Hoover to McAlister Connection Lifts TCU over SMU, 35-24, in the Battle for the Iron Skillet

Saturday, September 20

Fort Worth, Texas

11:00 a.m.

TCU

3-0 , 0-0

SMU

2-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

SMU

TCU

Hoover to McAlister Connection Lifts TCU over SMU, 35-24, in the Battle for the Iron Skillet

9/20/2025 4:01:00 PM | Football

Box Score

Sonny Dykes moves to 6-2 in the Iron Skillet matchup

FORT WORTH – In the 104th rendition of the Battle for the Iron Skillet on Saturday afternoon, the TCU offense exploded for over 500 yards, and the Horned Frogs pulled away from SMU late for a 35-24 victory in front of a record student crowd at Amon G. Carter Stadium.

Quarterback Josh Hoover and wide receiver Eric McAlister stole the show for the Horned Frogs (3-0) offensively. Hoover threw for 379 yards and five touchdowns, three to McAlister as part of the receiver's 254-yard day, the second-most yards by a TCU wide receiver all time.

Trailing in the fourth quarter, the Horned Frogs rattled off two unanswered touchdowns, both to McAlister, to take a double-digit victory over SMU (2-2).

After forcing a Mustang three and out to open the game, the TCU offense marched down the field and found the end zone thanks to an improvised play by Hoover on third and long.

SMU would respond with a field goal, but the Frog offense was able to march right down the field again to take an early 14-3 lead. The Mustangs did not let up however, finding the end zone about halfway through the second to make the score 14-10 going into the locker room.

Joseph Manjack IV found the end zone for the first time in his TCU career early in the third to put the Horned Frogs back up double digits at 21-10.

The Mustangs continued to respond, scoring two touchdowns to claim a 24-21 lead with 10:30 remaining in the fourth quarter.

To close out the victory for the Horned Frogs, Jamel Johnson picked off SMU twice in the final five minutes to give TCU the Iron Skillet once again.

Noting the Frogs

Eric McAlister had a total of 254 receiving yards, the second most in a single game for TCU all time… Josh Hoover's five touchdowns is a career high… The student attendance was 6,736, the largest student crowd in program history… TCU has now scored in 410 consecutive games, the second longest streak in NCAA history - trailing only Florida (464)… TCU has had at least six receivers catch a pass for 44 consecutive games, dating back to Iowa State on Nov. 26, 2021.

Up Next

TCU has a quick turnaround as they head west to face Arizona State on Friday, September 26, at 8 p.m. CT on FOX to open Big 12 play. The meeting between the Horned Frogs and the Sun Devils will mark the first time the two programs have met since 1975 and only the third meeting all time.