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Iron Skillet Finale: TCU trolls with "Beat SMU" trucks near Hilltop

courtney headshot edited small - 250 pxby: Courtney Schellin21 hours agocourtdoessports
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Sep 21, 2019; Fort Worth, TX, USA; Southern Methodist Mustangs players celebrate with the Iron Skillet after the victory against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The final battle for the Iron Skillet goes down Saturday between SMU and TCU, and it looks like the Horned Frogs are saying farewell in the best way they know how — trolling.

Two “BEAT SMU” trucks were spotted near SMU Campus in Dallas, Texas in attempt to rile up Mustangs fans as the century-old rivalry may come to a close.

The Horned Frogs are projected to beat SMU with 66% shot, so you would wonder why they feel the need to troll the game, but we know why. Iron Skillet games may have lost their thunder over the years, but at the end of the day, the Battle for the Iron Skillet is a serious rivalry game between two schools only 40 miles away from each other who have long hated each other’s guts.

Is the Iron Skillet still fired up?

The rivalry has dimmed on and off, but the flame was reignited under the Iron Skillet when former SMU coach Sonny Dykes left to Fort Worth to coach the Frogs. He would go on to beat SMU and his former OC, Rhett Lashlee, the first two times he played them. And last year, Lashlee & Co. fired back in a big way blowing out TCU, 66-42. Let’s not forget, this included a pleasant Dykes eruption leading to an ejection because of two unsportsmanlike conduct calls. Funny, coming from the same guy who said the rivalry didn’t have any “juice” left.

Still, with conference re-alignment and hopes at the CFP, rivalry games like the Iron Skillet are losing value for teams. And a “small” non-conference win or loss could make or break a team on their way to the CFP. Even Lashlee has showed some sentiment in that way.

“Rivalries are what made our sport awesome,” Lashlee said. “It’s what made TV want to cover our sport. And then the irony of it is TV is somewhat hurting rivalries. Now you’re putting schools in a position. If we still want big-time nonconference games, we better make it more accessible to get in the playoff because if you’ve got to play nine conference games and it’s all a popularity contest, does it benefit you to go lose a marquee nonconference game?”

More than just a game

Still, as someone who has seen the rivalry first hand during years when the Iron Skillet was handed back and forth, there are some memories I won’t forget. I won’t forget jumping up and down on the edge of my stadium seat watching Jeremy Johnson‘s toe-tap in the endzone live at Amon G. Carter Stadium in 2011 to win in overtime, 40-33. I won’t forget ruining my white snakeskin cowboy boots sloshing through the downpour to get to Gerald J. Ford Stadium in 2012 for the game. And I definitely won’t forget the first time I tasted frog legs tailgating on the SMU Boulevard with a large “FRY THE FROGS” sign looming overhead.

I know TCU friends (and enemies one week of the year) would agree on Iron Skillet memories they hold dear. For 10+ years, we always, without fail, send a text with a little smack-talk leading up to the game. Even when the rivalry wasn’t very heated. Why? Because it’s fun. And that’s what we, as football fans, like to do.

Clearly, the Frogs are still putting some trolling into the game lead up despite their players acting like they don’t care.

So does the Iron Skillet rivalry game make sense anymore schedule & TV wise? Maybe not. But does cutting a century-old, recently-heated Iron Skillet rivalry that is still fiery to the fans who have witnessed so much fun over the years make sense either? Maybe not.

Oh, the IRON-y.

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