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Mustangs Look to Deposit the Panthers in BBVA Compass Bowl

In 2009, June Jones led the SMU Mustangs to their first bowl appearance in 25 years when the Ponies cruised to a 45-10 victory over the University of Nevada. Saturday January 7^th the Mustangs will be banking on their second bowl victory in three years when they take on the Pittsburgh Panthers in the BBVA Compass Bowl. The game played at Legions Field in Birmingham, Alabama, matches Big East versus Conference USA teams. Pittsburgh makes the postseason with a 6-6 record while SMU finished the regular season at 7-5. This will be the sixth meeting between the two schools who played each other in the 1983 Cotton Bowl. SMU defeated Pitt in that game 7-3. The series between the two schools is tied at 2-2-1.

SMU is 5-7-1 in their bowl history. The school’s first bowl game was the 1925 Dixie Classic played January 1^st in Dallas, TX. If you can remember, the Mustangs fell short to West Virginia Wesleyan in that one 9-7. The Panthers are 12-15 all time in bowl appearances. They will be looking to defend the Compass Bowl Trophy as they beat Kentucky in this game last season 27-10. This will be Pitt’s first bowl appearance under first year head coach, Todd Graham, who said, “Our team is excited for the chance to put that Pitt helmet on one more time for the BBVA Compass Bowl. Birmingham is a great college football town. We’re looking forward to our visit and playing SMU in front of a national ESPN television audience.”

These two teams will both benefit from the long lead up time to the game by getting to spend an extra month together this winter. The bonus practice time should pay off for both schools as they prepare for this match up and plant some new seeds for the 2012 season.