In the 104th meeting of one of the nation’s oldest rivalries, Josh Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns to lead Texas Christian to a 35-24 victory over Southern Methodist on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas.
This was the final scheduled edition of the “Battle for the Iron Skillet.” The series, which began in 1915, ends with TCU holding a 54-43-7 advantage.
Eric McAlister enjoyed a career day with eight catches for 254 yards and three scores for TCU (3-0). Kevin Jennings passed for 261 yards and three touchdowns for SMU (2-2).
On its opening drive, TCU put the first points on the scoreboard when Hoover found McAlister for a 27-yard touchdown pass on a third-and-17 play. SMU responded with a 12-play, 68-yard drive that resulted in a 28-yard field goal by Sam Keltner that closed the gap to 7-3 late in the first quarter.
TCU began the second quarter with Jeremy Payne extending the Horned Frogs’ lead to 14-3 on a 10-yard scoring pass from Hoover to cap a 13-play, 75-yard drive.
The Mustangs were flagged for seven penalties for 70 yards in the first half, but Jennings hit Matthew Hibner for a 9-yard TD pass that made it 14-10 TCU midway through the second quarter.
Jaelyn Davis-Robinson’s interception of Hoover in the end zone with 2:37 left in the first half blunted TCU’s next drive. SMU moved the ball downfield, but Keltner’s 49-yard field goal attempt hit the right upright and missed.
Jennings limped off the field after he was sacked deep in SMU territory as the third quarter began. Hoover took advantage of good field position after the punt and found McAlister for a 47-yard gain. Two plays later, he threw his third touchdown pass, a 4-yarder to Joseph Manjack IV that pushed the TCU lead to 21-10.
Though hobbled, Jennings marched the Mustangs down the field again. He threw a 7-yard TD pass to Yamir Knight to narrow the gap to 21-17 with 5:54 remaining in the third .
SMU seized its first lead at 10:30 of the fourth when Jennings threw a 34-yard dart to Jordan Hudson to make it 24-21. But Hoover answered 72 seconds later with a 70-yard scoring strike to McAlister as TCU regained the edge at 28-24.
McAlister added his third score with 6:03 left. The 44-yard pass from Hoover accounted for the game’s final score.
