Baylor–TCU football rivalry

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Baylor–TCU football rivalry

Baylor Bears TCU Horned Frogs
First meeting	October 27, 1899 Tie, 0–0
Latest meeting	November 6, 2021 TCU, 30–28
Next meeting	November 19, 2022
Statistics
Meetings total	117
All-time series	TCU leads 57–53–7[1]
Largest victory	Baylor, 52–0 (1910)
Longest win streak	TCU, 8 (1964–1971) Baylor, 8 (1974–1981)
Current win streak	TCU, 2 (2020–present)

The Baylor–TCU football rivalry, also referred to as The Revivalry,^[2][3][4] is an American college football rivalry between the Baylor Bears and TCU Horned Frogs. The first game of the 117-game series was played in 1899, making the rivalry one of the oldest and most played in FBS college football.

History[]

Baylor was chartered in 1845 by The Republic of Texas and founded as a Baptist institution in the same year with its original location in Independence, Texas. Baylor permanently moved to Waco forty years later, in 1885. TCU was founded in 1873 as AddRan Male and Female College by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark, in Thorp Springs, Texas, and was later renamed AddRan Christian University and relocated to Waco in 1895. AddRan was renamed Texas Christian University in 1902 and finally relocated to Fort Worth in 1910 after a fire destroyed the school's main administration building in Waco.

First contested in 1899, and having been played 117 times, the rivalry is one of the oldest and most-played series in college football history. The two schools, which were once both located in Waco, Texas, are separated by only 90 miles.^[5]

Between 1899 and 1910, when both schools were located in Waco, the Bears and Horned Frogs frequently faced off multiple times per season. In the early years of the rivalry, TCU and Baylor did not play as conference foes. Like most schools of that era, Baylor was independent until becoming a founding member of the Southwest Conference (SWC) in 1915. TCU subsequently joined the SWC in 1923, after competing as an independent (1896–1913 and 1921–22). After TCU joined, Baylor and TCU played 69 times as SWC foes, until the SWC disbanded in 1995. After a 10-year hiatus, the universities renewed the rivalry in a non-conference series in 2006–2007 and 2010–2011. During this series, TCU competed in the Mountain West Conference. TCU joined Baylor in the Big 12 Conference in 2012, and the rivalry game is now played annually as part of the teams' regular season conference schedules.

The 2014 contest marked the first time in 110 meetings that both Baylor and TCU faced off as ranked teams (#5 Baylor hosted #9 TCU). In one of the wildest games of the season, the Bears won an offensive shootout 61-58, overcoming a 58-37 deficit in the 4th quarter. The loss effectively cost the Horned Frogs a chance at making the first ever College Football Playoff. The 2015 contest again featured two ranked teams (#15 TCU hosted #7 Baylor).

Parity[]

The rivalry is one of the most unusual in college football, not only because it features two private Christian schools, but also because of its historic and recent parity. In 117 meetings, TCU leads the series 57-53–7. Since resumption of the rivalry in 2006, the series is led by TCU 10-4, and since TCU joined Baylor in the Big 12 in 2012, the Big 12 series record is held by TCU 7-3. Only the SEC rivalry between the Georgia Bulldogs and Auburn Tigers, Big Ten rivalry between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and Wisconsin Badgers, and non-conference rivalry between the Kansas Jayhawks and Missouri Tigers are similarly competitive over 100+ meetings.^[6][7]

Game sites[]

The Bears have used several playing sites throughout the rivalry. No records are available to determine where Baylor hosted home games prior to 1902. From 1902–25, Baylor hosted most of their home games at Carroll Field, an on-campus facility, and at Waco's old Cotton Palace, off campus. Baylor played all home games at the Cotton Palace from 1926–29 before returning to Carroll Field for all home games from 1930–35. The Bears moved off the main campus in 1936 to the newly built Waco Stadium, renamed Municipal Stadium in 1942. From 1950 through 2013, Baylor home games were played at Baylor Stadium, renamed Floyd Casey Stadium in 1989. Since 2014, Baylor home games have been played in McLane Stadium, adjacent to Baylor's campus and the Brazos River.

The Horned Frogs played their Fort Worth home games at Clark Field until 1930, when TCU opened the new Amon G. Carter Stadium. Since the 1930 opening, Amon G. Carter Stadium was expanded and renovated on multiple occasions, the most recent of which cost approximately $164 M, was completely funded by private donors, and was completed in 2012.

Close games and shutouts[]

Football games between Baylor and TCU have been decided by 7 points or less 44 times, including 7 ties.

Several of the Bears and Horned Frogs' meetings since the rivalry's annual renewal in 2010 have featured memorable, close contests. In 2011, Baylor notched a season-opening 50–48 win, with Robert Griffin III, leading a fourth-quarter Baylor drive to set up Aaron Jones' game-winning field goal over the Horned Frogs. In 2014, Baylor came back from a 21-point, fourth quarter deficit by scoring 24 unanswered points to win the game 61–58 with a last second Chris Callahan FG. The outcome of the 2014 matchup and TCU's fourth-quarter collapse was critical in knocking TCU out of the inaugural College Football Playoff; both Baylor and TCU would go on to compile 11–1 (8–1 Big 12) regular season records. In 2015, the rivalry game was played on Thanksgiving Friday night in Fort Worth, with temperatures in the 30s and pouring rain. After a lightning-delayed start, the high-power spread offenses managed only 14 points apiece in regulation, with TCU securing a 28–21 second-overtime victory with a fourth down stop. In 2019, Baylor outlasted TCU in triple overtime to remain unbeaten.

There have been 36 shutouts in the series; the most recent of which was a 27–0 TCU win in 2007 in Fort Worth.

Homecoming[]

TCU holds the record as Baylor's most common opponent for its annual Homecoming game. The rivalry has been showcased as Baylor's Homecoming game 31 times, but TCU holds a 16–15 lead in these games. Baylor won the last of these Homecoming match-ups in 1995, 27–24.

Thanksgiving[]

In the early years of the series, Baylor and TCU played 8 times on Thanksgiving Day with Baylor earning a 6–2 advantage. Baylor won in 1901, 1907, 1908, 1909, 1915 and 1919. TCU won in 1904 and 1917. The rivalry has also been played as a Thanksgiving weekend game 9 other years with Baylor holding a 6–3 lead; Baylor winning in 1901, 1903, 1916, 1976, 1977 and 2013, and TCU winning in 1905, 2015, and 2017. The Baylor–TCU game was most recently featured as a Thanksgiving weekend game on November 24, 2017.^[5]

Other events[]

In 1971, TCU coach Jim Pittman collapsed and died on the sideline in Waco during the rivalry game, the only time in collegiate history that a coach died during a game.^[8][9]

Notable players and coaches[]

The rivalry has featured:

• 2 Recognized National Championships: 1935 TCU (Paul O. Williamson System) and 1938 TCU (AP Poll: Consensus #1)
• 5 College Football Hall of Fame Head Coaches: Baylor - Morley Jennings, Grant Teaff; TCU - Matty Bell, Dutch Meyer, Francis Schmidt
• 2 Heisman Trophy winners: Davey O'Brien for TCU in 1938 and Robert Griffin III for Baylor in 2011.
• 1 Maxwell Award winner: Davey O'Brien for TCU in 1938.
• 1 Davey O'Brien Award winner: Robert Griffin III for Baylor in 2011.
• 2x Sammy Baugh Trophy winner: Don Trull for Baylor in 1962 and 1963.
• 1 Manning Award winner: Robert Griffin III for Baylor in 2011.
• 1 Rimington Trophy winner: Jake Kirkpatrick for TCU in 2010.
• 1 Jim Thorpe Award winner: Thomas Everett for Baylor in 1986.
• 1 Lou Groza Award winner: Michael Reeder for TCU in 1995.
• 2x Ray Guy Award winner: Daniel Sepulveda for Baylor in 2004 and 2006.
• 1 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner: Corey Coleman for Baylor in 2015.

Other notable players that played in this rivalry:

Baylor - Mike Singletary, Hayden Fry, Larry Isbell, Bill Glass, Larry Elkins, Santana Dotson

TCU - Sammy Baugh, Bob Lilly, Andy Dalton, Jerry Hughes, Jim Swink, Ki Aldrich

Game results[]

Baylor victories

TCU victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 October 27, 1899 Waco Tie 0–0 2 November 23, 1901 Waco Baylor 39–0 3 November 28, 1901 Waco Baylor 42–9 4 November 1, 1902 Waco Tie 0–0 5 November 22, 1902 Waco Baylor 6–0 6 December 1, 1902 Waco Baylor 20–0 7 October 3, 1903 Waco Baylor 12–0 8 November 27, 1903 Waco Baylor 5–0 9 October 1, 1904 Waco Tie 0–0 10 November 12, 1904 Waco Baylor 17–0 11 November 24, 1904 Waco TCU 5–0 12 September 30, 1905 Waco TCU 16–0 13 November 11, 1905 Waco Baylor 10–0 14 November 30, 1905 Waco TCU 17–0 15 October 5, 1907 Waco Tie 7–7 16 November 11, 1907 Waco TCU 11–10 17 November 28, 1907 Waco Baylor 16–8 18 October 3, 1908 Waco TCU 15–0 19 October 24, 1908 Waco TCU 10–6 20 November 26, 1908 Waco Baylor 23–8 21 October 16, 1909 Waco TCU 9–0 22 November 6, 1909 Waco TCU 11–0 23 November 25, 1909 Waco Baylor 6–3 24 October 24, 1910 Waco Baylor 52–0 25 November 18, 1910 Fort Worth Baylor 10–3 26 November 11, 1911 Waco Baylor 12–0 27 October 19, 1912 Fort Worth TCU 22–0 28 October 31, 1914 Waco Baylor 28–14 29 November 25, 1915 Waco Baylor 51–0 30 November 30, 1916 Fort Worth Baylor 32–14 31 November 29, 1917 Fort Worth TCU 34–0 32 November 28, 1918 Waco TCU 12–7 33 November 27, 1919 Waco Baylor 7–0 34 November 13, 1920 Waco TCU 21–9 35 October 13, 1925 Dallas Tie 7–7 36 October 12, 1926 Waco Tie 7–7 37 October 29, 1927 Waco TCU 14–0 38 November 3, 1928 Fort Worth Baylor 7–6 39 November 23, 1929 Waco TCU 34–7 40 November 22, 1930 Fort Worth Baylor 35–14 41 November 21, 1931 Waco TCU 19–6 42 October 29, 1932 Fort Worth TCU 27–0 43 November 4, 1933 Waco Baylor 7–0 44 November 3, 1934 Fort Worth TCU 34–12 45 November 2, 1935 Waco TCU 28–0 46 October 31, 1936 Fort Worth TCU 28–0 47 October 30, 1937 Waco #6 Baylor 6–0 48 October 29, 1938 Fort Worth #4 TCU 39–7 49 November 4, 1939 Waco Baylor 27–0 50 November 2, 1940 Fort Worth TCU 14–12 51 November 1, 1941 Waco TCU 23–12 52 October 31, 1942 Fort Worth Baylor 10–7 53 October 6, 1945 Waco TCU 7–6 54 September 28, 1946 Fort Worth TCU 19–16 55 November 1, 1947 Waco TCU 14–7 56 October 30, 1948 Fort Worth Baylor 6–3 57 October 29, 1949 Waco Baylor 40–14 58 November 4, 1950 Fort Worth Baylor 20–14 59 November 3, 1951 Waco TCU 20–7 60 November 1, 1952 Fort Worth Tie 20–20 No. Date Location Winner Score 61 October 31, 1953 Waco #3 Baylor 25–7 62 October 3, 1954 Fort Worth Baylor 12–7 63 October 29, 1955 Waco TCU 28–6 64 November 3, 1956 Fort Worth TCU 7–6 65 November 2, 1957 Waco TCU 19–6 66 November 1, 1958 Fort Worth TCU 22–0 67 October 31, 1959 Waco TCU 14–0 68 October 29, 1960 Fort Worth TCU 14–6 69 November 4, 1961 Waco Baylor 28–14 70 November 3, 1962 Fort Worth TCU 28–26 71 November 2, 1963 Waco Baylor 32–13 72 October 31, 1964 Fort Worth TCU 17–14 73 October 30, 1965 Waco TCU 10–7 74 October 30, 1966 Fort Worth TCU 6–0 75 November 4, 1967 Waco TCU 29–7 76 November 2, 1968 Fort Worth TCU 47–14 77 November 1, 1969 Waco TCU 31–14 78 October 31, 1970 Fort Worth TCU 24–17 79 October 30, 1971 Waco TCU 34–27 80 November 4, 1972 Fort Worth Baylor 42–9 81 November 3, 1973 Waco TCU 34–28 82 November 3, 1974 Fort Worth Baylor 21–7 83 November 1, 1975 Waco Baylor 24–6 84 November 27, 1976 Fort Worth Baylor 24–19 85 November 26, 1977 Waco Baylor 48–9 86 October 28, 1978 Fort Worth Baylor 28–21 87 October 27, 1979 Waco Baylor 16–3 88 October 25, 1980 Fort Worth #11 Baylor 21–6 89 October 24, 1981 Waco Baylor 34–21 90 October 23, 1982 Fort Worth TCU 38–14 91 October 22, 1983 Waco Baylor 56–21 92 October 27, 1984 Fort Worth TCU 38–28 93 October 26, 1985 Waco #13 Baylor 45–0 94 October 25, 1986 Fort Worth Baylor 28–17 95 October 25, 1987 Waco TCU 24–0 96 October 22, 1988 Fort Worth TCU 24–14 97 October 28, 1989 Waco Baylor 27–9 98 October 27, 1990 Fort Worth Baylor 27–21 99 October 26, 1991 Waco Baylor 26–9 100 October 10, 1992 Fort Worth Baylor 41–10 101 October 23, 1993 Waco TCU 38–13 102 October 1, 1994 Fort Worth Baylor 42–18 103 October 28, 1995 Waco Baylor 27–24 104 September 3, 2006 Waco #22 TCU 17–7 105 September 1, 2007 Fort Worth #22 TCU 27–0 106 September 18, 2010 Fort Worth #5 TCU 45–10 107 September 2, 2011 Waco Baylor 50–48 108 October 13, 2012 Waco #23 TCU 49–21 109 November 30, 2013 Fort Worth #9 Baylor 41–38 110 October 11, 2014 Waco #5 Baylor 61–58 111 November 27, 2015 Fort Worth #19 TCU 28–212OT 112 November 5, 2016 Waco TCU 62–22 113 November 24, 2017 Fort Worth #12 TCU 45–22 114 November 17, 2018 Waco TCU 16–9 115 November 9, 2019 Fort Worth #12 Baylor 29–233OT 116 October 31, 2020 Waco TCU 33–23 117 November 6, 2021 Fort Worth TCU 30–28 118 November 19, 2022 Waco Series: TCU leads 57–53–7[1]

See also[]

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games
• List of most-played college football series in NCAA Division I

References[]