Ranking SMU Football's Top Rivals

Here is a closer look at SMU's football top rivalries.

The Iron Skillet trophy between the TCU Horned Frogs and the SMU Mustangs. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Here is a brief overview of SMU's top four football rivals and they all reside in the state of Texas.

Southern Methodist University football has a long history of rivalries because the Southwest Conference ended in 1996. They joined the Western Athletic Conference from 1996 to 2004, switched to Conference USA from 2005 to 2012, and then joined the American Athletic Conference from 2013 to 2023. Now, SMU is in the ACC. There is a lot of "old money vs. new money" tension in many of these games, even if their rivalries are often based on how close they are to Dallas-Fort Worth.

1. Texas Christian University (TCU)

The iron skillet serves as the trophy for the competition. Even though they are only 40 miles apart, this is SMU's most famous and bitter rivalry. There are both competing for DFW's top spot. People say that the "Iron Skillet" tradition started in 1946 when an SMU fan fried liver in a skillet outside the stadium. A TCU fan suggested that the winner should keep the pan.

Southern Methodist Mustangs players celebrate with the Iron Skillet after the victory against the TCU Horned Frogs at Amon G. Carter Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The rivalry stayed alive after the SWC dissolved, which is why it's one of SMU's longest-lasting rivals. TCU has done well in the Big 12, but SMU had to work hard to get back on top, and not until recently, when they joined the ACC, have the Mustangs been part of a Power Four conference like the Horn Frogs. TCU won the last meeting between the two teams last season, and the Horn Frogs have won three of the last four games in this rivalry.

2. University of Houston

These two teams battle for high school recruits in East Texas. Both football programs were quite good in the 1980s, and the rivalry paused from 1996 to 1999 when they didn't play one another. They played each other twice from 2000 to 2005, then every year in the AAC, vying for conference titles and New Year's Six bowl spots.

SMU Mustangs tight end goes by Houston Cougars safety for a touchdown catch. Mandatory Credit: Ray Carlin-Imagn Images | Ray Carlin-Imagn Images

They are always battling for the same top recruits in the Houston and Dallas areas because they are Texas's two major private/metropolitan powerhouses, with both schools now being members of a Power Four conference. They technically played each other twice in 2023, but have not played each other since. Houston has a three-game winning streak in this rivalry.

3. Rice University
The Mayor's Cup is the trophy. The name of the rivalry is "Academic." This is a football rivalry among "intellectuals" in private schools. It doesn't have the same physical intensity as the TCU game, but it has a lot of history. In 1915, both universities became founding members of the Southwest Conference.

Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Rice Owls. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Mayor's Cup is a trophy that shows the connection between Texas's two largest cities, Dallas and Houston. From 1989 to 2012, they played each other each year. However, they have only played each other once since then, in 2023, when the Mustangs won by a final score of 36-31.

4. North Texas (UNT)

The Safeway Bowl is the name of the rivalry between these two schools from Denton and Dallas, making this rivalry more intense, as they are only approximately 44 miles apart from one another. In 1994, it was called "The Safeway Bowl" because UNT's coach said they should play SMU anywhere, even in a Safeway parking lot.

North Texas Mean Green quarterback against SMU. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

For years, SMU dominated UNT in this rivalry up to 1989, but the Mean Green have become better and better, turning what used to be a "guaranteed win" for SMU into a real battle for bragging rights in North Texas. SMU has a five-game winning streak in this rivalry, and they have played each other every season from 2014 to 2023, but not since.

These rivalries are subject to change for SMU, as the Mustangs are now members of the ACC, and there are no Texas teams scheduled for non-conference play currently. However, SMU has a rich history with the four schools mentioned, and they hope to renew these rivalries in the upcoming seasons.

Stay up-to-date with the Mustangs by bookmarking SMU On SI.