Pony Up.

The Fans of SMU Football's Home Opener.

No, Gerald J. Ford Stadium might not have been rocking as the SMU Mustangs demolished Stephen F. Austin State University 52-0 on Saturday night, but that's not to say that there wasn't a great atmosphere going on in the place as the home team registered its first home shutout since 1983. Because, really, there was.

It was just a great time up there on Mockingbird Lane as fans of all ages gathered to welcome the return of the football season to Dallas proper. Everyone, it seemed, wore a smile.

The gorgeous weather certainly played a factor, but, more than anything, it was the lopsided on-field play in favor of the home team that raised everyone's spirits. That and the hope, no doubt, that the team's performance inspired could be a sign of what's to come for the program, which will be tested next week as Texas A&M University makes its way to campus.