SMU @ TCU preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) Texas Christian 24, Southern Methodist 16

Southern Methodist and Texas Christian will square off for the 93rd time Saturday in a non-conference game. The two teams have met every season but three since 1925, and the host Horned Frogs hold a slight edge in the series thanks to victories in 11 of the past 13 meetings. Both enter after losses to Texas schools, as the Mustangs fell to Texas A&M last week, and the Horned Frogs lost to Texas Tech on Sept. 12.

TCU is 25-8 after a loss under head coach Gary Patterson, who has won four out of the five meetings against June Jones and his pass-heavy attack on offense. "The thing about passing offenses - not just June's - is they're going to keep coming at you," Patterson said at his weekly press conference. "They don't do a lot, but they have their own concepts and they will do it over and over again." SMU senior Garrett Gilbert leads the nation in completions per game at 37.7 and is seventh in passing at 338.3 yards per game for the Mustangs.

TV: Noon ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Texas Christian -19.5.

ABOUT SOUTHERN METHODIST (1-2): Jones has enlisted the help of former Kentucky and New Mexico State head coach Hal Mumme to be his passing coordinator. Among the top seven all-time leaders in passing yards per game, two were coached by Jones and one by Mumme. The beneficiaries of their prolific passing offense are sophomore Darius Joseph (31 receptions) and senior Jeremy Johnson (23), who have combined for 54 receptions and 544 yards this season for the Mustangs.

ABOUT TEXAS CHRISTIAN (1-2): Sophomore quarterback Trevone Boykin will continue to make his presence felt in variety of ways while filling in for senior quarterback Casey Pachall, who broke a bone in his left arm in the team's second game against Southeastern Louisiana. In that game, Boykin threw for 133 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 35 yards, and caught three passes for 25 yards. Redshirt freshman Tyler Matthews is now the backup quarterback for the Horned Frogs.

EXTRA POINTS

1. SMU junior RB Traylon Shead (knee) is expected to play after missing the last two games.

2. In the past 31 games, the Mustangs are 16-0 when they score first, but 0-15 when their opponent scores first.

3. Of the 61 300-yard passing games in Southern Methodist history, 22 have come under Jones.

PREDICTION: Texas Christian 41, Southern Methodist 23