TCU at SMU
Written by Matthew Martz - Google +
No.4 Texas Christian is off to a hot start at 3-0 and will now head to Dallas, Texas to take on the Southern Methodist University Mustangs in a bid to retain the Iron Skillet at Gerald Ford Stadium under the lights on Friday, September 24 at 8:00 PM EST. The latest odds show the Horned Frogs –17 ½ points over the Mustangs with a total set for 53 points.
TCU has held the Iron Skillet for three consecutive years and beat the Mustangs 39-14 just a year ago. The Mustangs last held the prize in 2005 when they beat the then-No. 22 Horned Frogs 21-10.
After losing its season opener at Texas Tech, the Mustangs (2-1) have won two in a row outscoring its opponents 63-28 including a 14-point win at Washington State, 35-21 in its last outing.
It was SMU’s first win against a school from a BCS conference and it could not have come at a better time as the team faces a tough TCU squad that has outscored its first three opponents this season 137-38.
Mustangs’ QB Kyle Padron passed for 280 yards and four touchdowns, connecting with WR Aldrick Robinson for three and ran for another as SMU avenged last year’s 30-21 loss at Washington State
Padron will now go head-to-head with TCU’s Andrew Dalton, who leads all FBS quarterbacks with 32 victories, the most recent coming in Saturday’s 45-10 thumping of Baylor. That victory was the 17th in 18 games for TCU as the Horned Frogs haven’t lost a since their defeat to Boise State in last year’s Fiesta Bowl.
Dalton has put up impressive numbers already in 2010, and is currently 15th in the FBS quarterback rankings with a 161.4 passer rating. He dissected the Baylor pass coverage connecting on 21 of 23 for 267 yards and two touchdowns. Dalton has also positioned himself a dual threat by tallying 113 rushing yards and three scores in the Horned Frogs first three contest of the 2010 campaign.
While no game is “easy”, this match up seems a little lopsided to tell you the truth.
The SMU defense, although improved since surrendering 35 points in its Week 1 loss to Texas Tech, did show some vulnerabilities in this past weekend’s contest against a struggling Washington State.
The secondary has been shaky and Dalton is just the guy to expose it.
Meanwhile, the Horned Frogs have played solid defensively especially against the run, holding opponents to under 100-yards per game, including limiting Oregon State rushing star Jaquizz Rodgers to 75 yards in their home-opener, which is no easy task.
Now they will have to contain SMU running back Zach Line, who is equally dangerous on the ground. The sophomore already has six TDs on 28 carries and 194 rushing yards.
Matt’s Free Prediction: Texas Christian -17.5– TCU’s biggest challenge will be to apply sustained pressure on Pardon, who has at least two touchdown passes in all three Mustangs’ games and eight TDs overall. He has not thrown an interception in their two wins, but has shown if pressure is applied he does make mistakes, as he was picked off three times by Texas Tech. Solid defense will win this one, so I have to go with TCU.
2 Responses to “TCU at SMU”
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Not too sure how credible you are if you can’t get your facts straight. SMU played Washington State in Dallas at Ford Stadium, not in Pullman, WA as you indicated above. GO MUSTANGS! BEAT tcu!!!
Mr Mustang good eye. Thanks for the correction. Every now and then we commit some type-o’s as we are hustling to get you the quickest and best info on all the college football games for the week.