Keeping it at Home
Horned Frogs looks to corral Mustangs
Playing their traditional rivalry game in Fort Worth for the first time since 1999, the TCU fooball team looks to beat SMU and maintain the Iron Skillet for the fourth consecutive year.
By Danny Gillham
Sports Editor

One of the oldest rivalries in college football returns to Amon Carter Stadium Saturday for the first time in three years.

Much like the Northwestern game, the Frogs encounter new coaches and a freshman at quarterback.

Coaching now for the Mustangs is Phil Bennett. Bennett, who previously was a defensive coordinator at Kansas State, brings a winning tradition to a SMU program that has not had a winning season since the 1980s.

Bennett has put an emphasis on winning this game, and while TCU head coach Gary Patterson said it’s important, it isn’t the Frogs’ season.

“I heard Coach Bennett talk about how this may be the biggest game of the year (for SMU),” Patterson said. “For us, it’s a big game, but it’s the next game. I think you have to be very careful putting everything in one basket.”

When returning starting quarterback Kelan Luker left the program to pursue a music career, and his backup David Page decided to leave too, SMU turned to redshirt freshman Tate Wallis to handle the snaps.

Frogs’ defensive coordinator David Bailiff said that Wallis has talent and maturity beyond his years.

“There is nothing about this guy that says he’s a redshirt freshman,” Bailiff said. “He’s a poised young man. You watch the video and don’t say that this is a young gut that is going to panic in the pocket.”

The rivalry hasn’t been as spectacular as in years past, with the Horned Frogs winning nine of the last 13 contests. The matchup on paper looks to favor TCU as well, with the Mustangs losing both of their games to start this season.

However, in the career head-to-head matchup, SMU leads the series 38-37-7. Senior quarterback Sean Stilley said records are never important when it comes to the Iron Skillet.

“College football tradition is built on rivalries,” Stilley said. “SMU is our rival. No matter what our records are or what they show. Iit’s always going to be a good game; it’s very important to us.”