# SMU–TCU football rivalry

The SMU–TCU football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the SMU Mustangs football team of Southern Methodist University (SMU) and TCU Horned Frogs football of Texas Christian University (TCU). The winner of the game receives an iron skillet as a trophy.

## History

The teams have played all but seven years since their first meeting in 1915. They did not face each other in 1919, 1920, 1925, 1987, 1988, 2006 or 2020. Although no longer in the same conference, SMU and TCU have agreed to play each season through 2025 on an alternating home-and-away basis.
The 2020 game originally scheduled for September 11 was canceled due to TCU team members testing positive for COVID-19.

## Iron Skillet

Two different versions of the story. In recent years SMU's website has claimed the following. TCU and SMU fans began the tradition back in 1946. During pre-game festivities, an SMU fan was frying frog legs as a joke before the game. A TCU fan, seeing this desecration of the "frog", went over and told him that eating the frog legs was going well beyond the rivalry and that they should let the game decide who would get the skillet and the frog legs. SMU won the game, and the skillet and frog legs went to SMU. The tradition eventually spilled over into the actual game and the Iron Skillet is now passed to the winner.
An article from TCU magazine tells the following story. "The first "Battle for the Iron Skillet" occurred on November 30, 1946, as college football boomed after World War II. Weeks prior to the game, SMU’s Student Council proposed the idea of presenting a trophy to the winning team. TCU accepted the idea, and the two schools' governing bodies met in Dallas to set up the rules of the traveling trophy, which became the Iron Skillet." The TCU magazine article has this to say about the other story "One mystery remains: Why a skillet? History books provide scant details. Some claim that an SMU fan in the 1950s was caught frying frogs legs in a skillet at a tailgate before the game, and a TCU fan wagered that the winner should take the pan home, but that conflicts with a published report of the skillet originating with the councils."

## Notable games
### 1935: For the Rose Bowl

TCU and SMU again met to decide not only the SWC title but the first trip to the Rose Bowl for a team from the SWC. Grantland Rice of the New York Sun called it the "Game of the Century" and reported the following:
   In a TCU Stadium that seated 30,000 spectators, over 36,000 wildly excited Texans and visitors from every corner of the map packed, jammed, and fought their way into every square foot of standing and seating space to see one of the greatest football games ever played…this tense, keyed up crowd even leaped the wire fences from the top of automobiles…"
SMU scored the first 14 points. TCU, led by All-American quarterback Sammy Baugh, tied the game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. Then, with seven minutes left in the game SMU, on 4th and 4 on the Frogs' 37 yard-line, lined up to punt. Quarterback Bob Finley threw a 50-yard pass to running back Bobby Wilson who made what is described as a "jumping, twisting catch that swept him over the line for the touchdown."

## Game results

| SMU victories | TCU victories | Tie games |
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing team | Losing team |
| 1 | October 9, 1915 | TCU campus | TCU | 43 | SMU | 0 |
| 2 | October 18, 1916 | State Fair grounds (Dallas) | TCU | 48 | SMU | 3 |
| 3 | October 20, 1917 | TCU gridiron | TCU | 21 | SMU | 0 |
| 4 | October 12, 1918† | Armstrong Field | SMU | 1 | TCU | 0 |
| 5 | November 11, 1921 | Fair Park Stadium | TCU | 13 | SMU | 6 |
| 6 | December 9, 1922 | Panther Park | Tie | 0 | Tie | 0 |
| 7 | November 3, 1923 | Fair Park Stadium | SMU | 40 | TCU | 0 |
| 8 | November 1, 1924 | Clark Field | SMU | 6 | TCU | 0 |
| 9 | November 25, 1926 | Ownby Stadium | SMU | 14 | TCU | 13 |
| 10 | November 24, 1927 | Clark Field | SMU | 28 | TCU | 6 |
| 11 | November 29, 1928 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 15 | SMU | 6 |
| 12 | November 30, 1929 | Clark Field | Tie | 7 | Tie | 7 |
| 13 | November 29, 1930 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 13 | SMU | 0 |
| 14 | November 28, 1931 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | Tie | 0 | Tie | 0 |
| 15 | November 26, 1932 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 8 | SMU | 0 |
| 16 | December 2, 1933 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 26 | SMU | 6 |
| 17 | December 1, 1934 | Ownby Stadium | SMU | 19 | TCU | 0 |
| 18 | November 30, 1935 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 20 | TCU | 14 |
| 19 | November 28, 1936 | Ownby Stadium | Tie | 0 | Tie | 0 |
| 20 | November 27, 1937 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #14 TCU | 3 | SMU | 0 |
| 21 | November 26, 1938 | Ownby Stadium | #2 TCU | 20 | SMU | 7 |
| 22 | December 2, 1939 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 14 | TCU | 7 |
| 23 | November 30, 1940 | Ownby Stadium | #16 SMU | 16 | TCU | 0 |
| 24 | November 29, 1941 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 15 | SMU | 13 |
| 25 | November 28, 1942 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 14 | SMU | 6 |
| 26 | November 27, 1943 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 20 | TCU | 0 |
| 27 | December 2, 1944 | Ownby Stadium | SMU | 9 | TCU | 6 |
| 28 | December 1, 1945 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 34 | TCU | 0 |
| 29 | November 30, 1946 | Ownby Stadium | #3 SMU | 30 | TCU | 13 |
| 30 | November 29, 1947 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | Tie | 19 | Tie | 19 |
| 31 | November 27, 1948 | Cotton Bowl | Tie | 7 | Tie | 7 |
| 32 | November 26, 1949 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 26 | SMU | 13 |
| 33 | December 2, 1950 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 27 | SMU | 13 |
| 34 | December 1, 1951 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #11 TCU | 13 | SMU | 2 |
| 35 | November 29, 1952 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 14 | SMU | 7 |
| 36 | November 28, 1953 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 13 | SMU | 0 |
| 37 | November 27, 1954 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 21 | TCU | 6 |
| 38 | November 26, 1955 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #7 TCU | 20 | SMU | 13 |
| 39 | December 1, 1956 | Cotton Bowl | #14 TCU | 21 | SMU | 6 |
| 40 | November 30, 1957 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 21 | SMU | 0 |
| 41 | November 29, 1958 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 20 | #7 TCU | 13 |
| 42 | November 28, 1959 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #8 TCU | 19 | SMU | 0 |
| 43 | November 26, 1960 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 13 | SMU | 0 |
| 44 | December 2, 1961 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | Tie | 28 | Tie | 28 |
| 45 | December 1, 1962 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 14 | SMU | 9 |
| 46 | November 23, 1963 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 22 | SMU | 15 |
| 47 | November 28, 1964 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 17 | SMU | 6 |
| 48 | November 27, 1965 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 10 | SMU | 7 |
| 49 | November 26, 1966 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 21 | TCU | 0 |
| 50 | December 2, 1967 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 28 | TCU | 14 |
| 51 | October 12, 1968 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 21 | TCU | 14 |
| 52 | October 10, 1969 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 19 | TCU | 17 |
| 53 | November 28, 1970 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 26 | SMU | 17 |
| No. | Date | Location | Winning team | Winning team | Losing team | Losing team |
| 54 | November 27, 1971 | Cotton Bowl | TCU | 18 | SMU | 16 |
| 55 | December 2, 1972 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 35 | TCU | 22 |
| 56 | December 1, 1973 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 21 | TCU | 19 |
| 57 | October 12, 1974 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 33 | TCU | 13 |
| 58 | October 10, 1975 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 28 | TCU | 13 |
| 59 | September 11, 1976 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 34 | TCU | 14 |
| 60 | September 10, 1977 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 45 | TCU | 21 |
| 61 | September 9, 1978 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 45 | TCU | 14 |
| 62 | September 15, 1979 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #20 SMU | 27 | TCU | 7 |
| 63 | September 20, 1980 | Texas Stadium | SMU | 17 | TCU | 14 |
| 64 | September 26, 1981 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #20 SMU | 20 | TCU | 9 |
| 65 | September 25, 1982 | Texas Stadium | #6 SMU | 16 | TCU | 13 |
| 66 | September 24, 1983 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #18 SMU | 21 | TCU | 17 |
| 67 | September 29, 1984 | Texas Stadium | #11 SMU | 26 | TCU | 17 |
| 68 | September 28, 1985 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #6 SMU | 56 | TCU | 21 |
| 69 | September 27, 1986 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 31 | TCU | 21 |
| 70 | September 30, 1989 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 28 | SMU | 10 |
| 71 | September 29, 1990 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 42 | SMU | 21 |
| 72 | November 2, 1991 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 18 | SMU | 10 |
| 73 | October 17, 1992 | Ownby Stadium | SMU | 27 | TCU | 17 |
| 74 | September 25, 1993 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 21 | TCU | 15 |
| 75 | November 12, 1994 | Ownby Stadium | TCU | 35 | SMU | 14 |
| 76 | November 4, 1995 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 19 | SMU | 16 |
| 77 | November 21, 1996 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 27 | TCU | 24 |
| 78 | November 20, 1997 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 21 | SMU | 18 |
| 79 | October 17, 1998 | Cotton Bowl | SMU | 10 | TCU | 6 |
| 80 | November 26, 1999 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 21 | SMU | 0 |
| 81 | November 24, 2000 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | #13 TCU | 62 | SMU | 7 |
| 82 | September 8, 2001 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | TCU | 38 | SMU | 10 |
| 83 | September 14, 2002 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 17 | SMU | 6 |
| 84 | November 29, 2003 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | #19 TCU | 20 | SMU | 13 |
| 85 | September 11, 2004 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 44 | SMU | 0 |
| 86 | September 10, 2005 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | SMU | 21 | #22 TCU | 10 |
| 87 | September 22, 2007 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 21 | SMU | 7 |
| 88 | September 20, 2008 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | TCU | 48 | SMU | 7 |
| 89 | October 3, 2009 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #11 TCU | 39 | SMU | 14 |
| 90 | September 24, 2010 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | #4 TCU | 41 | SMU | 24 |
| 91 | October 1, 2011 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 40 | #20 TCU | 33$^{OT}$ |
| 92 | September 30, 2012 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | #15 TCU | 24 | SMU | 16 |
| 93 | September 28, 2013 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 48 | SMU | 17 |
| 94 | September 27, 2014 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | TCU | 56 | SMU | 0 |
| 95 | September 19, 2015 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #3 TCU | 56 | SMU | 37 |
| 96 | September 23, 2016 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | TCU | 33 | SMU | 3 |
| 97 | September 16, 2017 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | #20 TCU | 56 | SMU | 36 |
| 98 | September 7, 2018 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | #16 TCU | 42 | SMU | 12 |
| 99 | September 21, 2019 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 41 | #25 TCU | 38 |
| 100 | September 25, 2021 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | SMU | 42 | TCU | 34 |
| 101 | September 24, 2022 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | TCU | 42 | SMU | 34 |
| 102 | September 23, 2023 | Amon G. Carter Stadium | TCU | 34 | SMU | 17 |
| 103 | September 21, 2024 | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | SMU | 66 | TCU | 42 |
| Series: TCU leads 53–43–7 |||||||
| † TCU forfeited the 1918 game |||||||

### Results by location

As of September 22, 2024
| City | Stadium | Games | TCU victories | SMU victories | Ties |
| Ft. Worth | Amon G. Carter Stadium | 43 | 24 | 16 | 3 |
| Ft. Worth | Panther Park | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Ft. Worth | TCU gridiron | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ft. Worth | TCU campus | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Ft. Worth | Total | 46 | 26 | 16 | 4 |
| Dallas | Cotton Bowl | 21 | 8 | 12 | 1 |
| Dallas | Gerald J. Ford Stadium | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Dallas | Ownby Stadium | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 |
| Dallas | Clark Field | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| Dallas | Fair Park Stadium | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Dallas | Armstrong Field | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Dallas | State Fair Grounds (Dallas) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Dallas | Total | 54 | 27 | 24 | 3 |
| Irving | Texas Stadium | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Irving | Total | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Series total | Series total | 103 | 53 | 43 | 7 |