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Gerald J. Ford Stadium

Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, TX, home of SMU. Capacity 32,000. Opened September 2, 2000.

Gerald J. Ford Stadium in University Park, TX
Gerald J. Ford Stadium, University Park, TXPhoto: Jmcstrav, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Capacity
32,000
Opened
2000
Surface
Bermuda Grass
Roof
Open air
Elevation
556 ft
Home team
SMU
SMU here
91–⁠62 games on file since 2001

Since it opened: SMU is 94–⁠67 in home games from the 2000 season on. Our source names a game’s stadium only from 2001, so that count takes every earlier home game not marked neutral and may include a few played elsewhere.

Biggest games here

From the games on file here, 2001 on: title and postseason games, meetings of two ranked teams, upsets by our pregame Elo ratings and the biggest swings in CollegeFootballData.com’s excitement index.

Crowds season by season

Average and biggest crowd at Gerald J. Ford Stadium by season, 2001 to 202610k20k30k40k2001: 16,196 a game over 3 games; biggest 17,0372002: 18,292 a game over 6 games; biggest 32,0002003: 17,435 a game over 6 games; biggest 27,1062004: 17,706 a game over 5 games; biggest 34,6892005: 18,630 a game over 6 games; biggest 29,5382006: 15,428 a game over 6 games; biggest 20,3502007: 17,171 a game over 6 games; biggest 26,9692008: 17,318 a game over 7 games; biggest 30,9232009: 21,348 a game over 6 games; biggest 34,7492010: 23,515 a game over 7 games; biggest 36,7422011: 23,497 a game over 7 games; biggest 30,2582012: 21,292 a game over 7 games; biggest 32,0162013: 17,891 a game over 6 games; biggest 34,7902014: 21,528 a game over 6 games; biggest 34,8202015: 21,043 a game over 7 games; biggest 32,0472016: 23,712 a game over 6 games; biggest 30,9872017: 19,944 a game over 7 games; biggest 24,6382018: 19,383 a game over 6 games; biggest 24,2162019: 22,137 a game over 7 games; biggest 29,5282020: 7,021 a game over 5 games; biggest 7,8982021: 22,039 a game over 7 games; biggest 29,1212022: 24,971 a game over 6 games; biggest 35,5692023: 23,177 a game over 7 games; biggest 26,5422024: 32,161 a game over 8 games; biggest 34,8792025: 29,979 a game over 7 games; biggest 35,0742026: 29,661 a game over 3 games; biggest 31,987200120062011201620212026

Biggest crowds on file

36,742Army at SMU2010
35,569TCU at SMU2022
35,481TCU at SMU2010
35,074Miami at SMU2025
34,879Florida State at SMU2024

Bars are each season’s average crowd, dots its biggest (the record in orange), the dashed rule today’s capacity. Attendance is on file for most games from 2001 on.

Weather on game day

Coldest kickoffs

Hottest kickoffs

Coldest game days before 2004

Hottest game days before 2004

Kickoffs: the NOAA report nearest kickoff from the closest weather station (NOAA NCEI Integrated Surface Database). Game days: the day’s high and snowfall at the NOAA station nearest the stadium, for SMU’s home games before 2004 (NOAA GHCN-Daily, public domain).

The stadium’s history

Opened
September 2, 2000
Architect
Ellerbe Becket
Surface over the years
FieldTurf (2003–⁠2016)
Shaw Sports Turf (2016–⁠2024)
Bermuda Grass (2000–⁠2002, 2025–present)

From the stadium’s Wikipedia article, Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

From above

50 mN ↑
The stadium’s footprint, north up: about 180 by 240 meters (590 by 800 feet), the field in green. Outline from OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Recent games here

Oct 17, 202624SMU 23, Virginia 13
Oct 3, 202621SMU 25, Boston College 16
Sep 26, 202622SMU 34, Missouri State 24
Sep 12, 202617SMU 56, UC Davis 10
Dec 26, 2025UTSA 57, Florida International 20
Nov 22, 2025SMU 38, Louisville 6
Nov 1, 2025SMU 26, 10Miami 20
Oct 11, 2025SMU 34, Stanford 10
Oct 4, 2025SMU 31, Syracuse 18
Sep 6, 2025Baylor 48, 17SMU 45
Aug 30, 202516SMU 42, East Texas A&M 13
Jan 3, 2025Texas State 30, North Texas 28

Pouring rights

Coca-Cola has the stadium’s soft-drink pouring rights. Official source.