Parhams fighting till the end

Senior nose tackle Chris Parham says the plane ride back from Pullman, Washington was quiet but head coach June Jones did not need to say anything. The team was disappointed in themselves. They knew they had lost a game they had dominated on both sides of the ball. And yet here they were flying back with a loss and a week off to think about what might have been.

"It took till Wednesday to get the taste out of my mouth," said Parham. "Coach gave us a couple of days off so I was moping around saying, 'Man we had that game.'

Headed into a weekend with no football, the 282-pound nose tackle did what you would expect. He ate.

"My mom was in town, so she cooked all my favorites," said Parham. "I just ate; enjoyed the extra time off and relaxed."

Monday started preparing for a game week and practicing once again, the team was past the loss and focused on their season goal.

"You let it slide at some point and keep working. We want to be known as the team that brought SMU back to a bowl game. We are 2-1 and have a chance to finish the season above .500. I take pride trying to do that before I leave, "Parham said.

This week the Mustangs jump literally from Mom's cooking into the Skillet as SMU faces No. 11 TCU in the annual Battle for the Iron Skillet.

"This is my fourth time playing TCU and it's always a competitive game. Last year was the only time I felt they just blew us away," Parham said. "But a rivalry game, anything goes. You know it is going to be a fight. So you fight to the end, and win."

If the Mustangs can do that it will be Mothers Milk.

Notes:

- True Freshman QB Kyle Padron and Bo Levi Mitchell took all the snaps in team drills. It's a further indication that Pardon could now be considered the back-up quarterback.

- Head Coach June Jones said TCU is probably the best defensive unit in the nation.

- Jones said he has not been around long enough to feel the TCU/SMU rivalry the same way the older players do. Although, he said enjoyed hearing the story of the SMU bands dropping grass seed at halftime of the 2004 game at TCU. The following spring the Amon Carter Stadium field began growing a large 'M'.

- Bo Levi Mitchell's illness has caused him to lose 21 lbs while not eating solid foods for the last two weeks.

-Junior cornerback Derrius Bell received no long term affects from the ferocious collision at UAB. After missing a week, he has been cleared to practice and Jones indicated he would play at TCU Saturday.

- Coach Jones on how to prepare for TCU's defense: "You hope you throw it to the right colored jersey."