TCU outlasts scrappy SMU

DALLAS – Andy Dalton bounced back from interceptions on consecutive throws by leading three straight touchdown drives, lifting No. 4 TCU to a 41-24 nonconference victory over longtime rival SMU on Friday night.

Playing on the road for the first time this season, the Horned Frogs were in a bit of trouble when Dalton’s second interception set up a touchdown that gave the Mustangs a 17-14 lead early in the third quarter. Then Jeremy Kerley returned the ensuing kickoff 83 yards and TCU was back in control.

Dalton capped that drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to Bart Johnson. Dalton completed a pair of third-down conversions on the way to a 9-yard touchdown run by Waymon James on the next series, then ran 14 yards on a third-and-7 to set up a 4-yard touchdown run by Luke Shivers at the start of the fourth quarter. That put TCU ahead 35-17 and entire sections in the Ford Stadium-record crowd of 35,481 began heading home.

The Horned Frogs (4-0) won their seventh straight road game, although this was far from a hostile environment. About a quarter of that record crowd was wearing purple, either folks displaced from the Fort Worth campus or who made the hourlong drive.

SMU (2-2) had won five straight at home and was looking for its biggest victory yet under third-year coach June Jones. Kyle Padron guided the Mustangs to a 7-0 lead, had them within four at 14-10 at the half and then threw a go-ahead touchdown pass just 1:02 into the third quarter.

But once Dalton stopped making mistakes, SMU was unable to keep it close. The Mustangs were worn out by TCU’s size and strength.

The Horned Frogs beat the Mustangs for the 10th time in 11 meetings.