Listen to the press conference

Even after its second consecutive loss, the Frogs are not allowing the lingering effects of the game affect its preparation for its next game against SMU, head football coach Gary Patterson said.Patterson said the team is maintaining a “one-game-at-a-time, don’t-look-back mentality” following an overtime loss Thursday to Air Force.

The Horned Frogs look to avenge its 21-10 loss to SMU in 2005, a loss that turned out to be the only blemish during the 2005 campaign. It also gave the Mustangs the Iron Skillet for the first time in seven games against TCU.

“We’ve been looking forward to this ball game since two years ago,” Patterson said. “This has been a game that’s been circled for us.”

Patterson said the SMU offense will be a challenge for the defense because of its versatile quarterback, Justin Willis, along with a number of impact players at the wide receiver position.

“Justin Willis is a defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare,” Patterson said.

Senior strong safety Brian Bonner said the rivalry game is always a fun one, but the team is serious about bringing the Iron Skillet back to Fort Worth.

“We want the Skillet,” Bonner said. “It’s a rivalry that’s been going on for years. It’s bigger than just a football game.”

In a rivalry that has been going on since 1915, Patterson said all-time records and past results will not mean much when both teams hit the field Saturday.

“In any kind of rivalry, you can throw out the records and everything else,” Patterson said. “I don’t think they have much to do with anything and this game will be no different.”

Junior center Blake Schlueter said the team can not focus on the 2005 loss to SMU.

“If you start focusing on that, you start getting away from our goals for the season,” Schlueter said. “We just want to go out one game at a time and get a W, now especially.”

As far as what has gone wrong in the past two losses, Patterson said the team has five reasons and concerns; turnovers, third downs, red-zone play, fourth-quarter play and the running game. The Frogs have turned the ball over nine times in its first three games.

“If you look at us historically, when we turn the ball over, we haven’t won many ball games,” Patterson said.

Third downs have been a problem for the Horned Frogs, especially concerning penalties, which Patterson said he addressed in practice with push-ups.

Play in the red zone is something Patterson said was a problem in the first five games last season and has been a concern so far this season.

Late-game play has resulted in two losses for the team.

“Nine out of 12 quarters, we’ve held people without a touchdown,” Patterson said. “But, it doesn’t matter if they score all their points in the other three.”

The Frogs’ rushing game is still not 100 percent as TCU is still without starting running back, junior Aaron Brown, as well as sophomore running back Joseph Turner. Sophomore Ryan Christian and junior Justin Watts have been and will continue to run the ball for the Frogs.

This game takes on new significance this year as State Farm Insurance has agreed to a three-year deal as its presenting sponsor in what they are calling the “State Farm DFW Duel.