Every week of college football brings us big games. From network pre game shows to rivalry matchups, we hear the chatter all week. But if you dive into the schedule a bit, you’ll see that there is more than meets the eye. Each week I will showcase my Deep Cut game on the Saturday slate. Let’s dive in.
SMU @ TCU 12 Est ESPN2
A non ranked ACC team visiting a non ranked Big12 team looks pretty boring on the surface. This game, however, has a lot of history. Known as the “Battle for the Iron Skillet”, these two Texas teams have been playing each other since 1915 and have met a total of 103 times. TCU leads the series 52-43-7. If you are a history buff and want to read about frog legs and WW2, take a dive into the history of the iron skillet.
As for the 104th meeting taking place this afternoon, let’s get into what makes this an exciting matchup. Both teams have star QB’s at the helm. SMU’s Kevin Jennings is throwing at a 70 percent accuracy rate so far in 2025 and has the electric big play ability we all saw in 2024. Can he limit the turnovers will be the biggest factor for him today. Leading the charge for TCU is QB Josh Hoover. Averaging 310 yards per game at a 76% clip, Hoover is rising up draft boards. If you want to watch a QB who can make all the throws, this is the guy.
What does this game mean for both teams in the vacuum of the 2025 season? Well, either side would love to put a non conference p4 win on their resume. It certainly leaves the door open for a potential at large bid into the college football playoff for whoever comes out victorious. For the losing side, it really makes it improbable that they get in without winning their respective conference. This isn’t the sexiest game of the day, but that isn’t what Deep Cuts is about. It’s about finding games deep in the mix of the Saturday slate that have real implications on the rest of the season and this certainly covers that criteria. Happy week 4 everyone. Let’s have a day.