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The 66 points SMU scored in its victory over TCU on Saturday, September 21, in Dallas, are the most points the Mustangs have ever scored against TCU. The combined 108 points in the game are the most combined points ever scored in a game between the two teams, and the sixth most in any football game involving TCU. |
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Prior to the TCU-SMU game, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson wore a “TCU Sucks” shirt to a Dallas City Council meeting. Unfortunately, as the result of the game proved, Mayor Johnson was prophetic. |
By Tom C. "Midnite" Burke
Life’s too short to live in Dallas.
Apparently, life’s also too short for TCU to continue playing football games in Dallas.
TCU, for an indefinite length of time, played its last game in Dallas against SMU on Saturday, September 21, and in a rarity over the last couple of decades, TCU was not the victor.
In fact, SMU embarrassed the Horned Frogs in a 66-42 win, before an announced crowd of 33,168 in the Mustangs’ Gerald J. Ford Stadium.
The win by SMU earned Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who wore a “TCU Sucks” shirt to a Dallas City Council meeting prior to the game, and members of the Dallas City Council a meal from Pulido’s Restaurant in Fort Worth, compliments of Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker.
If TCU had beaten SMU, Mayor Parker and members of the Fort Worth City Council would have been treated to a breakfast from Dallas’ Shug’s Bagels, compliments of Johnson and the Dallas City Council.
A win by the Horned Frogs also would have been a nice congratulatory gift for TCU alum and board of trustee member Elliott Hill (’86), who had just been announced as the new president and chief executive officer of Nike, Inc., effective October 14.
With the lopsided loss to the Mustangs, TCU not only cost Mayor Parker and Fort Worth City Council members a free breakfast, it also continued its downward spiral under head football coach Sonny Dykes.
The Frogs, who have lost two consecutive games, are 2-2 overall, 0-1 Big 12.
Over their last 19 games, TCU is 8-11, with two of the wins coming against lowly Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams – Nicholls in 2023 and Long Island University this season. Over that stretch of 19 games, nine times TCU has allowed an opponent to score 30 points. Three times an opponent eclipsed 60.
During the Frogs’ debacle in “Big D,” TCU head coach Sonny Dykes embarrassed TCU fans and disgraced the TCU football program by receiving early in the third quarter from two different officials back-to-back unsportsmanlike penalties, which resulted in him automatically being ejected from the game.
Dykes became the first head coach of a Power 4 program to be disqualified from a college football game for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties since the NCAA established the rule in 2016. His penalties and ejection came after a holding call wiped off a kick return for a TCU touchdown.
In 2021, Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler became the first Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) head coach to be ejected for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in a game.
As he walked out of the stadium, much to the amusement of bye-bye-waving and taunting SMU fans, Dykes smirked and defiantly raised both arms and fist-pumped the fans. It was Dykes doing his best impersonation of former US President and current Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump. All he needed to complete the act was a bandage on his right ear.
During his postgame comments, a despondent Dykes declined to go into detail about his exchange with the officiating crew, but he apologized for being ejected.
“I got kicked out of the game. My first time that’s ever happened,” said Dykes. “Certainly uncharted territory for me.
“I apologize to my players and our fans. That should’ve never happened. I was disappointed it happened. It’s my responsibility to make sure that never happens. 100 percent my fault. Obviously, I’ve got to be better. I’m 54 years old. I learn from my mistakes. Bad example by the head coach. I am embarrassed.”
TCU and its football program haven’t been this embarrassed by a head football coach since Gary Patterson whined before and after his Frogs lost, 42-34, to SMU in Fort Worth during the 2021 season.
Patterson during the week prior to that game with SMU whined about the possibility of losing TCU players to other programs, particularly those within the SEC, because of the new Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules, which essentially legalize paying collegiate athletes.
After his second consecutive loss to the Mustangs, Patterson whined about the Ponies trying to plant an SMU flag at Amon G. Carter’s midfield.
The “assault” on The Carter’s sacred soil was led by SMU wide receiver Rashee Rice. The flag-planting attempt resulted in a scuffle between TCU and SMU players. During the pushing and shoving, TCU special assistant Jerry Kill went flying to the turf.
Patterson alleged that the flag-planting was pre-meditated, that Kill had been plowed into the turf by SMU players and had been slugged in the head with a helmet by an SMU player.
Video of the incident showed Kill falling after inadvertently being run into by two TCU players. No video evidence supported Patterson’s claim that Kill was hit in the head with a helmet swung by a SMU player.
Five games later, after the Horned Frogs lost, 31-12, to Kansas State in Manhattan, Kansas, Patterson and TCU parted ways.
This past Saturday, the Horned Frogs and Mustangs met for the 103rd time. But this was the next-to-the-last game of the “Iron Skillet” rivalry, which will be on “indefinite pause” after the 2025 season because TCU wants to play more home games and compete against teams with "more prestige" than SMU.
SMU is TCU’s second-most played series, trailing only the 119 times that TCU and Baylor have met on the gridiron.
The Horned Frogs now hold a 53-43-7 edge over the Mustangs in a series that began with a 43-0 TCU win in Fort Worth in 1915.
The Frogs are 24-23-2 versus the Mustangs in Dallas and 29-20-5 versus SMU in Fort Worth. This win by the Mustangs was their first over TCU in Dallas since 2005.
TCU has won 13 of the last 17 games against SMU and 19 of the past 24.
Here are the results of other games last weekend that featured Big 12 teams:
- Kansas 28 (1-3, 0-1) at West Virginia 32 (2-2, 1-0)
- Houston (1-3, 0-1) 0 at Cincinnati (3-1, 1-0) 34
- #13 Kansas State 9 (3-1, 0-1) at BYU 38 (4-0, 1-0)
- Baylor 31 (2-2, 0-1) at Colorado 38 (OT) (3-1, 1-0)
- Arizona State 22 (3-1, 0-1) at Texas Tech 30 (3-1, 1-0)
- #12 Utah 22 (4-0, 1-0) at #14 Oklahoma State 19 (3-1, 0-1)
- Arkansas State 7 at #20 Iowa State 52 (3-0, 0-0)
- UCF (3-0, 1-0) bye
- Arizona (2-1, 0-0) bye
In the Week 5 Associated Press Top 25 rankings, Utah is 10th, Iowa State is 18th, Oklahoma State is 20th, BYU is 22nd and Kansas State is 23rd.
The 66 points SMU scored in its victory over TCU are the most points the Mustangs have ever scored against TCU.
The combined 108 points in the game are the most combined points ever scored in a game between the two teams, and the sixth most in any football game involving TCU.
The 66 points the Frogs allowed are the most points TCU has allowed in a game since a 69-45 loss to the University of Oklahoma in the final game of the 2023 season and a 65-7 loss to Georgia in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, played after the 2022 regular season.
Dykes had been the winning head coach in each of the last four games between the Horned Frogs and Mustangs.
Prior to his arrival at TCU, Dykes, as SMU’s head coach from 2018-21, guided the Mustangs to their first back-to-back victories (2019, 2021) over the Horned Frogs since 1992-93. With wins the last two seasons for TCU, Dykes was 2-0 as TCU’s head coach against SMU.
This was the first meeting when both TCU and SMU are in a “power league” since 1995 and they were members of the Southwest Conference.
TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012. Over this past summer, SMU’s long efforts to join a major athletic conference paid off when it bought its way into the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), by rejecting for nine years any share of the league’s media rights deal.
This was TCU’s second road game this season against an ACC member. TCU won, 34-27, at Stanford in the Frogs’ season-opener.
TCU had a four-game winning streak against ACC opponents. The Horned Frogs are 5-6 all-time against the ACC.
SMU racked up its 66 points by scoring five offensive touchdowns and two defensive touchdowns, kicking three field goals and returning a punt for a touchdown.
“Obviously, a bad night. Everything that could go wrong, went wrong,” said Dykes. “Had a good week of practice. We practiced as well as we’ve ever practiced. Thought we would play well. I never saw this coming. We played bad in all areas of the game, and that’s on me, the head coach.
“We are a good football team, but we certainly didn’t play like it today. We have a lot of work to do ahead of us. I expect us to play better and I know we will.
“Got to give SMU credit. They played hard. They were ready to play. Have to congratulate them on a very resounding win.”
The Mustangs had 375 total offensive yards; 137 passing yards and 238 rushing yards.
Over the last two games, TCU’s defense has allowed 527 rushing yards. For the season, the Frogs are allowing opponents to average 178.6 rushing yards per game.
SMU had a 17-0 lead after the first quarter, a 41-21 lead at halftime and a 59-28 lead entering the fourth quarter.
Kevin Jennings made his first start at quarterback for SMU, in place of Preston Stone. Jennings was effective in his new role, but SMU’s offensive star was senior running back Brashard Smith.
Smith rushed 18 times for 127 yards and three touchdowns. He caught two passes for 24 yards and one touchdown.
SMU’s other offensive touchdown was scored by former TCU wide receiver Jordan Hudson, who caught a 10-yard touchdown pass.
Senior Roderick Daniels, Jr., scored a touchdown for the Mustangs on a 69-yard punt return in the first quarter.
SMU’s defensive scores came on a first-quarter fumble recovery of 51 yards for a touchdown by graduate cornerback Brandon Crossley and a second-quarter 60-yard interception return by junior safety Ahmaad Moses. The fumble and interception were by TCU redshirt sophomore quarterback Josh Hoover.
After three strong starts this season, Hoover had an overall miserable day for the Horned Frogs against the Mustangs.
Hoover turned the football over five times, with many of the turnovers leading to points for SMU. He lost three fumbles and threw two interceptions, after having thrown 142 passes this season without having one intercepted. He entered the game with the most attempts (119) by an FBS player without a pick. Dating back to last season, his 147 passes without an interception are the second-longest streak in TCU history (154, Jeff Ballard, 2006).
In addition to the turnovers and defensive lapses, the undisciplined Horned Frogs had a staggering 14 penalties, of all types, for 135 yards. It’s the second game this season where TCU has had over 100 penalty yards.
On the positive side, TCU’s offense scored six touchdowns and totaled 480 yards, although only 65 of the yards came on the ground, on 32 rushing plays (for the season TCU is averaging only 88.5 yards per game).
The Frogs have started the season with four straight games of at least 34 points. It is just the sixth time in school history for TCU to accomplish this feat.
TCU scored for the 398th consecutive game, the second-longest streak in NCAA history. Number one is Florida, at 452 games (1988-present). The Horned Frogs haven't been blanked since November 16, 1991, at Texas (32-0).
Against SMU, Hoover completed 28 of 43 passes for 396 yards and three touchdowns. It was Hoover’s eighth 300-yard passing game in 10 career starts and his fourth career game with three touchdown passes.
Hoover also scored a touchdown on a one-yard scoring run, which was his second rushing touchdown of the season and fourth of his career.
Junior backup quarterback Ken Seals, a transfer from Vanderbilt, played sparingly in the fourth quarter. He completed three-of-three passes for 19 yards and one touchdown.
Senior wide receiver Jack Bech, a transfer from LSU, caught eight passes for 166 yards, including two touchdown passes of 46 yards and 15 yards. It was Bech’s third 100-yard receiving game of the season and the first multiple-touchdown game of his career.
Junior wide receiver Eric McAlister, a transfer from Boise State, had six catches for 114 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-one play. It was McAlister’s second straight game with a touchdown reception, his first 100-yard game at TCU and the fourth of his career.
Senior wide receiver JP Richardson, a transfer from Oklahoma State, had three receptions for 14 yards to give him at least one catch in 31 consecutive games. The streak entered the game tied for seventh longest in the nation.
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jordan Bailey caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Seals. It was Bailey's second career receiving score.
Sophomore running back Cam Cook led TCU’s meager running game with 14 carries for 24 yards. He also had a seven-yard touchdown run, which was his team-best fifth rushing score on the season.
TCU’s defensive highlights against SMU were minimal.
Senior cornerback JaTravis Broughton, a transfer from the University of Utah, had nine tackles to lead TCU in tackles for the second straight game. He also had a pass breakup.
Linebacker Kaleb Elarms-Orr, a junior transfer from Cal, was second on TCU with eight tackles. He also recovered an SMU fumble that was forced by senior defensive lineman Caleb Fox, a transfer from Stephen F. Austin.
Senior defensive lineman NaNa Osafo-Mensah, a transfer from Notre Dame, recorded a tackle for loss.
- TCU-SMU game box score: here
- TCU-SMU game highlights: here
- TCU head coach Sonny Dykes talks about the loss to SMU: here
- TCU head coach Sonny Dykes ejected from the SMU game: here
- SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee talks about the win over TCU: here
The Horned Frogs return to action and Big 12 Conference play this Saturday, September 28, against the University of Kansas (1-3, 0-1), in Kansas City. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 pm (Central). The game will be televised by ESPN+.
Normally, the game would be played in Lawrence, Kansas, but the Jayhawks’ David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium is being renovated. KU is playing its Big 12 Conference games this season in Arrowhead Stadium, which is the home of the National Football league’s (NFL) two-time-defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Jayhawks’ head coach is Lance Leipold. He was named the 41st head coach in Kansas football history on April 30, 2021. Leipold arrived at Kansas after a successful six-year stay at Buffalo.
Kansas opened the 2024 season with 48-3 victory over Lindenwood, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team, in a game played at Chlidren’s Mercey Park in Kansas City, Kansas.
Since that opening victory, KU has lost three consecutive games: 23-17, to Illinois, in Champaign, Illinois; 23-20, to UNLV, in Children’s Mercy Park; and 32-28, to West Virginia, last Saturday, in Morgantown, in both teams’ Big 12 Conference-opener (the game was delayed because of weather for about two hours in the fourth quarter. When the game was delayed, Kansas was leading 21-17).
The Jayhawks are averaging 28.5 points and 410 total offensive yards per game; 240.8 yards per game passing and 169.25 yards per game running.
KU has scored nine rushing touchdowns and five passing touchdowns.
The Jayhawks have thrown seven interceptions and allowed five sacks.
Redshirt junior quarterback Jalon Daniels (#6), six-foot, 220 pounds, leads Kansas’ offense. He has completed 54-of-96 passes, for 626 yards. He is averaging 156.50 yards passing per game. He has thrown four touchdown passes and seven interceptions. He has a long pass completion of 58 yards.
Daniels has rushed 28 times for 111 yards, for a average of 27.75 yards per
game. He has two rushing touchdowns and a long run of 33 yards.
Senior wide receiver Luke Grimm (#11) is the Jayhawks’ leading receiver. He has
caught 24 passes for 232 yards. He is averaging 9.67 yards per reception and 58
receiving yards per game. He has caught three touchdown passes and has a long
reception of 58 yards.
Senior wide receiver Lawrence Arnold (#2), 6-3, 205 pounds, who is from Desoto, Texas, has caught 12 passes for 177 yards. He is averaging 14.75 yards per catch and 44.25 receiving yards per game. He has caught one touchdown pass and has a long reception of 36 yards.
Senior running back Devin Neal (#4) leads KU’s rushing attack. He has rushed 72 times for 443 yards, for an average of 6.2 yards per carry and 110.75 rushing yards per game. He has three rushing touchdowns and a long run of 53 yards.
Redshirt junior running back Daniel Hishaw, Jr. (#9), has carried the football 25 times for 177 yards, for an average of 7.1 yards per carry and 59 rushing yards per game. He has two rushing touchdowns and a long run of 32 yards.
Defensively, Kansas is allowing 20.25 points and 295.8 total offensive yards per game; 120.8 rushing yards per game and 175 passing yards per game.
KU has allowed four rushing touchdowns and three passing touchdowns, while accumulating nine sacks and intercepting three passes.
Redshirt senior linebacker Cornell Wheeler (#44), a transfer from Michigan, has 24 tackles, including three tackles for loss. He also has forced a fumble.
Senior cornerback Mello Dotson (#3), has 21 tackles, including one tackle for loss. He has intercepted two passes.
Senior linebacker JB Brown (#1), a transfer from Bowling Green, has made 18 tackles, including four tackles for loss. He also has one sack.
Redshirt senior safety Marvin Grant (#4), a 6-2, 210-pound transfer from Purdue, has 18 tackles, including four tackles for loss. He has one sack.
Senior defensive end Jereme Robinson (#90), 6-3, 255 pounds, has made 11 tackles, including 5.5 tackles for loss. He has 3.5 sacks.
Redshirt junior defensive end Dean Miller (#45), 6-5, 235 pounds, who is a transfer from College of the Canyons, has made 10 tackles, including two tackles for loss. He has 1.5 sacks.
Senior cornerback Cobee Bryant (#2) has intercepted one pass.
The Jayhawks' punter is sophomore Damon Greaves (#35). He has punted 10 times for an average of 46.90 yards per punt. He has a long punt this season of 58 yards. He has not had a punt blocked.
Senior kicker Tabor Allen (#40), of Mansfield, Texas, is KU’s field-goal kicker. He has converted three-of-three field goal attempts. He has a long field goal this season of 41 yards He has not had a kick blocked.
Kansas has opened as a 1.5-point favorite. The over/under for total points has opened at 61.5 points.
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