Forget the five-star hotels, luxury suites, room service and spa specials that many SMU students enjoy on trips out of town.

My weekend’s journey to Fort Worth included a shagged carpet motel, faulty room keys and optional color TV. As far as room service goes, the drive-thru McDonald’s was my best option.

Despite SMU’s embarrassing loss to TCU last year, a stampede of semi-faithful Mustangs journeyed to the TCU campus with high hopes, and a little liquid courage, that Bo Levi Mitchell and friends could rescue the Iron Skillet from its Horned Frog captives. Sadly, though not surprisingly, Aerosmith’s “Dream On” became the weekend’s theme song.

Fort Worth welcomed SMU with gray skies and pouring rain. Apparently, the Big Guy upstairs detected the tension between the teams and decided to set the weather dial appropriately.

TCU does not have the same country club appeal as SMU, but it definitely has the spirit; the campus was covered in purple.

A large group of SMU fans crowded into Fort Worth sports bars and restaurants to wait out the rain. We all stuck out like a sore thumb.

Unlike the TCU fans, many of us neglected to deck out in SMU apparel and show off our school spirit. Swarms of purple chanted their fight song as we lassoed our ponies above our heads, far too forgetful to sing our own.

As for SMU’s school spirit, it looked like SMU fans chose from three options for this weekend’s competition. We could dress appropriately in red and blue, marking ourselves as lambs for the slaughter. Or we could go in under the radar in neutral colors hoping to blend in as neither reptile nor equine. Or we could arrive with Highland Park arrogance in our expensive cars and Ralph Lauren chic attire.

SMU lost but was not defeated. It was a moral victory; we still had a reason to hold our noses high.

The Mustangs have come a long way since last year’s embarrassing slaughter. June Jones is doing something right. Hopefully, within the next few years he will have righted the ship and we will be able to taste victory on a more regular basis. It will be like the old days, when SMU had the Pony Express.

It wasn’t until my friends and I decided to make the short trek home to Dallas that night that we discovered that the game wasn’t the only thing lost this weekend; my ride had somehow lost her car keys and wallet.

Fortunately, one more night of slumming in Fort Worth made me appreciate the comforts of home.

But class is not always defined by wealth and affluence; sometimes it’s all about good manors and sportsmanship. TCU welcomed us in the true spirit of a good college rivalry. I tip my Stetson to the Horned Frogs of Fort Worth.

Pony up Mustangs. There’s always next year.

Jordan Jennings is a sophomore journalism major. She can be reached for comment at [email protected].