SMU on Wednesday finalized its football schedule for the coming season.
The Mustangs will open on Aug. 31, at Arkansas State. They will begin American Athletic Conference play on Sept. 28, at South Florida.
The schedule includes eight teams that played in a bowl last season but is more reasonable than what coach Sonny Dykes faced in his first season. Arkansas State essentially replaces heavyweight Michigan on the non-conference schedule, and the Mustangs miss powerful Central Florida in the conference season.
The most demanding stretch will come during a 15-day span in October and November. The Mustangs will play three games in that span, including on the road against Houston and Memphis.