Before the Southern Methodist University Mustangs football team takes on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the College Football Playoff on Saturday, they face a crucial task - getting through finals first. Stephanie Knight, the dean of the Simmons School of Education and Human Development, emphasizes the difficulty. "It has to be very hard on them. I think one of the reasons our athletes are so persistent and successful is that they have to juggle two very rigorous schedules early on," she says.

On Campus School with a Football Presence

One school on campus has a significant number of Mustangs football players - the Simmons School Of Education And Human Development. It includes players like Kevin Jennings and Jahfari Harvey. "We are so fortunate to have 36 football players in our college now," Knight adds. Although Knight now supports the Mustangs, she used to root for the opposing team. Before joining SMU, she was an associate dean at Penn State. "I did have a few pangs of regret because I was leaving the Big 10. Football days at Penn State were really something special. Then this year, to be in a Power 5 conference and play Penn State in the playoff, I could never have predicted it. I couldn't be more excited," she shares.

The Wild Season for the Mustangs

This season has been a rollercoaster for the Mustangs. Joining the ACC was no simple task, but they never neglected their studies. "They are incredibly strong off the field as well as on it. They take their school very seriously. They are leaders in the classroom," says Dr. Kate Montgomery, the Department Chair for the Department of Human-Centered Interdisciplinary Studies within the Simmons School. Montgomery teaches several football players and witnesses firsthand how they apply the leadership, teamwork, and organizational skills learned from football in the classroom. "Some of them I remember teaching a year ago, before the ACC announcement. Then, as the ACC changes unfolded, I watched them progress and finish strongly," she notes.

Graduation and the Playoff Dilemma

Several Mustang football players are scheduled to graduate this Saturday but will have to miss the graduation ceremony as the playoff game is at the same time. "Our three graduates who will be missing graduation, it's for a good cause. We'll celebrate them in some way," Knight says. Maybe, on the field after they beat Penn State, they can celebrate in a special way.