Saturday’s contest between SMU and TCU would be the last time the Iron Skillet Rivalry involves Ford Stadium for the foreseeable future.
With TCU deciding to droop the rivalry after the 2025 assembly, SMU will likely be left with out a rival assured to seem on its schedule every year.
Leadership inside SMU’s athletic division says this system is shifting on and has begun conversations with different non-conference applications for home-and-home collection within the coming years.
And with the transfer to the ACC, some new convention rivalries may very well be brewing as properly.
Here are 5 groups that might turn out to be SMU’s high rival:
Baylor
They say, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend,” and whereas SMU and Baylor have shared TCU as their high rival for years, the 2 colleges have a historical past of their very own.
The rivalry dates again to 1916 and has been pretty even during the last century, with Baylor main 39-36-7. The Mustangs as soon as dominated earlier than Baylor received the final 13 conferences, most not too long ago in 2016.
Scheduling appears to be the largest roadblock for non-conference rivals in school soccer as of late, and that received’t be an issue for SMU and Baylor, as the 2 groups are scheduled to play a home-and-home collection in non-conference play in 2025 and 2026.
North Texas
The North Texas rivalry could also be too one-sided for the Mustangs, however it’s SMU’s finest shot at maintaining an annual conflict between D-FW groups on its schedule.
The two groups have been solely convention rivals within the AAC for a single season, however the Safeway Bowl has seen 43 conferences relationship again to 1922. SMU leads the collection 36-6-1 after profitable final yr’s sport 48-10.
With the chaotic journey schedule within the ACC, it couldn’t damage the Mustangs to have a sport assured to be near dwelling every year. And each applications have expressed an openness to discussing conferences sooner or later.
Boston College
Not all school soccer rivalries need to be based mostly in geography. A brand new convention supplies SMU the prospect to discover a new rival inside the ACC.
Boston College may very well be a great match, particularly after final season’s Fenway Bowl loss, already sparking a need for revenge from the Mustangs.
The two groups will meet once more at Ford Stadium on Nov. 16 — and an in depth sport may construct additional tensions that carry into future seasons.
Boston College’s rivalry with Notre Dame isn’t performed on a constant foundation both and doesn’t affect ACC standings, so the Eagles may use one other rivalry sport with greater stakes.
Cal/Stanford
SMU joined the ACC the identical yr as two different applications, and it’ll play each in its first season within the convention.
With Cal, Stanford and SMU being the three colleges furthest from the Atlantic coast — and newbies to the convention — they’ll compete to be the highest newcomer this yr and show they belong. A rivalry may spark from these circumstances.
Cal and Stanford have a rivalry of their very own from their Pac-12 days, however there’s no motive their video games every year towards SMU can’t carry a bit of further weight as properly.
Louisville
Once convention rivals within the AAC are actually reunited within the ACC.
Louisville and SMU overlapped for a single season in 2013 earlier than the Cardinals joined the ACC a decade sooner than the Mustangs.
While the 2 groups will meet in soccer — and No. 19 Louisville is favored — the rivalry may very well be better in basketball.
Louisville received the 2 contests between the groups in that 2013-14 season — each of which have been aggressive battles — earlier than occurring to achieve the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Louisville doesn’t have an actual rival within the convention, both. After a number of down years, Louisville’s a extra manageable opponent for Andy Enfield’s crew than Duke, UNC and others in a gauntlet ACC slate.
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