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Baylor–TCU football rivalry

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The Bluebonnet Battle
Baylor Bears
TCU Horned Frogs
First meetingOctober 27, 1899
Tie, 0–0
Latest meetingNovember 2, 2024
Baylor, 37–34
Next meeting2025
Statistics
Meetings total120
All-time seriesTCU leads 59–54–7[1]
Largest victoryBaylor, 52–0 (1910)
Longest win streakTCU, 8 (1964–1971)
Baylor, 8 (1974–1981)
Current win streakBaylor, 1 (2024–present)
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
75km
50miles
TCU
.
Baylor
Locations of Baylor and TCU

The Baylor–TCU football rivalry, known as The Bluebonnet Battle[2][3][4] and informally as The Revivalry,[5] is an American college football rivalry between the Baylor Bears and TCU Horned Frogs. The first game of the 120-game series was played in 1899, making the rivalry one of the oldest and most played in FBS college football. After 120 meetings, the series is the most-played college rivalry in the State of Texas.

History

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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.[6] 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.[7] 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 119 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.[8]

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.[8]

Rivalry name and trophy

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On November 13, 2023, in a press conference with TCU and Baylor student government representatives, head coaches, and athletic directors, the two universities formally announced the name of the rivalry would be "The Bluebonnet Battle."[2] The name was the product of a joint student effort between the Baylor and TCU student governments. The name was the product of an effort between the two schools' student bodies and replaced existing unofficial names for the game,[2] despite "The Revivalry" being used by Baylor University in November 2022.[9] The new name was selected to reflect the series becoming the most-played between two teams in the State of Texas in 2023.[8] The flower, which is also the state flower of Texas, lines Interstate-35 for parts of the year connecting both schools' campuses.[2]

Close games and shutouts

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Football games between Baylor and TCU have been decided by 7 points or less 45 times, including 7 ties.[8]

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 and ultimately neither team got a Playoff spot as the committee chose 12-1 (and eventual national champion) Ohio State instead. Many have speculated that neither team was chosen because they were co-champions and the Big 12 did not have an actual conference championship at the time (the Big 12 title was awarded to the team with the best conference record). 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. In 2022, undefeated 10–0 TCU won a hard-fought game, 29–28, by lining up to kick a walk-off 40 yard field goal on a running clock.[10]

Other events

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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.[11][12]

Game results

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Baylor victoriesTCU victoriesTie games
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
1October 27, 1899 Waco Tie0–0
2November 23, 1901 Waco Baylor39–0
3November 28, 1901 Waco Baylor42–9
4November 1, 1902 Waco Tie0–0
5November 22, 1902 Waco Baylor6–0
6December 1, 1902 Waco Baylor20–0
7October 3, 1903 Waco Baylor12–0
8November 27, 1903 Waco Baylor5–0
9October 1, 1904 Waco Tie0–0
10November 12, 1904 Waco Baylor17–0
11November 24, 1904 Waco TCU5–0
12September 30, 1905 Waco TCU16–0
13November 11, 1905 Waco Baylor10–0
14November 30, 1905 Waco TCU17–0
15October 5, 1907 Waco Tie7–7
16November 11, 1907 Waco TCU11–10
17November 28, 1907 Waco Baylor16–8
18October 3, 1908 Waco TCU15–0
19October 24, 1908 Waco TCU10–6
20November 26, 1908 Waco Baylor23–8
21October 16, 1909 Waco TCU9–0
22November 6, 1909 Waco TCU11–0
23November 25, 1909 Waco Baylor6–3
24October 24, 1910 Waco Baylor52–0
25November 18, 1910 Fort Worth Baylor10–3
26November 11, 1911 Waco Baylor12–0
27October 19, 1912 Fort Worth TCU22–0
28October 31, 1914 Waco Baylor28–14
29November 25, 1915 Waco Baylor51–0
30November 30, 1916 Fort Worth Baylor32–14
31November 29, 1917 Fort Worth TCU34–0
32November 28, 1918 Waco TCU12–7
33November 27, 1919 Waco Baylor7–0
34November 13, 1920 Waco TCU21–9
35 October 13, 1925 Dallas Tie7–7
36 October 12, 1926 Waco Tie7–7
37 October 29, 1927 Waco TCU14–0
38 November 3, 1928 Fort Worth Baylor7–6
39 November 23, 1929 Waco TCU34–7
40 November 22, 1930 Fort Worth Baylor35–14
41 November 21, 1931 Waco TCU19–6
42 October 29, 1932 Fort Worth TCU27–0
43 November 4, 1933 Waco Baylor7–0
44 November 3, 1934 Fort Worth TCU34–12
45 November 2, 1935 Waco TCU28–0
46 October 31, 1936 Fort Worth TCU28–0
47 October 30, 1937 Waco #6 Baylor6–0
48 October 29, 1938 Fort Worth #4 TCU39–7
49 November 4, 1939 Waco Baylor27–0
50 November 2, 1940 Fort Worth TCU14–12
51 November 1, 1941 Waco TCU23–12
52 October 31, 1942 Fort Worth Baylor10–7
53 September 29, 1945 Waco TCU7–6
54 September 28, 1946 Fort Worth TCU19–16
55 November 1, 1947 Waco TCU14–7
56 October 30, 1948 Fort Worth Baylor6–3
57 October 29, 1949 Waco Baylor40–14
58 November 4, 1950 Fort Worth Baylor20–14
59 November 3, 1951 Waco TCU20–7
60 November 1, 1952 Fort Worth Tie20–20
61 October 31, 1953 Waco #3 Baylor25–7
No.DateLocationWinnerScore
62 October 30, 1954 Fort Worth Baylor12–7
63 October 29, 1955 Waco TCU28–6
64 November 3, 1956 Fort Worth TCU7–6
65 November 2, 1957 Waco TCU19–6
66 November 1, 1958 Fort Worth TCU22–0
67 October 31, 1959 Waco TCU14–0
68 October 29, 1960 Fort Worth TCU14–6
69 November 4, 1961 Waco Baylor28–14
70 November 3, 1962 Fort Worth TCU28–26
71 November 2, 1963 Waco Baylor32–13
72 October 31, 1964 Fort Worth TCU17–14
73 October 30, 1965 Waco TCU10–7
74 October 30, 1966 Fort Worth TCU6–0
75 November 4, 1967 Waco TCU29–7
76 November 2, 1968 Fort Worth TCU47–14
77 November 1, 1969 Waco TCU31–14
78 October 31, 1970 Fort Worth TCU24–17
79 October 30, 1971 Waco TCU34–27
80 November 4, 1972 Fort Worth Baylor42–9
81 November 3, 1973 Waco TCU34–28
82 November 3, 1974 Fort Worth Baylor21–7
83 November 1, 1975 Waco Baylor24–6
84 November 27, 1976 Fort Worth Baylor24–19
85 November 26, 1977 Waco Baylor48–9
86 October 28, 1978 Fort Worth Baylor28–21
87 October 27, 1979 Waco Baylor16–3
88 October 25, 1980 Fort Worth #11 Baylor21–6
89 October 24, 1981 Waco Baylor34–21
90 October 23, 1982 Fort Worth TCU38–14
91 October 22, 1983 Waco Baylor56–21
92 October 27, 1984 Fort Worth TCU38–28
93 October 26, 1985 Waco #13 Baylor45–0
94 October 25, 1986 Fort Worth Baylor28–17
95 October 25, 1987 Waco TCU24–0
96 October 22, 1988 Fort Worth TCU24–14
97 October 28, 1989 Waco Baylor27–9
98 October 27, 1990 Fort Worth Baylor27–21
99 October 26, 1991 Waco Baylor26–9
100 October 10, 1992 Fort Worth Baylor41–10
101 October 23, 1993 Waco TCU38–13
102 October 1, 1994 Fort Worth Baylor42–18
103 October 28, 1995 Waco Baylor27–24
104 September 3, 2006 Waco #22 TCU17–7
105 September 1, 2007 Fort Worth #22 TCU27–0
106 September 18, 2010 Fort Worth #5 TCU45–10
107 September 2, 2011 Waco Baylor50–48
108 October 13, 2012 Waco #23 TCU49–21
109 November 30, 2013 Fort Worth #9 Baylor41–38
110 October 11, 2014 Waco #5 Baylor61–58
111 November 27, 2015 Fort Worth #19 TCU28–212OT
112 November 5, 2016 Waco TCU62–22
113 November 24, 2017 Fort Worth #12 TCU45–22
114 November 17, 2018 Waco TCU16–9
115 November 9, 2019 Fort Worth #12 Baylor29–233OT
116 October 31, 2020 Waco TCU33–23
117 November 6, 2021 Fort Worth TCU30–28
118 November 19, 2022 Waco #4 TCU29–28
119 November 18, 2023 Fort Worth TCU42–17
120 November 2, 2024 Waco Baylor37–34
Series: TCU leads 59–54–7[1]

Results by location

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As of November 2, 2024

City Games Baylor victories TCU victories Ties Years played
Waco 74 35 34 5 1899–present
Fort Worth 45 19 25 1 1910–present
Dallas 1 0 0 1 1925

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Winsipedia - Baylor Bears vs. TCU Horned Frogs football series history". Winsipedia.
  2. ^ a b c d "The TCU-Baylor football rivalry has an official new name". wfaa.com. November 13, 2023.
  3. ^ Boyd, Megan (November 13, 2023). "Baylor, TCU rivalry formally named Bluebonnet Battle". Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  4. ^ "Bluebonnet Battle (Baylor-TCU Rivalry)". studentgameday.web.baylor.edu. November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  5. ^ Olson, Max (November 27, 2015). "Return of the Revivalry: Baylor, TCU meet again on Black Friday". ESPN. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  6. ^ "Baylor History". about.web.baylor.edu. October 22, 2022. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  7. ^ "Mission & History". Texas Christian University. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d "Bluebonnet Battle (Baylor-TCU Rivalry)". studentgameday.web.baylor.edu. November 10, 2023. Retrieved November 13, 2023.
  9. ^ "Baylor and TCU Meet for the 118th Time on the Gridiron". Baylor News. November 14, 2023. p. 1. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  10. ^ "No. 4 TCU still undefeated after game-ending FG at Baylor". AP NEWS. November 19, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Sherrington: TCU's tradition was tragedy | Dallas Morning News". Dallasnews.com. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  12. ^ "Pittman burial Tuesday". The Tuscaloosa News. The Associated Press. November 1, 1971. p. 6. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
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