FORT WORTH, Texas -- Consider the skid in the Battle for the Iron Skillet as old conversation for the SMU football team.

Losers of seven consecutive matchups against TCU, the Mustangs came out hungry and determined, and for four quarters, they looked the part against the No. 25 team in the country. Saturday evening, stunned TCU fans watched SMU celebrate a 41-38 victory at Amon G. Carter Stadium, giving the Mustangs control of the coveted Iron Skillet and their first win over the Horned Frogs since Oct. 1, 2011.

It was a matchup that featured two undefeated teams. And by the end of the game, it was SMU who improved to 4-0 for the first time since 1984.

It's rare to see a TCU defense under Gary Patterson give up 30 points or more in a football game. SMU's offense scored 31 points in the first half alone. The Mustangs led, 31-17, at the halftime break.

Part of their success came by picking apart a TCU defense ranked No. 2 in the country, a defense that only averaged 209.5 yards per game this season. SMU had 276 yards in the first half alone, 406 for the game.

Shane Buechele had a solid game, and every time he and the SMU offense needed to answer a TCU team that refused to fold, they did. He finished with 288 yards and two touchdowns and completed 23 of 34 passes.

While the offense made its plays, it was the defense that came up with a much-needed stand late in the game. The Mustangs appeared gassed throughout the fourth quarter, but they made a huge fourth-down stop with time running out.

Defensively, SMU finished with three sacks and forced six fumbles, recovering three. The Mustangs also forced TCU quarterback Max Duggan to miss on 10 of his first 11 passes. Duggan finished with 188 passing yards and connected on only 16 of 36 attempts.

SMU now prepares for a trip to the Sunshine State to face South Florida next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT.