Southern Methodist Mustangs vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs Pick & Prediction SEPTEMBER 23rd 2023

There will be no love lost and plenty of North Texas pride on the line when TCU and visiting SMU square off in the annual Battle of the Iron Skillet on Saturday afternoon in Fort Worth.

The two schools are separated by a mere 41 miles in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and have played 101 times. The Horned Frogs hold a 52-42-7 edge over SMU in a series that began in 1915.

TCU (2-1) heads home after a 36-13 win at Houston last Saturday in its Big 12 opener, its second straight win after a season-opening loss at home to now-No. 19 Colorado. TCU racked up 564 yards of offense against the Cougars while holding Houston to just 266 yards and no offensive touchdowns.

"Our defense played lights out," TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. "I give the entire defensive coaching staff and the players a ton of credit. They played really good, not giving up one touchdown against a team with that kind of explosiveness."

Chandler Morris passed for 314 yards and two TDs in the win and ran for 53 additional yards. Emani Bailey led the Horned Frogs' rushing attack with 126 yards and a score.

SMU (2-1) takes plenty of momentum into the short road trip after a 69-0 shellacking of Prairie View last Saturday. Preston Stone threw for 300 yards and five TDs and rushed for another score in the rout, with his 91-yard scoring pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. the highlight in a game of plenty for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs produced 566 yards of offense while holding Prairie View A&M to only 156. SMU's only loss was to now-No. 16 Oklahoma on the road on Sept. 9.

"Everybody played well six different guys caught touchdowns," SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said. "We're about to play the best offense we've played all year (when we face TCU)."

SMU has won two of the last three contests against TCU, both in Fort Worth. The Frogs won 42-34 last season in Dallas.

Southern Methodist Mustangs vs. Texas Christian Horned Frogs Recap SEP 23TH 2023

Chandler Morris passed for 261 yards and three touchdowns, Emani Bailey ran for 126 yards and a score and TCU dominated the third quarter to defeat SMU 34-17 on Saturday afternoon at Fort Worth, Texas.

Morris hit on 23 of his 32 throws in leading the Horned Frogs (3-1) to their third straight victory after a season-opening loss at home to Colorado. Eleven players caught passes for TCU, which improved to 53-42-7 all-time over SMU in a 102-game series that began in 1915.

No future games are scheduled between the rivals, bringing a pause to the Battle for the Iron Skillet.

SMU (2-2) got 258 yards passing from Preston Stone and 73 yards and a TD rushing from Camar Wheaton the loss. The Mustangs committed two turnovers, both second-half interceptions by Stone.

The Mustangs opened the game with a 14-play, 69-yard drive that netted a 24-yard Collin Rogers field goal and a 3-0 lead. TCU answered with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Morris to Jared Wiley with 16 seconds to play in the first quarter to go up 7-3.

Morris and Wiley connected again for a 14-3 lead, this time on 2-yard pass at the end of a 10-play, 68-yard drive midway through the second quarter. SMU responded with a 1-yard TD run by Wheaton with 2: 54 remaining in the half to cash in a 75-yard drive and cut its deficit to 14-10.

The Horned Frogs began the third quarter with a 12-play, 58-yard march that culminated in a 35-yard field goal by Griffin Kell that pushed their lead to 17-10. Kell booted another, this one from 24 yards away, with 6:14 remaining in the quarter to make it 20-10.

Bailey then ripped off a 24-yard TD run with 1:54 to play in the third to take a commanding 27-10 lead. SMU cut into that advantage via a 1-yard touchdown run from Tyler Lavine with 1:47 remaining in the game before Morris hit Chase Curtis with a 36-yard TD throw with 1:18 left.