SMU was a founding member of the American Athletic Conference in 2013. The Mustangs endured an onslaught of tumultuous seasons upon gaining admission into the league, but the trajectory of the once-proud program changed in 2019. SMU became a perennial winner, and even after Sonny Dykes handed the reins to his former offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, the Mustangs remained on the correct side of the win column.
Yet, despite appearing in the AP Poll in three separate seasons, SMU never completed one mission — qualifying for the AAC Championship Game. The Mustangs officially stamped their way into the ACC for the 2024 college football season, so 2023 would present the last opportunity to check off that box.