The Battle for the Iron Skillet between TCU and SMU has been delayed on Friday evening in Dallas, due to lightning in the area. Pregame warm-ups were delayed, which pushed the initial 8 p.m. ET kickoff.
TCU vs. SMU weather delay: Pregame warm-ups, kickoff delayed due to lightning
The game kicked off at 10:00 p.m., after nearly a two-hour delay.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
It wasn’t until 9:30 p.m. that the new kickoff time of 9:50 was announced:
Here’s a look at the radar:
Weather.com
Time, TV channel, and streaming info
- Time: 9:50 p.m. ET, unless there’s another lightning delay.
- Location: Gerald J. Ford Stadium, Dallas, TX
- TV: ESPN 2
- Streaming: Watch ESPN
- Odds: TCU is favored by 22 points.
At some point in each program’s respective histories, both SMU and TCU have staked a claim as the best team in Texas. But while the Horned Frogs built their own road to the Big 12, the Mustangs have languished — and you don’t have to go much farther than last week’s 46-23 loss to North Texas for proof.
But Southern Methodist can make a statement Friday when these two teams write the next chapter in a longtime Lone Star State rivalry. TCU has won six straight games against its Dallas foe and 10 of the last 11 matchups between these teams. Unless Sonny Dykes can make a rapid turnaround from Week 1, it’ll soon become 11 of 12.
SMU vs. TCU news:
- SMU may not be a marquee opponent, but Gary Patterson likes TCU’s schedule just the same.
“I like it because of the travel part of it. It’s hard to get games anymore...it’s like a home game one way or the other because you only go about 30 minutes to get the next game whether you play here or you go there.”
Of course, TCU-SMU is much more than just a cross-town scheduling convenience. Patterson understands the rivalry too well to ever suggest otherwise.
“I’ve had a lot of alums that talk about [TCU-SMU],”Patterson said.
“It’s a rivalry game. Everybody comes with emotion.”
- Sonny Dykes has a rising roster, but is still a year away from contention.
- Derius Davis earned Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors after logging receiving and return touchdowns in his first college game.
Is this finally TCU’s breakthrough year in the Big 12?
The Horned Frogs have never won an outright Big 12 title — but they’ve come close. TCU was co-champion in 2012 with a Baylor team that out-dueled them earlier in the season. Last fall, they ran all the way to a brand-new conference title game, only to get stomped out by Oklahoma 41-17. Patterson’s chance at redemption in 2018 depends on four-star sophomore quarterback Shawn Robinson. Robinson played well in a three-touchdown performance against FCS Southern ...but that was Southern. SMU will provide another soft learning curve for the budding passer — and if he shows out, it could mean big things in Fort Worth.
SMU vs. TCU prediction:
There’s a reason the Big 12 wanted the Horned Frogs and not the Mustangs. S&P+ gave TCU a 71 percent chance of winning this one — and that was before SMU went and got doubled-up by North Texas.
We’ll keep this post updated with any further delay information.
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