jeremy Johnson 196 2010 2011 2012 2013 8 Mick Rossley 186 1991 1992 1993 1994 9 Aldrick Robinson 181 2007 2008 2009 2010 10 Darius Joseph 174 2012 2013 2014 2015
+ Single season 1 Trey Quinn 114 2017 2 Jeremy Johnson 112 2013 3 James Proche 111 2019 4 Darius Joseph 103 2013 5 Emmanuel Sanders 98 2009 6 Rashee Rice 96 2022 7 James Proche 93 2018 8 Cole Beasley872010 9 Cole Beasley862011 10 Mick Rossley 83 1994
+ Single game 1 Emmanuel Sanders 18 2009 Washington State Jeremy Johnson18 2013 Rutgers 3 Trey Quinn 17 2017 Houston Trey Quinn 17 2017 Cincinnati 5 Jerry LeVias151968 Ohio State Trey Quinn 15 2017 UConn 7 Emanuel Tolbert141977 Arkansas Jason Wolf141992 Arkansas James Proche 14 2019 East Carolina 10 Emanuel Tolbert 13 1978 Baylor Michael Bowen131990 Rice Jason Wolf131990 Arkansas Emmanuel Sanders132007 Memphis Darius Joseph13 2014 East Carolina Courtland Sutton13 2016 South Florida James Proche 13 2019 Memphis Rashee Rice 13 2022 Memphis
Receiving yards
+ Career 1 James Proche 3,949 2016 2017 2018 2019 2 Emmanuel Sanders 3,791 2006 2007 2008 2009 3 Aldrick Robinson3,3142007 2008 2009 2010 4 Courtland Sutton 3,220 2014 2015 2016 2017 5 Rashee Rice 3,111 2019 2020 2021 2022 6 Cole Beasley2,9592008 2009 2010 2011 7 Darius Johnson2,8542009 2010 2011 2012 8 Emanuel Tolbert2,7841976 1977 1978 1979 9 Reggie Roberson Jr. 2,704 2018 2019 2020 2021 10 Ron Morris2,4101983 1984 1985 1986
+ Single season1Rashee Rice 1,355 2022 2Emmanuel Sanders1,3392009 3 Aldrick Robinson1,3012010 4 Courtland Sutton 1,246 2016 5 James Proche 1,225 2019 6 James Proche 1,199 2018 7 Trey Quinn 1,191 2017 8 Jerry LeVias 1,131 1968 9 Darius Johnson 1,118 2011 10 Jeremy Johnson 1,112 2013
+ Single game1Courtland Sutton252 2016 South Florida 2 Reggie Roberson Jr. 250 2019 Temple 3 Reggie Roberson Jr. 243 2020 Memphis4Jeremy Johnson217 2013 Rutgers5Jerry LeVias2131968 NC State6Aldrick Robinson2102008 UCF7Keenan Holman209 2013 Temple8Rashee Rice1932022 Maryland9Aldrick Robinson1862008 Houston Trey Quinn 186 2017 Cincinnati
Receiving touchdowns
+ Career 1 James Proche 39 2016 2017 2018 2019 2 Emmanuel Sanders 34 2006 2007 2008 2009 3 Courtland Sutton 31 2014 2015 2016 2017 4 Aldrick Robinson302007 2008 2009 2010 5 Emanuel Tolbert251976 1977 1978 1979 Rashee Rice 25 2019 2020 2021 2022 7 Reggie Roberson Jr. 23 2018 2019 2020 2021 8 Jerry LeVias221966 1967 1968 9 Darius Johnson202009 2010 2011 2012 10 RJ Maryland192022 2023 2024 2025
+ Single season 1 James Proche 15 2019 2 Aldrick Robinson 14 2010 3 Trey Quinn 13 2017 4 Courtland Sutton 12 2017 James Proche 12 2018 6 Emanuel Tolbert111978 Aldrick Robinson112008 8 Zack Sledge 102007 Courtland Sutton 10 2016 Rashee Rice 10 2022
+ Single game1Emanuel Tolbert41978 Baylor Courtland Sutton42017 North Texas 3 Multiple players 3 Most recent:Ben Redding, 2022 vs. Houston
Total offense Total offense is the sum of passing and rushing statistics. It does not include receiving or returns.
Total offense yards
+ Career 1 Kevin Jennings 9,949 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2 Ben Hicks 8,977 2016 2017 2018 3 Tanner Mordecai 7,454 2021 2022 4 Ramon Flanigan 7,437 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 5 Shane Buechele 7,234 2019 2020 6 Garrett Gilbert 7,063 2012 2013 7 Chuck Hixson 6,884 1968 1969 1970 8 Kyle Padron 6,189 2009 2010 2011 9 Mike Ford 6,055 1977 1978 1979 1980 10 Justin Willis 6,054 2006 2007 2008
+ Single season 1 Kyle Padron 4,072 2010 2 Shane Buechele 4,034 2019 3 J. J. McDermott 3,911 2011 4 Tanner Mordecai 3,830 2021 5 Garrett Gilbert 3,795 2013 6 Kevin Jennings 3,695 2025 7 Justin Willis 3,643 2007 8 Tanner Mordecai 3,624 2022 9 Ben Hicks 3,616 2017 10 Kevin Jennings 3,599 2024
+ Single game 1 Garrett Gilbert 635 2013 Temple 2 Shane Buechele 501 2020 Memphis 3 Garrett Gilbert498 2013 Rutgers 4 Justin Willis4892007 Memphis 5 Kyle Padron 467 2009 Nevada Kevin Jennings 467 2026 Missouri State 7 Kevin Jennings 463 2026 Florida State 8 Tanner Mordecai 461 2021 Tulane 9 Shane Buechele 453 2019 Temple 10 Tanner Mordecai 446 2021 Louisiana Tech
Touchdowns responsible for In official NCAA records, "touchdowns responsible for" includes rushing and passing touchdowns, but not receptions or returns—the same statistical categories used to measure total offense.
+ Career 1 Kevin Jennings 81 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026 2 Tanner Mordecai 76 2021 2022 3 Ben Hicks 74 2016 2017 2018 4 Shane Buechele 61 2019 2020 5 Ramon Flanigan 57 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 Justin Willis 57 2006 2007 2008 7 Chuck Hixson 50 1968 1969 1970 Garrett Gilbert 50 2012 2013 9 Kyle Padron 48 2009 2010 2011 10 Eric Dickerson 47 1979 1980 1981 1982 Zach Line 47 2009 2010 2011 2012
+ Single season 1 Tanner Mordecai 41 2021 2 Shane Buechele 36 2019 3 Kyle Padron 35 2010 Tanner Mordecai 35 2022 5 Ben Hicks 33 2017 6 Preston Stone 32 2023 7 Kevin Jennings 30 2025 8 Justin Willis 29 2006 9 Justin Willis 28 2007 Kevin Jennings 28 2024
+ Single game 1 Tanner Mordecai 10 2022 Houston 2 Garrett Gilbert 7 2013 Rutgers Tanner Mordecai 7 2021 Abilene Christian 4 Mike Romo61990 Vanderbilt Justin Willis 62006 Sam Houston State Garrett Gilbert 6 2013 Temple Shane Buechele 6 2019 Temple Preston Stone 6 2023 Prairie View A&M 9 11 times by 8 players 5 Most recent:Kevin Jennings, 2026 vs. UC Davis
Defense
Interceptions