Members of the SMU Mustangs’ marching band took a knee while playing the national anthem on Friday night in their home game against the TCU Horned Frogs.
Since San Francisco 49ers backup quarterback Colin Kaepernick decided to protest during the playing of the national anthem at football games, it has started to become a national movement for those in support of the Black Lives Matter cause.
Football players had quickly followed Kaepernick’s lead by either taking a knee with him or exercise their right to protest in some other fashion. This had been strictly a players’ protest until Friday night in Dallas during the SMU Mustangs’ home game against the TCU Horned Frogs.
Four members of the Mustangs marching back decided to take a knee while they played the national anthem on Friday night. Being that SMU is not in a Power 5 conference, doing this during a home game on Friday night against a Power 5 team like TCU was the Mustangs’ biggest stage to protest this football season.
All four members of the SMU marching band to take a knee were of African-American descent. The photo features three trumpet players and one mellophone player taking a knee for the Mustangs. None of their other marching band members joined them in their peaceful protest.
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This is the second straight Friday night that a Group of 5 school from Texas had its marching band make a public statement in a losing effort. The Rice Owls trolled the Big 12’s Baylor Bears during their halftime performance in Houston.
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TCU crushed SMU, 33-3 on Friday night. The Mustangs fell to 2-2 on the season under second-year head coach Chad Morris. The SMU marching band did more on the field on Friday night than did the Mustangs football team.