Southern Methodist @ Texas Christian preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 24, 2010 ) Texas Christian 41, Southern Methodist 24

THE STORY: Both SMU and No. 20 TCU lost season-openers on the road to Big 12 opponents but have rebounded since, boasting identical 3-1 records heading into “The Battle for the Iron Skillet.” Normally it’s TCU that features one of the best defenses in the nation, but that’s not the case this year. SMU ranks 10th nationallym allowing only 257 total yards per game, while the Horned Frogs are 85th at 397 yards per game.

These schools have played nearly every season since 1915 and even claim a shared national championship in 1935 as part of their rivalry. TCU has won four straight and 10 of the last 11.

TV: CBS Sports Network. Line: TCU -13

ABOUT SMU (3-1, 2-0 C-USA): After a humbling loss at Texas A&M to open the season, the Mustangs have responded with three straight resounding victories over weaker opponents. They posted their first shutout since 1998 in a 42-0 win at Memphis last week. Under June Jones, SMU is obviously known for its run-and-shoot passing attack, but tailback Zach Line is leading a surprising running game with eight touchdowns on the ground over the last two games. Line is second in the nation behind Temple’s Bernard Pierce with 11 total touchdowns this season.

ABOUT TCU (3-1, 1-0 Mountain West): After losing at Baylor 50-48 to start the season, the Horned Frogs have won the last three games by a combined score of 128-49. Last week, after getting off to a slow start, TCU blitzed Portland State with 21 points in the last two minutes of the first half en route to a 55-13 victory. The Horned Frogs’ defense has been susceptible to the big play, giving up 16 plays of 20 yards or more, but coach Gary Patterson told reporters this week that he’s starting to see improvement. The secondary will have its toughest test since getting torched by Baylor’s Robert Griffin, as SMU ranks 15th in the country in passing offense.

EXTRA POINTS

1. SMU has not allowed an offensive touchdown in more than nine quarters (126 minutes of game action).

2. The Mustangs have dropped seven straight in Fort Worth and haven’t won there since 1993.

3. TCU has won a school-record 22 straight home games.

PREDICTION: TCU 41, SMU 28. The Horned Frogs continue their winning ways, making it five in a row against a Mustangs squad that’s unable to handle the step up in competition.