SMU plays its first road game under new coach Chad Morris. But their first-year head coach knows it could take some time.
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Make friends: Get to SB Nation’s team blog chats for this game at Frogs O’ War for TCU fans and Underdog Dynasty for SMU fans. If this is how the makeshift Frogs defense performed against the Mustangs, they’re going to have a bad time against the Big 12’s top offenses.
“The Skillet” is SMU’s Super Bowl – The Horned Frogs have dominated the recent series, winning 13 of the last 15 games against their Dallas-Fort Worth neighbors.
For the Mustangs, quarterback Matt Davis has put his athleticism on display. The team over all has delivered 219 yards receiving, two touchdown catches.
TCU: The linebackers, including freshmen Ty Summers and Montrell Wilson and sophomore Travin Howard. With Heisman hopeful Trevone Boykin under center, TCU will look to avenge the disappointment of missing last year’s inaugural College Football Playoff and make a run at a national championship this season.
Returning defensive line starters Davion Pierson and James McFarland haven’t played yet because of injuries. Terrell Lathan and Kolby Listenbee also missed the second half of the game, and their replacements had mixed results.
Cornerback Ranthony Texada left the game with a knee injury in the second quarter and is out for the season, coach Gary Patterson announced. But you might see a different group of Mustangs this season, or at least a group that’s more motivated than what they revealed in 2014.
The Horned Frogs also beat the Mustangs (1-2) for the eighth time in the last nine years. While this is the first chance in 2015 for people to compare them against a common opponent, Patterson doesn’t really have that same thought. SMU is still getting the hang of this style of offense and isn’t expected to score 37 points against a Big 12 school. That won’t be until after Thanksgiving.
– Courtland Sutton caught four passes for 115 yards and a score. “He’s so raw and so green”. SMU consistently allowed wide receivers to settle in the middle of the field when SMU was in Cover 2 or a zone. “But right now, he’s just a redshirt freshman that’s trying to figure out where all his classes are located at”.
Points shouldn’t be hard to come by tonight when TCU hosts SMU at 8:00PM ET.
Boykin threw for 454 yards and five touchdowns, the last a 42-yard strike to Josh Doctson with 6 1/2 minutes left after SMU had gotten within five points, and TCU held on for a 56-37 victory Saturday night.
EQUAL STANDING: The Horned Frogs are one of only three teams ranked in the top 20 nationally in both total offense and total defense.
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Trevone Boykin was almost picked off on his first two passes of the game before recovering to find Ty Slanina on an out route to pick up a much-needed first down for the Frogs.
