Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas – SMU and TCU will face off in the long-awaited “Battle of the Iron Skillet” on Saturday in Dallas.
This has been one of the most heated mashups in college football for over 100 years… but what does a metal cookware have to do with it?
The winner of the game gets to take home a trophy in the shape of an iron frying pan and can use it to show off their success this year.
The history of the iron pan:
The story behind the frying pan dates back to the fall of 1946, when the intense rivalry between the schools turned violent.
During the 1945 college football season, SMU says more than $1,000 in damage was done on both campuses. That amount is equivalent to about $17,500 in 2024 dollars.
The schools came up with the idea of the iron pan to symbolize the students’ great passion for their teams.
On November 30, 1946, the SMU Student Council proposed creating a trophy to symbolize the rivalry between the schools, according to the Dallas Morning News.
“Presented as a symbol of southwestern friendship to the winner of the annual TCU-SMU football game. A student tradition jointly promoted by the student governments of the universities,” read the engraving on the original trophy.
This artifact was eventually lost and replaced by the current iron pan in 1993. The current pan reads: “The Pan; SMU vs. TCU; A Tradition Since 1915.”
Although the battle for the Iron Skillet began in 1946, the rivalry dates back to 1915, when the Frogs and Mustangs faced off in the season opener in Fort Worth. TCU won 43-0. SMU’s first win over TCU came in 1923.
The rivalry intensified in 1935 when the two undefeated teams with a record of 10-0 faced each other in a game that became known as the “Game of the Century.”
A New York Sun reporter wrote that more than 36,000 fans watched the game in a 30,000-capacity stadium. The winner became the first Southwest Conference team to advance to the Rose Bowl. SMU beat TCU 20-14.
DALLAS, TX – SEPTEMBER 7: Ben Hicks #8 of the Southern Methodist Mustangs is tackled by Jawuan Johnson #1 and Corey Bethley #94 of the TCU Horned Frogs at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on September 7, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty
Rivalry comes to an end:
Battle for the iron pan
The mayors of Dallas and Fort Worth are ready for the battle of the iron skillet. TCU and SMU meet this Saturday for the 103rd rivalry game.
This 103-year-old tradition is scheduled to end after the 2025 season as teams look to add more home games to their schedules.
Next year will be the last battle for the Iron Frying Pan – for now.
