TCU downs SMU 34 -17 to win 2023 Iron Skillet

The anticipation of the long-running Dallas-Fort Worth rivalry game was noticeable on campus for both SMU and TCU. Both programs knew exactly what this game meant in terms of the rivalry and for the season as both teams came into the game with a 2-1 record. After being down a field goal in the first quarter, TCU went on to score 14 unanswered points with a 9-yard touchdown reception by Jared Wiley followed by another touchdown reception by Jared Wiley on a 2-yard pass. TCU quarterback Chandler Morris played efficiently and made all the right reads to maintain the lead the remainder of the game. Morris completed 23 of 32 passes and threw for 261 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 turnovers. The Horned Frogs accumulated 192 rushing yards on 44 attempts by 7 different rushers contributing to one touchdown leading the way was Emani Bailey that ran for 126 yards. The leading receiver for TCU, besides Wiley, turned out to be Senior tight end Chase Curtis that caught 2 receptions for 55 yards. The Horned Frogs intercepted SMU twice for the only turnovers of the game but were timely to set the momentum in favor of TCU. For SMU, quarterback Preston Stone completed 16 of 35 completions for 258 yards, but the two interceptions were costly. Mustang’s touchdowns came from running backs Camar Wheaton and Tyler Lavine.

“It’s still really just disappointing and frustrating. Because we played two, in my opinion, top 20, top 25 teams on the road, one played for the title last year. They’re both going to contend for their league. We were right in there with them, and we feel like we belong, but we didn’t prove it. We didn’t finish. We didn’t sustain it,” SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee emphasized in the post-game press conference. SMU opens the American Athletic Conference next week against Charlotte University in Dallas next Saturday. TCU improves to a 3-1 record, tied for 5th in the Big 12 conference and will host West Virginia next Saturday for the Horned Frogs second Big 12 conference game.