Iron Skillet Trophy Winners

The Iron Skillet has been an important part of team rivalries in college football since 1946. It is mainly associated with the rivalries of the SMU Mustangs team of Southern Methodist University and the TCU Horned Frogs team of Texas Christian University. The SMU Mustangs are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) while the TCU Horned Frogs represent the Big 12 Conference. However, both teams were members of the same conference from 1923 to 2000. Both teams faced off against each other for the first time in 1915 when the TCU Horned Frogs won the game 43-0. The SMU Mustangs won their first game 40-0 in 1923.

The Iron Skillet was first presented in 1946 with the SMU Mustangs becoming its first recipients. However, there is a debate regarding its origins. As per SMU, an SMU fan was frying frog legs before a game between the two teams. This led a fan of TCU to suggest that the winner of the game should get both the skillet and the frog legs. On the other hand, TCU believes that the Iron Skillet was born when a member of the SMU student council suggested the introduction of a trophy for the rivalry between the two teams. Nevertheless, the Iron Skillet has gained popularity among both the SMU Mustangs and the TCU Horned Frogs. Unfortunately, this tradition of 103 years will end in 2025 as both teams will be facing off for the Iron Skillet for the final time in 2025.

The Iron Skillet Winners Year by Year

The SMU Mustangs and the TCU Horned Frogs have been facing off against each other for 109 years. Their rivalry first started in 1915 with the TCU Horned Frogs winning the first game. Both teams also competed for the Rose Bowl in 1935. The TCU Horned Frogs lead the game with a record of 53-43-7. The table below shows all the winners of the Iron Skillet from 1946 to 2024 -