LeVias had over a hundred scholarship offers, but none from Grambling, Alcorn St., Southern, Prairie View, or any of the other traditional historically black college football powers he expected to play for.
His success, on and off the field, led to a highly anticipated varsity debut in 1966; he quickly became one of the most exciting players in the nation, leading the Mustangs to a conference championship.
His first year on the varsity squad LeVias led SMU to their first Cotton Bowl appearance since Heisman winner Doak Walker almost two decades earlier.
Texas had passed over LeVias, not only due to his size but because the Longhorns would not integrate their athletic teams until after being named consensus National Champions in 1969.
In an interview with the Houston Chronicle, LeVias called his years at SMU "living hell" due to the abuse he received from opposing players and, to some extent, his own contemporaries; he stated that he would read the Serenity Prayer every morning.
He twice led the league in receiving and held every career record when his three varsity seasons ended, including the single game mark for reception yardage (when he caught 8 passes for 213 yards against North Carolina State in 1968.)
In his 1987 book, Richard Pennington told the story of the integration of the Southwest Conference, beginning with John Westbrook at Baylor and Jerry LeVias at SMU in 1966.
The pro game eventually became unappealing to LeVias, who already prepared for life after football, working for the Conoco oil company and having a partnership in a Houston men's clothing store even while playing.