Gerald J. Ford Stadium sits on the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, Texas, serving as the home field for the SMU Mustangs football program since it opened on September 2, 2000. The venue replaced the aging Ownby Stadium on the same site and was funded in large part by a $20 million gift from billionaire banker Gerald J. Ford, whose name the stadium carries.
Designed by Ellerbe Becket and built by general contractor Huber, Hunt & Nichols for roughly $42 million, the stadium was notable at the time as the last on-campus NCAA Division I-A stadium to open in the 20th century. Today it continues to host SMU football, including games in the Atlantic Coast Conference, along with postseason bowl matchups.
Stats at a Glance
- Team: SMU Mustangs
- Location: Dallas, Texas
- Opened: September 2, 2000
- Capacity: 33,200
- Surface: Bermuda grass
- Construction Cost: about $42 million
- Notable Fact: Hosted the Armed Forces Bowl (2010-2011) and First Responder Bowl (2019-present)
Game Day at Ford Stadium
Fans entering from the northeast corner pass Doak Walker Plaza, a tribute to SMU’s Heisman Trophy-winning running back that features a life-sized replica of the Doak Walker Award trophy. The horseshoe-shaped bowl keeps crowds close to the action, and the stadium was built with future expansion in mind, theoretically able to grow toward 45,000 seats by enclosing its open south end.
The venue’s biggest crowds have come on marquee occasions: a 2010 Armed Forces Bowl matchup against Army drew about 36,742 fans, the largest in stadium history, while the regular-season attendance record of roughly 35,569 was set during a September 2022 showdown with TCU.
A Growing Campus Centerpiece
SMU’s move into the Atlantic Coast Conference brought a new level of competition to Ford Stadium, and the university backed it up with a major investment: the roughly $100 million Garry Weber End Zone Complex, completed in September 2024, added weight rooms, training facilities, and offices connected to the stadium’s north end.
Beyond Mustangs football, the stadium has also served as a postseason host, staging the Armed Forces Bowl in 2010 and 2011 and hosting the First Responder Bowl from 2019 onward, keeping the on-campus venue in the college football spotlight well beyond its own regular season.
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Gerald J. Ford Stadium FAQs
Who plays at Gerald J. Ford Stadium?
The SMU Mustangs football team has played its home games there since the stadium opened in 2000.
How many people does Gerald J. Ford Stadium hold?
It has a listed capacity of about 33,200, with a record attendance of roughly 36,742 set during the 2010 Armed Forces Bowl.
Why is it called Gerald J. Ford Stadium?
It’s named for banker Gerald J. Ford, who donated $20 million toward the stadium’s roughly $42 million construction cost.
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Photo: Jmcstrav / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.