NCAAF Game Preview - SMU at TCU
Sat Sep 21, 2019 3:30 PM EDT

UNCC
10
Clem
52
F
SMiss
7
Bama
49
F
ND
17
UGA
23
F
LSU
66
Vand
38
F
MiaOH
5
OSU
76
F
Aub
28
TxAM
20
F
Tenn
3
Fla
34
F
Utah
23
USC
30
F
Mich
14
Wisc
35
F
OkSt
30
Tex
36
F
UCF
34
Pitt
35
F
Oreg
21
Stan
6
F
UCLA
67
WaSt
63
F
AF
19
Boise
30
F
OD
17
UVA
28
F
Wash
45
BYU
19
F
Cal
28
Miss
20
F
Colo
34
AzSt
31
F
SMU
41
TCU
38
F
Hou
31
Tul
38
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FLInt
31
LT
43
F
MSU
31
NW
10
F
ULMon
20
IASt
72
F
Elon
7
Wake
49
F
WestMI
33
Syr
52
F
BC
30
Rut
16
F
UConn
3
Ind
38
F
Mor
21
Army
52
F
CoCar
62
UMass
28
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ULLaf
45
Ohio
25
F
CenCt
29
E Mi
34
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Troy
35
Akr
7
F
BGSU
20
Kent
62
F
SoAl
3
UAB
35
F
Wyo
21
Tuls
24
F
App
34
UNC
31
F
Lou
24
FlaSt
35
F
Temp
22
Buff
38
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JMU
37
Chat
14
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SCar
14
MIZ
34
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KY
13
MissSt
28
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C Mi
12
MiaFL
17
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NMS
52
NM
55
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WVU
29
Kans
24
F
W&M
7
ECU
19
F
Hamp
27
Lib
62
F
Wagn
7
FlAtl
42
F
GASt
34
TxSt
37
F(2OT)
(N/A)
6
SamHu
45
F
SIU
28
ArkSt
41
F
N AL
12
JacSt
30
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Bayl
21
Rice
13
F
Ball
23
NCSt
34
F
UTSA
3
NorTx
45
F
SJSU
31
Ark
24
F
NEV
37
UTEP
21
F
Neb
42
Ill
38
F
SacSt
20
Fres
34
F
Toled
41
ColSt
35
F
UtSt
23
SDSU
17
F
C Ark
16
Hawaii
35
F
SMU-TCU Preview
Fri Sep 20, 2019 9:58 AM

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) While No. 25 TCU is trying to start a season 3-0 for the 10th time in 17 seasons, SMU has already reached that mark for the first time since 1984.

The Mustangs (3-0) actually won their first four games 35 years ago, back in the old Southwest Conference days and not long before crippling sanctions led to the NCAA's so-called death penalty when they didn't field a team for two seasons.

That was also the last time - until their 99th meeting coming up on Saturday - that the teams met with both still undefeated after already playing multiple games. The last time before that was 1935, a matchup of 10-0 teams.

"From a coach's perspective, we're improved over where we were last year, and we're playing a better style of football, just playing harder on both sides of the ball," SMU coach Sonny Dykes said. "I think people are starting to appreciate the fact that we know our guys play hard, and it's an entertaining brand of football, and we're having some success."

TCU (2-0) is coming off a three-touchdown road win against Big Ten team Purdue, which followed an early open date for the Frogs. They have the Big 12's top defense, allowing 209.5 total yards per game.

SMU, which has been overwhelmed by TCU in recent meetings, comes in with wins over Arkansas State, North Texas and Texas State. The Mustangs had 639 total yards against the FCS Bobcats.

"We're going to play the best football team we've played against," Dykes said. "It's pretty obvious when you turn the film on, just in terms of their talent, and the way they performed Saturday against Purdue was really impressive. ... I think our guys will be excited to measure ourselves against a very good program."

Dykes is in his second season on the Hilltop following a brief stint as an offensive analyst at TCU. He has 65 players who are first-year Mustangs.

"The transfer portal has really helped ... they've changed their roster really," said Gary Patterson, in his 19th full season as TCU's head coach.

Among the SMU newcomers is former Texas quarterback Shane Buechele, one of seven graduate transfers and the American Athletic Conference leader with 871 yards passing. He was 0-2 against TCU while with the Longhorns, completing only 37 of 83 passes (45%) for 472 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in those games.

"For them, he's giving them consistency," Patterson said, when asked about Buechele at SMU. "He's a guy that has played in big ball games and he checks into things how he's supposed to."

FRESH QB

Graduate transfer Alex Delton started TCU's first two games, but true freshman Max Duggan entered on the third series both times. Duggan was in for 11 of the Frogs' 14 possessions against Purdue, including all after halftime. When asked if there could be a change in the way the Frogs use their quarterbacks this week, Patterson responded "maybe."

LOPSIDED SKILLET

TCU has won by an average margin of four touchdowns while winning the last seven games in the series known as the Battle for the Iron Skillet between two schools 40 miles apart. The Horned Frogs are 15-2 against SMU since 2001, the first season the two teams weren't in the same conference. The only years they haven't played since 1925 were 1987 and 1988 after SMU's penalties, and 2006.

WHAT A RUSH

Both SMU and TCU had two 100-yard rushers last week. The Mustangs' 390 yards rushing against Texas State were the most since 1985. True freshman TJ McDaniel, who could still be redshirted, ran eight times for 159 yards and three TDs (10, 39 and 42 yards), while Xavier Jones had 108 yards and matched the national lead with his seventh rushing TD. TCU piled up 346 yards against Purdue, when Darius Anderson had 179 and Sewo Olonilua 106.

LONE VOTE

While the Mustangs didn't get any votes in the AP Top 25 this week, they got a vote from one of the 65 coaches that rank the teams for another poll. Dykes guessed that maybe the vote came from Patterson.

"A little showmanship, you know how that stuff goes," SMU's coach said.

When asked if it was, Patterson only said, "could've been."

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More AP college football: http://apnews.com/tag/Collegefootball and http://www.twitter.com/AP-Top25

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