DALLAS — Mayor Eric Johnson has proclaimed this week “Iron Skillet Week” in the city ahead of Saturday’s college football showdown between Southern Methodist University and Texas Christian University.
Part of the SMU campus sits in the city of Dallas. TCU is located in Fort Worth. The two North Texas universities have played each other annually — with a few exceptions, including last year’s pandemic-shortened season — since 1915. This will be the 100th time that the two teams have played each other.
The winner of the game takes home the Iron Skillet trophy.
TCU leads the all-time series, 51-41-7. But SMU won the last game — a 41-38 thriller — at Amon G. Carter Stadium in 2019.
The teams will again play in Fort Worth this year. Both teams will enter the game unbeaten; SMU is off to a 3-0 start, and TCU is 2-0.
“I am proud to proclaim Iron Skillet Week in the city of Dallas,” Mayor Johnson said. “The Iron Skillet belongs right here in Dallas, and our city will show its support for our hometown football team all week long. And we know our Mustangs will make us proud.”
“Winning the Iron Skillet is about more than a football game; it’s a testament to hard work, sacrifice, planning, and perseverance. That’s what it takes to triumph over a worthy opponent,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “We are grateful to Mayor Johnson for recognizing the importance of this historic rivalry by proclaiming Iron Skillet Week, and for his continued support of our University and our student-athletes. We are proud to be Dallas’ team and Dallas’ University.”
Here is the language of the proclamation:
WHEREAS, The Southern Methodist University (SMU) Mustangs and Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs traditionally face off in an annual college football game; The winner takes home the Iron Skillet; and
WHEREAS, The SMU and TCU college football teams have faced off annually all but six times since 1915; The first official “Battle for the Iron Skillet” occurred on November 30, 1946; Although the origin of the Iron Skillet trophy is a mystery, the tradition has been kept alive for decades; and
WHEREAS, In 2019, the Mustangs debuted their new “Dallas’ Team” uniforms and defeated the Horned Frogs for the first time since 2011 to take the Iron Skillet back to Dallas; The Iron Skillet would remain in Dallas through at least 2021 after the 2020 “Battle for the Iron Skillet” game’s cancellation because of the global COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, On Saturday, September 25, 2021, the Mustangs will face the Horned Frogs at TCU’s Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth; The game will be the 100th played between the two teams as part of the Ponies-Frogs rivalry, with the Iron Skillet up for grabs; and
WHEREAS, The SMU Mustangs and TCU Horned Frogs have both been undefeated to start their 2021 seasons, increasing the stakes of the annual game between the two universities’ teams; and
WHEREAS, The City of Dallas, supporting the SMU Mustangs, is joining in the excitement of the week leading up to the big game; The residents of Dallas and the fans of the Ponies, extending well beyond the city’s geographic borders, will be cheering on their team and hoping they keep the Iron Skillet.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, ERIC JOHNSON, Mayor of the City of Dallas, do hereby proclaim September 20 – 25, 2021 as IRON SKILLET WEEK in Dallas, Texas, and encourage all residents of the city to join in cheering on the SMU Mustangs in hopes of the Ponies pulling off a win against TCU on Saturday, keeping the Iron Skillet where it belongs: right here in Dallas.
####
