The 2021 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Mustangs played their home games at Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, Texas, a separate city within the city limits of Dallas, competed as members of the American Athletic Conference (AAC). The Mustangs were led by fourth-year coach Sonny Dykes—on November 29, it was announced that Dykes would leave the program to become the head coach at TCU. He finished at SMU with an overall record of 30–18.
After finishing their regular season with an 8–4 record, the Mustangs accepted a bid to play in the Fenway Bowl, where they were due to face the Virginia Cavaliers. On December 26, the Cavaliers withdrew from the game, due to COVID-19 issues; the bowl was subsequently canceled.
Preseason
Media poll The American Athletic Conference preseason media poll was released at the virtual media day held August 4, 2021. Cincinnati, who finished the 2020 season ranked No. 8 nationally, was tabbed as the preseason favorite in the 2021 preseason media poll.
Media poll 1 Cincinnati 262 (22) 2 UCF 241 (2) 3 SMU 188 4 Houston 181 5 Memphis 168 6 Tulsa 153 7 Tulane 132 T–8 East Carolina 85 T–8 Navy 85 10 Temple 46 11 South Florida 43
Schedule
Personnel
Depth chart † As of September 17, 2021
Game summaries
Abilene Christian
Statistics ACUSMU First downs 14 27 Total yards 332 490 Rushing yards 119 171 Passing yards 213 319 Turnovers 4 1 Time of possession 28:22 31:38
Team Category Player StatisticsAbilene Christian Passing Stone Earle 13/28, 160 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Peyton Mansell 2 carries, 33 yards Receiving Kobe Clark 6 receptions, 89 yards, TDSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 24/30, 317 yards, 7 TD Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 10 carries, 48 yards Receiving Danny Gray 4 receptions, 72 yards, 2 TD
North Texas
Statistics UNTSMU First downs 23 20 Total yards 506 536 Rushing yards 122 225 Passing yards 384 311 Turnovers 5 4 Time of possession 36:06 23:54
Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Texas Passing Jace Ruder 32/51, 366 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing DeAndre Torrey 16 carries, 71 yards Receiving Roderic Burns 12 receptions, 141 yardsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 21/33, 311 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 10 carries, 141 yards, TD Receiving Rashee Rice 4 receptions, 99 yards, TD
At Louisiana Tech
Statistics SMULT First downs 31 24 Total yards 578 483 Rushing yards 183 132 Passing yards 395 351 Turnovers 0 1 Time of possession 32:37 27:23
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 36/48, 395 yards, 5 TD Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 13 carries, 61 yards Receiving Grant Calcaterra 7 receptions, 103 yards Louisiana Tech Passing Austin Kendall 24/40, 351 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Marcus Williams Jr. 13 carries, 65 yards Receiving Tre Harris 5 receptions, 102 yards, 2 TD
At TCU
Statistics SMUTCU First downs 29 20 Total yards 595 446 Rushing yards 350 170 Passing yards 245 276 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 33:52 26:08
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 17/28, 245 yards, 4 TD, 3 INT Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 20 rushes, 153 yards, TD Receiving Danny Gray 4 receptions, 130 yards, TDTCU Passing Max Duggan 16/28, 276 yards, 3 TD Rushing Zach Evans 15 rushes, 113 yards Receiving Taye Barber 5 receptions, 114 yards, TD
South Florida
Statistics USFSMU First downs 19 30 Total yards 336 463 Rushing yards 113 162 Passing yards 223 301 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 27:11 32:49
Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Florida Passing Timmy McClain 14/22, 223 yards Rushing Brian Battie 7 rushes, 46 yards Receiving Jimmy Horn Jr. 5 receptions, 102 yardsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 29/42, 301 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Tre Siggers 20 rushes, 86 yards, TD Receiving Danny Gray 7 receptions, 74 yards, 2 TD
At Navy
Statistics SMUNAVY First downs 22 12 Total yards 404 241 Rushing yards 80 177 Passing yards 324 64 Turnovers 2 0 Time of possession 27:41 32:19
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 30/40, 324 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Tre Siggers 14 rushes, 49 yards, TD Receiving Reggie Roberson Jr. 5 receptions, 100 yards, TDNavy Passing Tai Lavatai 4/7, 64 yards, TD Rushing Tai Lavatai 24 rushes, 53 yards Receiving Kai Puailoa-Rojas 1 reception, 37 yards, TD
Tulane
Statistics TULNSMU First downs 18 31 Total yards 428 612 Rushing yards 194 174 Passing yards 234 438 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 25:37 34:23
Team Category Player StatisticsTulane Passing Michael Pratt 11/22, 234 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tyjae Spears 14 rushes, 85 yards, TD Receiving Jha'Quan Jackson 2 receptions, 93 yardsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 30/42, 427 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tre Siggers 15 rushes, 81 yards, 2 TD Receiving Danny Gray 8 receptions, 140 yards
At Houston
Statistics SMUHOU First downs 18 23 Total yards 355 489 Rushing yards 50 77 Passing yards 305 412 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 24:22 35:23
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 24/37, 305 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Tre Siggers 13 rushes, 44 yards, TD Receiving Danny Gray 5 receptions, 73 yardsHouston Passing Clayton Tune 27/37, 412 yards, 4 TD Rushing Ta'Zhawn Henry 21 rushes, 49 yards Receiving Nathaniel Dell 9 receptions, 165 yards, 3 TD
At Memphis
Statistics SMUMEM First downs 16 25 Total yards 323 468 Rushing yards 61 36 Passing yards 262 432 Turnovers 3 1 Time of possession 23:05 36:55
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 19/28, 262 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Tre Siggers 12 rushes, 53 yards Receiving Danny Gray 4 receptions, 98 yards, 2 TDMemphis Passing Seth Henigan 34/53, 392 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Marquavius Weaver 10 rushes, 17 yards Receiving Calvin Austin 8 receptions, 88 yards
UCF
Statistics UCFSMU First downs 15 36 Total yards 333 631 Rushing yards 124 241 Passing yards 209 390 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 26:11 33:49
Team Category Player StatisticsUCF Passing Mikey Keene 18/35, 174 yards, TD Rushing Mark-Antony Richards 8 rushes, 104 yards, 2 TD Receiving Jaylon Robinson 2 receptions, 50 yardsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 37/54, 377 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 14 rushes, 97 yards, TD Receiving Dylan Goffney 10 receptions, 88 yards
At No. 5 Cincinnati
Statistics SMUCIN First downs 15 24 Total yards 199 544 Rushing yards 133 249 Passing yards 66 295 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 24:39 35:21
Team Category Player StatisticsSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 15/26, 66 yards, TD Rushing Ulysses Bentley IV 11 rushes, 68 yards Receiving Rashee Rice 7 receptions, 21 yards, TDCincinnati Passing Desmond Ridder 17/23, 274 yards, 3 TD Rushing Jerome Ford 19 rushes, 82 yards, TD Receiving Tre Tucker 7 receptions, 114 yards
Tulsa
Statistics TLSASMU First downs 22 23 Total yards 374 405 Rushing yards 130 107 Passing yards 244 298 Turnovers 2 2 Time of possession 31:12 28:48
Team Category Player StatisticsTulsa Passing Davis Brin 18/33, 244 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Shamari Brooks 18 rushes, 71 yards Receiving Josh Johnson 6 receptions, 117 yards, TDSMU Passing Tanner Mordecai 26/46, 298 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Tyler Lavine 8 rushes, 51 yards, TD Receiving Roderick Daniels Jr. 3 receptions, 96 yards, TD
Rankings
Weekly awards The American offensive player of the week Tanner Mordecai (week 1 vs. Abilene Christian) Tanner Mordecai (week 3 vs. Louisiana Tech) Tanner Mordecai (week 8 vs. Tulane) Tanner Mordecai (week 11 vs. UCF)
The American special teams player of the week Bryan Massey (week 5 vs. Navy)
References