Can't blame SMU for hitching their wagon to Dallas. I'd be interested to know how much Dallas would get behind the 'stangs, though. There's an awful lot of UT educational & fan relations around the greater Dallas area, as well as A&M. At least in Tampa we don't have a ton of physical school presence to compete with, just perceptions and an area starving to have a local winner. Tampa would have to put more into the relationship IMO.
When I moved to Orlando in 2014, the area was pretty "meh" about the Knights aside from the area near campus. Now five years later, they have done well to build support both in papers, radio talk, and in community involvement. Tons of cars over here donning the "Orlando's home team" and similar support swag now.