FORT WORTH, TEXAS — TCU will take a short trip to face in-state rival SMU in the Battle for the Iron Skillet this Saturday at 4 p.m.
The Horned Frogs and Mustangs will meet for the 103rd time, with the rivalry intensifying in recent years after Sonny Dykes left SMU to become TCU’s head coach at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
TCU head coach Sonny Dykes has been on the winning side of the last four matchups between the two teams. Before joining TCU, Dykes led SMU to its first back-to-back victories (2019, 2021) over the Horned Frogs since 1992-93.
Dykes’ departure from SMU in 2021 sparked feelings of animosity among some SMU fans, especially after he guided TCU to the national championship game in his first year as head coach.
TCU quarterback Josh Hoover leads the nation with 119 pass attempts without an interception and ranks third in the FBS with 1,022 passing yards. His 69.7% completion rate is on track to set a TCU single-season record.
For SMU, this marks its first season in the ACC. The Mustangs are coming off a bye week and hold a 2-1 record after a close loss to BYU on Sept. 6.
Under head coach Rhett Lashlee, the team has displayed solid play on both sides of the ball. During the bye week the Mustangs announced that Kevin Jennings will start at quarterback instead of Preston Stone. Jennings has thrown for 343 yards and one touchdown this season, showing promise that the team hopes to build on this weekend.
In a press conference earlier this week, head coach Sonny Dykes reflected on his former team, saying, “It’s good to see the people. There’s a lot of people there that I really care about, and some of the players are still there. I think the hardest part is the players because you know those guys, and you invested in them. Preston Stone was in my house 20 times during the recruiting process, so I’m close with him and a lot of those guys are still there. There aren’t many players left, but the ones who are still there are guys you knew well and spent a lot of time with, so that’s difficult.”
