Southern Methodist @ Texas Christian preview
Amon G. Carter Stadium
Last Meeting ( Sep 7, 2018 ) Texas Christian 42, Southern Methodist 12
TCU looks to build off its impressive Week 3 win when it closes out non-conference play at home to SMU in the Battle for the Iron Skillet on Saturday. The Horned Frogs went out on the road and routed Purdue 34-13 last week to move on the cusp of entering the Top 25, and hope to make a push for their inclusion in the national rankings by beating the Mustangs for the eighth consecutive time in a rivalry which dates back to 1915.
"SMU is a good football team and is doing a really good job … so we have a lot of work to do," TCU coach Gary Patterson told reporters. "The transfer portal has really helped SMU as they've added 20-something guys and changed their roster really." TCU has won five consecutive games overall dating back to last season, which is tied for the seventh-longest active streak in the nation, and the Frogs hope to continue their winning ways by posting their sixth straight non-conference home victory. SMU looks to continue its unbeaten start after taking down Arkansas State (37-30), North Texas (49-27) and Texas State (47-17) to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1984. The Mustangs' high-octane offense is led by former Texas quarterback Shane Buechele, and he hopes to lead the team to its first win over TCU in nine years.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1. LINE: TCU -9.5
ABOUT SMU (3-0): Buechele completed 14-of-18 passes for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Mustangs amassed 639 yards of total offense in the win against Texas State. TJ McDaniel was named to the American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll after rushing for 159 yards and three touchdowns in his SMU debut while Xavier Jones added 108 yards and a score to give him seven TDs in his last three games. "Our goal is not to upset TCU but play for a conference championship and win a conference championship," SMU coach Sonny Dykes told reporters. "So you know we'd beat TCU along the way without a doubt."
ABOUT TCU (2-0): Max Duggan was limited to 70 yards on 7-of-18 passing with a touchdown while Alex Delton went 1-for-8 for five yards through the air with an interception against Purdue, but Patterson revealed both quarterbacks will see snaps this weekend. Darius Anderson racked up a career-high 179 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns while Sewo Olonilua added 106 on the ground with a TD as the Horned Frogs finished with two players over 100 yards in the same game for the first time since 2015. Linebacker Garret Wallow made 10 tackles, including three for loss, and recorded a sack as TCU held an explosive Purdue offense to 204 total yards.
EXTRA POINTS
1. TCU has won the last five games against SMU by an average margin of 37 points.
2. The Horned Frogs are second nationally in total defense (209.5 yards per game).
3. Patterson is 15-2 all-time against the Mustangs.
PREDICTION: TCU 41, SMU 30