COMMERCE – The East Texas A&M University football team has announced its season opener for the 2025 season, playing at SMU on August 30.
The matchup between the Lions and the Mustangs at Ford Stadium in Dallas is the first-ever documented meeting between the varsity squads of the two programs. For East Texas A&M, it marks the first game in the city of Dallas since 2010.
“This matchup marks another important milestone in our growth as a Division I institution,” said Director of Athletics Jim Curry. “In addition to kicking off the season in our own backyard, we are excited to showcase the East Texas A&M brand throughout the DFW and Northeast Texas. We appreciate AD Rick Hart and SMU for affording us this opportunity and look forward to seeing Lion Nation show up in full force in Dallas on August 30.”
East Texas A&M begins the 2025 season with back-to-back games at Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) opponents, which are the first two games against sitting-members of the ACC in program history. The Lions play at Florida State on September 6.
Last season, SMU went 11-1 in the regular season, going undefeated in its first season in the ACC, and appeared in the ACC Championship Game. The Mustangs were selected to the College Football Playoff, falling to eventual semifinalist Penn State in the first round.
Both games to start the season are the also the first two games for the Lions against current Power Four conference teams. It also marks the first time that the Lions will play two Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponents in the same season and are playing two games away from home to start the year for the second straight season.
Since moving up to NCAA Division I, the Lions have faced two FBS opponents, with East Texas A&M either holding the lead or being tied at halftime in both those games. The Lions faced Old Dominion in 2023 and played at San Diego State last season.
More information on how Lion fans can purchase tickets for the SMU game will be announced at a later date.
The full 2025 schedule for the Lions will be released in the coming days.
LION FOOTBALL GAMES AGAINST FBS OPPONENTS (DIVISION I ERA)
2023 – at Old Dominion (L, 10-9)
2024 – at San Diego State (L, 45-14)
2025 – at SMU (Aug. 30, 2025), at Florida State (Sept. 6, 2025)
Source and photo credit: lionathletics.com
