FORT WORTH, Texas — The TCU Horned Frogs secured its third win of the season in a 34-17 win over the rival SMU Mustangs on Saturday.
TCU and SMU both entered the Battle for the Iron Skillet with 2-1 records. TCU lost its home opener against Colorado, while SMU lost on the road against Oklahoma. Saturday's matchup was the 102nd meeting in this well-established DFW rivalry, which is set to be "indefinitely paused" after 2025. TCU announced before the season started that its football program would not be playing the Mustangs after 2025, citing in a statement their priority to host more home games in its non-conference schedule year-to-year.
TCU quarterback Chandler Morris led the Frogs with 261 yards, three touchdowns on 23-of-32 passing. Horned Frogs running back Emani Bailey tacked on 126 rushing yards and a touchdown of his own.
TCU led 14-10 at the break, but really piled onto their lead in the third quarter with 13 unanswered points.
SMU quarterback Preston Stone was picked off by the TCU defense twice and managed 258 passing yards for the Mustangs. SMU scored two rushing touchdowns in the game: One in the second quarter, courtesy of a one-yard punch-in by running back Camar Wheaton, and the other from two yards out by Tyler Lavine. Wheaton finished the day with 73 rushing yards on 16 carries.
Before Saturday's game, these were the results of the past five Iron Skillet games:
- 2022: TCU 42, SMU 34
- 2021: TCU 34, SMU 42
- 2020: TCU 38, SMU 41
- 2019: TCU 42, SMU 12
- 2018: TCU 56, SMU 36
TCU now leads the all-time series 53-42-7, including wins in 19 of the last 23 matchups.
Dallas and Fort Worth mayors Eric Johnson and Mattie Parker also placed a friendly food wager on the game: Winner gets their respective city council catered lunch on behalf of the loser. Johnson put Joe T. Garcia's on the line, and Parker responded with some trash talk by saying she had already placed her Mi Cocina order for the Fort Worth crew.
TCU opens Big 12 conference play against West Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 30. SMU will start AAC play against Charlotte on Sept. 30. This is the last season SMU will spend in the American Athletic Conference after being accepted into the ACC for next season.
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