UNIVERSITY PARK -- You can call SMU's 49-28 win over Connecticut Saturday afternoon ugly, and you'd have good reason to. Eleven penalties, a stalling offense and a defense that gave up too many big plays early do not make for beautiful football.
SMU, 4-1 now, is proud of the victory, because a win under such circumstances was no sure thing in 2016.
"Last year, we don't win this game," senior defensive end Justin Lawler said. "The culture wouldn't withstand it. We would have had bickering on the sidelines, people yelling and screaming at each other, 'Do you really want to play?