Baylor and TCU Meet for the 118th Time on the Gridiron

On November 19, 2022, Baylor University and Texas Christian University meet on the gridiron for the 118th time — a rivalry that dates back to 1899. With this game, Baylor v. TCU will tie Texas v. Texas A&M as the most-played rivalry in the state of Texas.

Known as The Revivalry, football between TCU and Baylor is marked by change and resilience having been revived and rebuilt throughout the centuries. Neither relocation of TCU from Waco to Ft. Worth nor conference realignments have dampened the spirit of competition. The Revivalry also is the only rivalry game among the nation’s elite programs to match two private institutions and, even more unique, two schools with historical faith backgrounds.

An event-filled Revivalry Week culminates in the Fox Big Noon Kickoff pregame show followed by Baylor v. TCU football at 11 a.m. Here is a rundown of the week’s events:

• Senior Baylor Line Run: Monday from 2-4 p.m. — Seniors running the Baylor Line have early access to tickets on the student ticket portal. Remaining Baylor Line tickets will be available after 4 p.m.
• Dr Pepper Hour: Tuesday, November 15, 2 p.m., SUB
• All University Thanksgiving Dinner: Wednesday, November 16, 5-8 p.m., Fountain Mall
• Bed Races & Chili Cook-Off: Thursday, November 17, 6 p.m., 3rd Street through campus
• Kappa Karnival: Friday, November 18, 6 p.m., Fountain Mall
• Fox – Big Noon Kickoff Show: Saturday, November 19, live from the South Plaza of McLane Stadium
• Baylor vs. TCU: Saturday, November 19, 11 a.m., McLane Stadium

The rivalry between Baylor University and TCU runs long and deep, with an extensive history of competition in football, baseball and several other sports. TCU and Baylor both used to call Waco their home. TCU, then called AddRan Christian University, moved to Waco in 1895, about 10 years after Baylor’s relocation from Independence, Texas. And so began the competition between these crosstown rivals.

Baylor and TCU first met on the football field in 1899. The game ended in a 0-0 tie but sparked what would become one of the longest-standing rivalries in college football history. In total, there were 23 football games played while both universities resided in Waco, with Baylor winning 12, TCU winning eight and three ending in ties. In 1908, there was some controversy between the schools when TCU published an article in their school paper, The Skiff, accusing a Baylor football player of cheating. This helped promote the rivalry in another notable game on Thanksgiving Day 1909. This was Baylor’s First Homecoming — also the first Homecoming football game in the nation.

The rivalry waned when TCU’s main academic building in Waco caught fire in 1910 and burned to the ground. While no students or faculty were hurt in the tragedy, TCU’s operations were impacted. In a true show of sportsmanship and partnership, Baylor University officials assisted TCU in finding housing for misplaced students and opened up labs and libraries for their use.

This truce, however, was short lived, as TCU explored options for their new campus that extended beyond the Waco city limits. Ultimately, TCU chose to move to Fort Worth after city officials offered up a generous bid and a plot of land to the university. Despite the distance, the rivalry continued. Baylor University joined the Southwest Conference in 1914, with TCU following soon after in 1923. TCU had great success in Southwest Conference football, especially in 1938 when they brought home a National Championship and a Heisman for player Davey O’Brien. Subsequently, by the time Grant Teaff became head coach of the Baylor football team, many feared that the football competition with TCU was fizzling out, as the Bears had lost the previous eight consecutive games against TCU. However, with his guidance, the Bears came back to win 11 of the next 13 matches against the Horned Frogs. The two schools were Southwest Conference competitors for nearly 75 years until the conference disbanded in 1996.

The dissolution of the Southwest Conference led to another point of bitterness between these rivals, as Baylor became a founding member of the Big 12 Conference over competitor TCU. Although there were no football games between the rivals from 1996-2005, there was plenty of animosity as TCU moved between three different conferences, ultimately spending six seasons in the Mountain West Conference. There they gained national recognition with several conference titles and an undefeated regular season record in 2009. From 2006-2011, the Bears played the Frogs in non-conference football games. The rivalry was renewed and has grown even stronger since TCU joined the Big 12 in 2012. Neither school has a Big 12 rival that is closer than the other, with Waco and Fort Worth being a mere 86 miles apart.