When SMU defeated a ranked Houston team, the Mustangs appeared to be on the verge of a second-half surge towards the postseason. However, SMU collapsed down the stretch, losing two of its next three games. After falling one win short of bowl eligibility, here are five reasons SMU will go bowling in 2019:
1. A somewhat easier schedule
Head coach Sonny Dykes certainly inherited more talent than Chad Morris did in his first season, but also a much more difficult schedule. Featuring games against North Texas, TCU, Michigan, UCF and eventually ranked Houston and Cincinnati teams, SMU played the hardest slate of any non-Power 5 team (with the exception of independents like Notre Dame and BYU), per ESPN’s football power index.