Will TCU bail?

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

Thinking out loud.....we beat TCU back to back. The way TCU thinks about them being so superior to SMU...these last two losses at home have to be very embarrassing to their fans, alums, team, and coaches.

Hypothetically lets say we beat them at Ford Stadium next year. That would be three straight.

So would TCU privately think "why bother?".

Although they would obviously never admit it publicly....would there be a slither of truth like Rashee Rice said...that they might be "scared" to play us moving forward? Especially if Sonny continues recruiting well.

I understand the enthusiasm when we beat them...years of pent up resentment comes out, but I worry about instances like our players wanting to plant the SMU flag on their field, or their asst coach being involved with our players in a confrontation that may have involved the coach being hit with an SMU helmet. These kinds of things might give them an easier excuse to bail on the series.

It would really be the losses, but will the post-game stuff give TCU a better excuse to say "ya know what....we don't need this behavior in our stadium so we are not going to play SMU any more".

[SMU_Alum11]

I think it would be rather silly for TCU to pull out now. It would only validate Rice's comments and after a loss for sure.

The other item is that this wasn't a fluke game where we keep winning only off of their losses and we are a mid tier team in the G5. When defeated them in 2019, we got as high as #14 or 16 in the nation (can't remember) and the AAC had three or four ranked teams.

This could be similar for us (maybe not the conference) where we look like another good loss on their books.

The scheduling weirdness where we don't renew for 10 years or something makes me wonder if our name keeps popping up in the Big12 and they don't want to block out their future schedule for a potential future conference mate. Call me crazy but just my guess.

I fully expect this to continue and if not get even more heated than its been for the last 30 years. I just hope we actually get a freaking home game and win.

[Casey]

I agree with you, SA_11 ... although any administrator who decides on future participation in a rivalry based on the emotional words of a 20-year-old player at another school probably shouldn't have too much decision-making power, anyway.

[peruna81]

We aren't a threat to TCU...YET, When we string 5 in a row, then there will be talk.

Those paragons of virtue in Austin decided to "punish" A&M for having the audacity to leave the Big 12, and Dodds rammed through the ban on playing them. How did that work out?

Making decisions based purely on emotion generally does not work out too well in the long run.

TCU's only current reason to end this series would be to schedule another P-5 opponent that will bring in another Jerry World mega payout. TCU looks at us as a legitimate opponent that doesn't appear to be on the level of an FCS team on the schedule. It benefits them to play us...until we beat them consistently.

[Charleston Pony]

The SMU vs TCU game reportedly drew over 46k Saturday so obviously fan interest is there for this series, but we'll see if Rice is right about TCU because the only reason I could see this series being cancelled is that TCU (like Texas all those years ago) might not want to play SMU for fear of SMU winning and regaining credibility in the world of college football.

[digman52]

I saw large chunks of their upper deck open, as well as some of the sideline seats. I expected a larger crowd there. Don't they hold 55k-60k ?

[Water Pony]

I saw large chunks of their upper deck open, as well as some of the sideline seats. I expected a larger crowd there. Don't they hold 55k-60k ?

TCU lists the capacity at 46K.

[Charleston Pony]

Plenty of no-shows I suppose! Surely TCU wouldn't inflate their crowd size . In fairness, I wish SMU drew as well as TCU does these days. Telecast showed what was reportedly a live shot of the stockyards during the game and it was pretty much deserted. TCU does appear to be getting Ft Worth's support. If SMU could even attract a small percentage of Dallas area football fans, we would have no trouble packing Ford Stadium.

[Dukie]

Plenty of no-shows I suppose! Surely TCU wouldn't inflate their crowd size . In fairness, I wish SMU drew as well as TCU does these days. Telecast showed what was reportedly a live shot of the stockyards during the game and it was pretty much deserted. TCU does appear to be getting Ft Worth's support. If SMU could even attract a small percentage of Dallas area football fans, we would have no trouble packing Ford Stadium.

We had OK crowds in 2019 for games against teams that normally would draw no one to Ford Stadium (e.g., Temple). I'd bet it will be the same this year.

[Charleston Pony]

Plenty of no-shows I suppose! Surely TCU wouldn't inflate their crowd size . In fairness, I wish SMU drew as well as TCU does these days. Telecast showed what was reportedly a live shot of the stockyards during the game and it was pretty much deserted. TCU does appear to be getting Ft Worth's support. If SMU could even attract a small percentage of Dallas area football fans, we would have no trouble packing Ford Stadium.

We had OK crowds in 2019 for games against teams that normally would draw no one to Ford Stadium (e.g., Temple). I'd bet it will be the same this year.

Our weak attendance has us all conditioned to being pleased when more than 20k show up. When Ford was built, I commented that it was a perfect fit for SMU as we should be able to draw 30k no matter who the opponent and 30k in Ford looks pretty close to a full house for any TV audience.

[JasonB]

Plenty of no-shows I suppose! Surely TCU wouldn't inflate their crowd size . In fairness, I wish SMU drew as well as TCU does these days. Telecast showed what was reportedly a live shot of the stockyards during the game and it was pretty much deserted. TCU does appear to be getting Ft Worth's support. If SMU could even attract a small percentage of Dallas area football fans, we would have no trouble packing Ford Stadium.

Remember when TT and A&M fans bought season tickets to SMU to ensure they had a ticket to those games and a boulevard spot? I'm sure the same thing happens with TCU and leads to open seats the other games of the season.

[TidePony]

I suspect Amon Carter will be extremely burnt orange this weekend.

[numero_uno]

No way does TCU back out of the series now. If they do, we retain The Skillet until they decide they want another shot at it. I seriously doubt they're willing to let that happen. I think they come gunning for us next year, and if they beat us, take The Skillet back to TCU, then they cancel the series.

We better bring it next year, at home, can't let them even think of planting a flag on our pony.

[Sewanee Stang]

With the loss of regional rivals Texas and OU, TCU should hang on to this rivalry. The Big 12 is starting to look like the Old WAC. The reality of the future Big 12 is a conference with a bunch of public schools in less-populated states and large distances to travel and diminished national interest.

[Charleston Pony]

Plenty of no-shows I suppose! Surely TCU wouldn't inflate their crowd size . In fairness, I wish SMU drew as well as TCU does these days. Telecast showed what was reportedly a live shot of the stockyards during the game and it was pretty much deserted. TCU does appear to be getting Ft Worth's support. If SMU could even attract a small percentage of Dallas area football fans, we would have no trouble packing Ford Stadium.

Remember when TT and A&M fans bought season tickets to SMU to ensure they had a ticket to those games and a boulevard spot? I'm sure the same thing happens with TCU and leads to open seats the other games of the season.

You're spot on. When I lived in Dallas during the Dave Bliss era of SMU basketball, I had 2 seats in Moody in 2nd row just above the SMU bench and sat next to a UT grad who owned 2 seats but he attended a handful of games...but was always there to see his whorns!