On Friday, the SMU Mustangs will play the TCU Horned Frogs in a matchup unlike any other.
The Battle for the Iron Skillet is a tradition that students look forward to every year, as is the friendly rivalry between the Frogs and the Mustangs.
Most students are of the opinion that SMU cannot win on Friday. Well, they are wrong.
The Mustangs have played the Frogs every season but six since 1915, no matter what conference of which the two teams were a member.
Of the 87 games that SMU has played against TCU, seven games were tied, SMU won 39, and TCU leads with a mere 41 wins.
TCU may have won the most games thus far, but the Mustangs have the longest winning streak to date. SMU proudly kept the Iron Skillet from 1972-1986 as the result of a 15 game winning streak.
The Frogs have only managed to win seven games in a row; a streak that was wiped clean by an SMU victory in 2005. That season, by the way, was a season where TCU was undefeated, that is, until they played the Mustangs.
Mustangs have a history of stopping the Frogs in their tracks. The rumor of how The Battle for the Iron Skillet got its name is a prime example.
Before a game between SMU and TCU, a Mustang was frying up Frog legs. A TCU fan scolded the Mustang for the display and said the two should let the football game decide who goes home with the frog legs and the skillet.
I have no doubt that the Mustangs got to keep the Frog legs and the skillet that day.
With the leadership of June Jones our football team has risen to a competitive level that is more than capable of dealing with the TCU Frogs on Friday. Their team has lost some key players and ours has gained more than a few.
With the support of the student body and a full stadium on Friday, I do not see how the Mustangs can lose. So, this Family Weekend, bring your brothers and sisters, bring your moms and bring your dads, because SMU is going to be dominating all the Horned Frogs out there. Who knows, this Battle of the Iron Skillet could spark another winning streak for the Mustangs.
Katie Perkins is the student body secretary. She can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected]
