Box Score | Postgame Notes
Photo Gallery | Video Highlights

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Eric McAlister had eight catches for 254 yards and three of the career-high five touchdowns thrown by Josh Hoover as TCU beat SMU 35-24 on Saturday in the last scheduled game between the former Southwest Conference rivals that played for the 104th time in 110 years.

Hoover finished 22-of-40 passing for 379 yards, and now has 53 TD passes in his 22 career starts.

McAlister's 70-yard catch-and-run score with 9:18 left put TCU (3-0) ahead to stay, and he added a 44-yard touchdown three minutes later. The longer of those scores came three plays after Kevin Jennings' third TD pass for the Mustangs (2-2), a 34-yarder to Jordan Hudson gave them their only lead at 24-21.

The Horned Frogs for now will hold on to a 54-43-7 lead in the "Battle for the Iron Skillet" that had continued since the SWC broke up after the 1995 season, except for 2006 and the pandemic-impacted 2020 season.

Jennings finished 24-of-37 passing for 290 yards and three touchdowns, along with two interceptions.

There was another impressive catch by McAlister inside the 1 that didn't count, a leaping grab late in the third quarter while defended on a third-and-15 from the 30, though officials ruled his foot landed out of bounds. There was no replay review by officials, even though coach Sonny Dykes called timeout before the Frogs missed a 47-yard field goal.

It also appeared McAlister had a catch in the end zone late in the first half, but SMU cornerback Jaelyn Davis-Robinson pulled the ball away for an interception instead of a touchdown as they fell in the end zone.

SMU has an open date before its ACC opener at home against Syracuse on Oct. 4.

TCU is at Arizona State on Friday night.
 

• [rv/rv] TCU 35, [rv/rv] SMU 24
• TCU (3-0), SMU (2-2)
• Amon G. Carter Stadium – Fort Worth, Texas
• Battle for the Iron Skillet

• Syracuse - Saturday, October 4 – TBD – Gerald J. Ford Stadium – Dallas, Texas
• TV: TBD
• Radio: KTCK 96.7 FM/1310 AM | SMU Mobile App/Varsity Network | Sirius XM
• Tickets: https://smumustangs.com/tickets

•  An all-new documentary recounting the resurgence of the Mustangs will premiere on ESPN on Sunday, September 21 at 2 p.m. CT. http://smumustangs.com/thunderon

• SMU had 3 scoring drives of 10+ plays (had 3 in the first 3 games)
  • Sam Keltner opened SMU's scoring with a 28-yard FG (1^st Qtr 3:32) - Drive was 12 plays, 68 yards, 5:18
  • Kevin Jennings 9-yard TD pass to Matthew Hibner (2^nd Qtr 7:21) - Drive was 12 plays, 75 yards 6:59
  • Kevin Jennings 7-yard TD pass to Yamir Knight (3^rd Qtr 5:54) - Drive was 10 plsys, 75 yards, 4:56
• Kevin Jennings 34-yard TD pass to Jordan Hudson (4^th Qtr 10:30) – Drive 4 plays, 65 yards, 1:49
  • 7^th TD scoring drive this season that was under 2 minutes

• Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, RS Jr.) -- Maxwell Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
  • 12-5 as a starter
  • 24-38 passing for 290 yards with 3 TDs
    • Tied career-high 3 TD passes
    • TD pass to: Matthew Hibner (9 yards), Yamir Knight (7 yards), Jordan Hudson (34 yards)
    • Multiple passing TDs in 11 of his past 15 games
• 10 different receivers caught a pass
  • At least 7 players have a catch in 32 of the past 35 games
  • Yamir Knight (5-69, TD), Jordan Hudson (3-62, TD), Romello Brinson (4-51), TJ Harden (3-31), Matthew Hibner (3-15, TD)
    • Brinson now has 365 yards this season (Entered the week 1^st ACC / 7th in NCAA FBS – 314)

• Captains: Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, Jr.), RJ Maryland (#82, TE, Sr.), Ahmaad Moses (#3, S, Sr.), Isaiah Nwokobia (#23, S, Sr.),
• SMU is 2-2 this season
  • SMU is 31-14 under Rhett Lashlee
  • SMU is 21-3 in last 24 regular-season games
  • SMU is 22-6 in the last 28 games overall
  • SMU is 14-7 in road games under Rhett Lashlee
    • Snaps a 10-game regular-season road win streak, the 2^nd-longest streak in program history (13 from 9/26/1981 to 9/15/1984)
• SMU had 2 sacks, 6 TFLs and 7 pass breakups
  • Sacks: Cameron Robertson, Jeffrey M'ba (0.5), Isaiah Smith (0.5)
    • TCU had not allowed a sack in its first 2 games
• TFLs: Jeffrey M'ba (1.5), Cameron Robertson (1), Isaiah Smith (1), Kevin Allen (0.5), Brandon Miyazono (0.5), Ahmaad Moses (0.5)
• PBUs: Kevin Allen, Marcellus Barnes, Deuce Harmon, Brandon Miyazono, William Nettles, Isaiah Nwokobia, Cameron Robertson
• Isaiah Nwokobia team-high 10 tackles, Brandon Booker tied career high 8 tackles
• SMU had 1 takeaways (interception)
  • Interceptions: Jalen Davis-Robinson (2^nd straight game)
  • Have 9 takeaways this season (entered the game T-1^st NCAA FBS in takeaways – 8)
  • Have 6 interceptions this season (entered the game 1^st ACC / 6^th NCAA FBS in interceptions – 5)

• ESPN2
  • Sam Keltner 28-yard FG https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46323585
  • Kevin Jennings 9-yard TD pass to Matthew Hibner https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46323904
  • Jaelyn Davis-Robinson interception in the end zone https://x.com/SMUFB/status/1969450795130057008
  • Kevin Jennings 7-yard TD pass to Yamir Knight https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/46324520
  • Kevin Jeninngs 34-yard TD to Jordan Hudson https://x.com/SMUFB/status/1969474688070894072
• SMU Highlights and Head Coach Rhett Lashlee postgame radio | SMU Radio Network on KTCK "The Ticket" 96.7 FM, 1310 AM (Rich Phillips pxp, Scott Garner analyst, Steve Lansdale sideline) – Courtesy Learfield / SMU Athletics
  • Highlights - https://tinyurl.com/28kmdl6t

• Kevin Jennings (#7, QB, RS Jr.) -- Maxwell Award Watch List, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, Davey O'Brien Award Watch List, Manning Award Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award Watch List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
  • 24-38 passing for 290 yards with 3 TDs (tied career high TD passes)
  • 5-13 rushing for 303 yards of total offense 

• RJ Maryland (#82, TE, Sr.) -- John Mackey Award Watch List, College Football Comeback Player of the Year Watch List, Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
  • 1-10 receiving

• Zakye Barker (#33, LB, RS Jr.) — East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List
  • DNP
• Brandon Booker (#28, LB, So.)
  • Tied career high 8 tackles with a QBH
• Romello Brinson (#3, WR, Sr.)
  • 4-51 receiving
• Yamir Knight (#8, WR, Jr.)
  • 5-69 receiving with a TD (1^st TD at SMU, 5^th of career)
• Jalen Davis-Robinson (#13, CB, Jr.)
  • Had an interception (2^nd straight game)
• Sam Keltner (#95, K, RS Fr.)
  • 3-3 on PAT's
  • 1-2 on FGs (made 28, missed 49)
• TJ Harden (#27, RB, Sr. ) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List
  • 15-56 rushing and 3-31 receiving
• Matthew Hibner (#88, TE, Gr.) - John Mackey Award Watch List
  • 3-15 receiving with a TD (1st TD this season, 5^th TDs in his career)
• Jordan Hudson (#2, WR, Sr.) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team
  • 3-62 receiving with a TD
  • 1^st TDs this season, 16^th for his career
• Chris Johnson Jr. (#6, RB, RS So.) - Phil Steele All-ACC Third Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Fourth Team
  • 5-19 rushing
  • 2-21 receiving
• Alexander Kilgore (#54, LB, Jr.) - Allstate Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, Allstate AFCA Good Works Team nominee, Athlon Sports All-ACC Fourth Team
  • Had 4 tackles
• Wade McSparron (#43, P, Fr.) - Ray Guy Award's "Ray's Eight" List (9/2)
  • 4-190 punts, 47.5 average, 1 inside the 20
• Ahmaad Moses (#3, S. Sr.) -- Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, ACC DB of the Week (9/2)
  • Had 6 tackles with a half TFL
• Addison Nichols (#63, OL, RS Jr.) -- Rimington Trophy Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Third Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
  • Started 4 games at RG at SMU (started all 12 games at Arkansas in 2024)
• Isaiah Nwokobia (#23, S, RS Sr.) - Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, Bronco Nagurski Trophy Watch List, Chuck Bednarik Watch List, Senior Bowl Top 300 List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Walter Camp All-America Second Team, Sporting News All-America Second Team, Athlon Sports All-America Third Team, Phil Steele All-America Fourth Team, All-ACC Team, Phil Steele All-ACC First Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
  • Team-high 10 tackles with a pass breakup
• Logan Parr (#71, OL, Gr.) -- East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Phil Steele All-ACC Second Team, Athlon Sports All-ACC Second Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas First Team
  • Has started 30 of the 31 games played at SMU
• Link Rhodes (#4, WR, Jr.)
  • 3-71 punt returns
• Cameron Robertson (#9, DE, Sr.) - Athlon Sports All-ACC Third Team
  • Had 6 tackles, including a sack and a pass breakup
• Isaiah Smith (#1, DE, Sr.) - Phil Steele All-ACC Fourth Team
  • Had 5 tackles, including a TFL and a half sack
• Terry Webb (#4, DT, 5th Yr. ) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Second Team
  • Tied career-high 5 tackles
• Aakil Washington (#58, DE, RS Sr.) - East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List
  • DNP
• PJ Williams (#59, OL, RS Jr.) - Outland Trophy Watch List, East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 List, Athlon Sports All-ACC First Team, Phil Steele All-ACC Fourth Team, Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Second Team
  • Started the last 20 games he has played