What We Noticed:

1. White Out

It might have been called a white out, but it was 93 degrees in Fort Worth. Coach Gary Patterson either didn’t get the dress code memo, or he wore black intentionally to SMU’s funeral. We don’t know which looked more attractive, the sea of white-shirted fans, the goosebumps-inducing flyover during the National Anthem, or TCU’s offense.

Darius Anderson demonstrated quick feet in both the season opener against Jackson State and Saturday’s matchup against SMU.
Photo by Glen E. Ellman

2. Pure Power

After SMU’s opening shenanigans and trick plays, the usual course of events defining a TCU-SMU football matchup took center stage. While SMU ran out of gas, TCU’s bigger, stronger, heat-conditioned athletes began dictating the game. The offensive line starred again, opening gaping holes for the running backs to scamper through for 254 rushing yards on the afternoon. Darius Anderson, Kyle Hicks and Sewo Olonilua showed off superior power numerous times by dragging mounds of Mustangs for numerous extra yards.

3. Off to the Races

SMU was not the first team, and certainly will not be the last, to learn not to leave track-star freshman Kenedy Snell alone in the open field. When quarterback Kenny Hill found Snell unguarded along the sideline, the speedster breezed into the end zone for a 71-yard touchdown. Three games in to the 2017 season, Snell has scored three touchdowns and garnered national attention for his skills. If you’re a TCU opponent, how do you spell Snell … N I G H T M A R E.

4. Turning Tables

In the first half, SMU did not play like an underdog, but a series of big moves by Hill quickly turned the game purple. When a live ball was lost in a first quarter backwards pass, Hill chased down the Pony who picked it up. The quarterback’s strategy differed considerably from last week’s meeting with Arkansas. On Saturday, Hill completed 24 passes for four touchdowns and 365 yards, compared to last week’s Groundhog Day series of hand offs. Both games ended with a W, but this one was more action-packed for the senior who helped keep the Iron Skillet in Fort Worth. Hill did a marvelous job scanning the field for the best receiver option. His quick survey of three or four options lead him to Snell and a Frog Horn wail in the second quarter. In arguably his best pass this season, Hill threw the ball into a cluster of defended Frogs in the end zone. Jalen Reagor out jumped his opponents to catch the Hail Mary (and landed, despite two Mustangs’ efforts to keep Reagor in the air). Smooth routes and great hands followed early in the third quarter with flawless passes to Shaun Nixon and Desmon White.

5. Daggers

The Frogs refused to let an early deficit get the better of them. Instead, Hill and company took advantage of SMU’s defensive lapses to suck the life out of the Ponies’ considerable motivation. The Hail Mary to freshman Reagor to close the first half was one such play, demoting SMU from optimistic to dejected in the span of a few seconds at a crucial time in the game. Linebacker Travin Howard’s interception and return for his first career touchdown was a thick chunk of salt in SMU’s wounded afternoon. Championship teams have that killer instinct, and the 2017 Frogs appear to understand how to apply those brutal finishing touches.

5 Tweets that Told the Tale

ATTENTION: We have a 🐐 sighting‼️ #BeatSMU pic.twitter.com/TMioNqfsO0

— TCU Athletics (@TCU_Athletics) September 16, 2017

TOUCHDOWN! That man is fast 🏃💨! Kenedy Snell jets down the SMU sideline 71 yards to the 🏡! #BeatSMU

TCU 21, SMU 19 – 2Q 2:40 pic.twitter.com/FgV3zECgVR

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 16, 2017

Freshmen from Waxahachie have 181 total yards and 3 TDs in the first half. Safe to say that Snell and Reagor are difference makers.

— Frogs O’ War (@FrogsOWar) September 16, 2017

SMU may be out of tricks. The cream has risen to the top

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) September 16, 2017

Skillet stays home for the sixth straight season! #BeatSMU pic.twitter.com/1MMvGKXN66

— TCU Football (@TCUFootball) September 16, 2017