1936 SMU Mustangs football team

{{Infobox college sports team season

| year = 1936

| team = SMU Mustangs

| sport = football

| image =

| image_size =

| conference = Southwest Conference

| short_conf = SWC

| record = 5–4–1

| conf_record = 2–3–1

| head_coach = Matty Bell

| hc_year = 2nd

| captain = Paschal Scottino

| captain2 = Johnny Sprague

| stadium = Ownby Stadium, Cotton Bowl

}}

The 1936 SMU Mustangs football team represented Southern Methodist University (SMU) as a member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) during the 1936 college football season.{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/southern-methodist/1936-schedule.html|title=1936 SMU Mustangs Schedule and Results|website=Sports-Reference.com|access-date=August 9, 2018}} Led by second-year head coach Matty Bell, the Mustangs compiled an overall record of 5–4–1 with a mark of 2–3–1 in conference play, plaching fifth in the SWC. The team played home games at Ownby Stadium in Dallas.

Entering the season as defending co-national champion, SMU had high expectations once again. They lost their first regular season game in two years when were defeated by Fordham at the Polo Grounds. Nonetheless, SMU was ranked 19th in first ever AP Poll, released two weeks later, on October 19.{{cite web|url=http://collegepollarchive.com/football/ap/seasons.cfm?appollid=1|title=October 19, 1936|website=CollegePollArchive.com|access-date=August 9, 2018}}

Schedule

{{CFB schedule

| rankyear = 1936

| poll = AP

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = September 26

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = North Texas State Teachers

| site_stadium = Ownby Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, TX

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 6–0

| attend =

| source = {{cite news|title=Ponies pushed for win, 6–0|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=September 27, 1936|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88506133/ponies-pushed-for-win-60/|access-date=November 7, 2021|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 3

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = {{cfb link|year=1936|team=Texas A&I Javelinas|title=Texas A&I}}

| site_stadium = Ownby Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, TX

| score = 60–0

| attend = 7,000

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kilgore-news-herald-ponies-score-at/168077968/|newspaper=The Kilgore Daily News|title=Ponies score at will to wallop A. and I., 61 to 0|date=October 4, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 10

| w/l = l

| nonconf = y

| away = y

| opponent = Fordham

| site_stadium = Polo Grounds

| site_cityst = New York, NY

| score = 0–7

| attend = 30,000

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/lubbock-avalanche-journal-fordham-beats/168078111/|newspaper=Lubbock Avalanche-Journal|title=Fordham beats Mustangs, 7–0|date=October 11, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 17

| w/l = w

| nonconf = y

| opponent = Vanderbilt

| site_stadium = Cotton Bowl

| site_cityst = Dallas, TX

| score = 16–0

| attend = 20,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-ponies-just-wen/132602021/|work=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Ponies just went easy on Vandy|date=October 18, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = October 31

| w/l = w

| away = y

| rank = 15

| opponent = Texas

| site_stadium = War Memorial Stadium

| site_cityst = Austin, TX

| score = 14–7

| attend = 16,000

| source = {{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/123653393/smu-defeats-stubborn-texas-by-14-to-7/|work=Sunday American-Statesman|title=S.M.U. defeats stubborn Texas by 14 to 7 score|date=November 1, 1936|access-date=April 27, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 7

| w/l = l

| rank = 12

| opponent = Texas A&M

| site_stadium = Ownby Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, TX

| score = 6–22

| attend = 26,000

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-waco-times-herald-texas-aggie-eleven/168075868/|newspaper=The Waco Times-Herald|title=Texas Aggie eleven scores 22-to-6 victory over S.M.U. Ponies|date=November 8, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 14

| w/l = l

| rank = 19

| opponent = Arkansas

| site_stadium = Ownby Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, TX

| score = 0–17

| attend =

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-marshall-news-messenger-arkansas-out/168066130/|newspaper=The Marshall News Messenger|title=Arkansas outplays Southern Methodists, 17–0|date=November 15, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 21

| w/l = l

| away = y

| opponent = Baylor

| site_stadium = Waco Stadium

| site_cityst = Waco, TX

| score = 7–13

| attend =

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-times-baylor-bears-defeat-smu-in/168077357/|newspaper=The Shreveport Times|title=Baylor Bears defeat S.M.U. in close tilt|date=November 22, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = November 28

| w/l = t

| opponent = TCU

| opprank = 18

| site_stadium = Ownby Stadium

| site_cityst = University Park, TX

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 0–0

| attend =

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/fort-worth-star-telegram-frogs-mustangs/168074722/|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|title=Frogs, Mustangs play 0–0 deadlock on muddy field|date=November 29, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}

|{{CFB schedule entry

| date = December 5

| w/l = w

| away = y

| opponent = Rice

| site_stadium = Rice Field

| site_cityst = Houston, TX

| gamename = rivalry

| score = 9–0

| attend =

| source = {{cite new|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-paris-news-mustangs-close-season-wit/168078230/|newspaper=The Paris News|title=Mustangs close season with 9–0 victory over Owls|date=December 6, 1936|accessdate=March 15, 2025|via=Newspapers.com}}

}}