Seventh-Ranked Texas Nips Frogs, 29-26 (Overview, Photos); Baylor Coming to Fort Worth

(photos above and below) Midnite Madness tailgaters were primed for the TCU-Texas game on Saturday, November 11. Unfortunately, Texas won the contest, 29-26, which was played in TCU's Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth.

Highlights of the game: here

Final Stats of the game: here

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes discusses the loss: here

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover and wide receiver Savion Williams discuss the loss: here

Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian discusses the win: here

Texas quarterback Quin Ewers and wide receiver Xavier Worthy discuss the win: here 

Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell discusses the win: here

 

Article and Photos by Tom C. “Midnite” Burke

What a difference a year makes.

This time last year, on November 12, fourth-ranked TCU secured a 17-10 victory in Austin over the University of Texas to strengthen the Horned Frogs’ standing as one of the four teams deserving to play for the 2022 season’s College Football Playoff National Championship.

This past Saturday, on November 11, seventh-ranked University of Texas secured a 29-26 victory in Fort Worth over TCU to further the Longhorns’ argument of being one of the four teams deserving to play for the 2023 season’s College Football Playoff National Championship.

The game’s attendance of 50,812 was the third-largest in TCU football program history, with the top three attendance marks coming this season.

The win improved Texas to 9-1 overall. The Longhorns remained as the seventh-ranked team in the College Football National Championship Playoff ranking that was released on Tuesday, November 14.

The Longhorns lead the Big 12 with a 6-1 conference record. Their loss was to the University of Oklahoma.

The loss to Texas dropped TCU to 4-6 overall. TCU, with a 2-5 conference record, is tied with BYU, Houston, Baylor and UCF for next-to-last place in the Big 12. Cincinnati is last, at 1-6.

TCU now is 11-5 in Big 12 regular-season games under second-year head coach Sonny Dykes. The Horned Frogs are 9-3 in home contests under Dykes. 

TCU, which, of course, made the College Football Playoffs last year and advanced to the 2023 National Championship Game, is two wins away from being bowl eligible (a minimum of six wins).

The Frogs have two games remaining: November 18, against Baylor, in Fort Worth; and November 24, in Norman, against the University of Oklahoma.

Since the College Football Playoff started in 2014, only two teams have made the playoff one year and missed a bowl game the next season.

One instance was in 2020, when LSU went 5-5 during the COVID-impacted season.

The other time was 2016, when Michigan State went 3-9, after going 12-2 the previous season.

The last team to play for a national championship one season and fail to qualify for a bowl game the next season was Texas.

The Longhorns played for a national BCS championship for the 2009 season, losing to Alabama, 37-21, in the Rose Bowl on January 7, 2010.

For the 2010 season, the ‘Horns went 5-7 and did not qualify for a bowl game

TCU has lost three straight games (to Kansas State, Texas Tech and Texas), and four of their last five games.

Over their past 13 games, the Frogs are 5-8. 

In other Big 12 football games played on Saturday, November 11:

• Texas Tech (5-5, 4-3) defeated Kansas (7-3, 4-3) 16-13 
• Kansas State (7-3, 5-2) blasted Baylor (3-7, 2-5) 59-25   
• UCF (5-5, 2-5) upset Oklahoma State (7-3, 5-2) 45-3 
• Oklahoma (8-2, 5-2) overwhelmed West Virginia 59-20 
• Cincinnati (3-7, 1-6) defeated Houston (4-6, 2-5) 24-14 
• Iowa State (6-4, 5-2) buried BYU (5-5, 2-5) 45-13
  

With Texas moving from the Big 12 to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) after this season, Saturday's contest  was the last football game between the Longhorns and Horned Frogs for the foreseeable future.

TCU has a long history with Texas, having played the ‘Horns 94 times. That's the third most of any opponent in TCU history, behind Baylor (118) and SMU (102).

Since joining the Big 12 in 2012, TCU went 8-4 against the University of Texas.

The two teams, of course, used to annually play one another as members of the Southwest Conference (SWC), which existed from 1914 to 1996. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 65-28-1.

Game-altering mistakes and execution failures doomed TCU in this loss to Texas.

Late in the first quarter, TCU safety Millard Bradford intercepted a pass thrown by Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers.

Bradford returned the interception 40 yards deep into Longhorns’ territory, but as he was being tackled, he fumbled the football. Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy recovered for the Longhorns.

Six plays later, a field goal by Texas increased its lead over the Frogs to 10-6 early in the second quarter.

With the score 19-6 and less than a minute remaining in the first half, Texas defensive back Terrance Brooks intercepted a pass thrown by TCU quarterback Josh Hoover.

Five plays later and with only 12 seconds remaining in the first half, Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks scored on a 22-yard run and Texas took a 26-6 lead into the locker room.

“I made a mistake (the interception) that cost us big time,” Hoover said. “I hate it. I’ve got to get it fixed. I tried to do too much and make a throw not even Jesus Christ himself should try and make.”

In the second half, TCU’s defense held Texas to three points and 151 total yards of offense.

Meanwhile, in the fourth quarter TCU’s offense came to life, scoring 20 points. Running back Emani Bailey scored  a touchdown on a 17-yard run. Wide receivers JP Richardson and Savion Williams scored  touchdowns on three-yard and 14-yard receptions, respectively.

Unfortunately, two big second-half execution failures by the Frogs sealed their fate.

Midway through the third quarter, TCU, trailing 26-6, marched from its 36-yard line to the Texas four-yard line.

However, four plays by the Frogs, who are 124th in the country in red-zone offense, netted only an additional two yards and the Longhorns took over on downs at their two-yard line.

With 2:06 left in the game, and TCU trailing 29-26, the Frogs had Texas facing a third-and-12 at the Longhorns' 13-yard line.

With the Frogs out of timeouts, TCU's defense needed to deny the Longhorns a first down, to give the Frogs' offense an opportunity to tie the game with a field goal or win the game with a touchdown.

Instead, Ewers completed a 35-yard pass to wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, who had broken free of coverage by TCU cornerback Avery Helm and caught the football while tumbling backwards.

With a first down at their 48-yard line, the Longhorns ran out the clock on the Horned Frogs.

"I'm proud of our guys for fighting back,” said Dykes. “Our team showed a ton of character and mental toughness and fortitude and fight.

“I asked them at halftime to play as hard as they could in the second half and not worry about the score, to just go out and play with an incredible effort and they did that and got themselves back in the game. We were right there and had a chance."

Against TCU, Texas amassed 482 total yards of offense; 317 passing yards and 165 rushing yards. Four Longhorns did the majority of the damage.

Ewers, who returned to action after missing Texas’ last two games because of a shoulder injury, completed 22-of-33 passes. He threw one touchdown pass and the one interception. He was not sacked.

Jonathon Brooks had 178 total yards of offense. He carried the football 22 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns. He caught three passes for 74 yards.

Unfortunately for the Longhorns, in the fourth quarter, Brooks left the game after being tackled by TCU safety Mark Perry. Brooks did not return to game action and left the stadium using crutches.

On the Sunday following the game, Texas announced that Brooks suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He will miss the remainder of the season.

Brooks, a redshirt sophomore in his first season as a starter for the ‘Horns, ranks third in the Big 12 in rushing with 187 carries for 1,139 yards and 10 touchdowns though 10 games.

Worthy, an All-American, caught 10 passes for 137 yards, mostly against coverage by TCU cornerback Josh Newton.

In addition to the crucial reception on third down late in the game, Mitchell caught two other passes for the Longhorns. He had 61 receiving yards and caught one touchdown pass.

The Frogs had 390 total yards of offense; 88 rushing yards and 302 passing yards.

Hoover completed 24-of-36 passes. He threw two touchdown passes and one interception. He was sacked three times, losing 24 rushing yards.

Bailey carried the football 21 times for 98 yards. He scored one rushing touchdown.

Bailey is the fifth-leading rusher in the Big 12. Through 10 games, he has rushed 186 times for 1,006 yards and five touchdowns.

Williams had a career-best game with 11 receptions for 164 yards, including the 14-yard touchdown, for his first 100-yard effort. His seven first-half receptions surpassed his previous high of six catches against BYU earlier this season.

Tight end Jared Wiley, who transferred to TCU from Texas prior to the 2022 season, caught six passes for 65 yards. He had a 46-yard reception, marking a second straight game with his longest catch as a Horned Frog. His career long is 52 yards against TCU while playing for Texas in 2020.

Richardson had three receptions, including a three-yard touchdown on a 4th-and-goal, to give him at least one catch in his last 25 games for the longest active streak on the team.

Defensively, TCU linebacker Jamoi Hodge had a team-best 11 tackles, the second-best game of his career. He had 13 tackles in last year’s win at West Virginia.

TCU safety Abe Camara tied a career high with eight tackles, including one for loss.

Bradford’s interception was his second interception of the season, tying safety Bud Clark for the team lead. Bradford’s interceptions have come in each of the last two home games. He has four career interceptions.

TCU kicker Griffin Kell kicked field goals of 41 and 56 yards, giving him 59 field goals in his career and moving him into sole possession of third place on TCU’s career list.

Kell’s 56-yard field goal was one yard shy of tying the school record of 57 yards, which he shares with Jaden Oberkrom (2015) and Michael Reeder (1996). Kell’s 57-yard field goal came earlier this season against Nicholls.

This Saturday, November 18, TCU will play Baylor in Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 pm (Central). The "Senior Day" game for the Horned Frogs will be televised by Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

This will be an historic game between TCU and Baylor. The teams’ 119th meeting will become the longest-standing college football rivalry in the state of Texas, overtaking Texas and Texas A&M.

In addition, the annual game will be called The Bluebonnet Battle, agreed upon after a months-long initiative led by and formalized through the passage of a resolution by the student government legislatures of both schools.

The name was selected to pay homage to the state of Texas and the prairies in which both schools reside.

The winner of The Bluebonnet Battle will receive a trophy in the shape of a circular battle shield, hand-forged in steel by Baylor alumnus Bryant Stanton of Stanton Studios in Waco, Texas.

The face of the shield features: the logos of both universities; an outline of the state of Texas adorned with bluebonnets on each side and displaying the rivalry’s official name; and the year 1899, when Baylor and TCU first met on the gridiron.

The trophy is two-and-a-half feet wide and rests in a mesquite wooden base, embellished with the lone star of Texas.

“This is a rivalry established by students, for students, and acts as a proud tradition that will be carried on by future generations of TCU Horned Frogs and Baylor Bears,” said Joe Winick, TCU’s Student Body president. “Our sesquicentennial year began with a National Championship appearance and ends with The Bluebonnet Battle.”

The Frogs lead the all-time series 58-53-7.

The Horned Frogs are 28-29-4 at home against the Bears and 30-24-1 on the road. Both neutral-site meetings saw TCU and Baylor play to a tie.

TCU is 11-4 against Baylor since the Southwest Conference dissolved after the 1995 season, including an 8-3 mark in Big 12 play (3-2 in Fort Worth and 5-1 in Waco).

In October 1899, when both campuses were located in Waco, Baylor and TCU met for the first time as crosstown rivals with the game ending in a 0-0 tie. In 1910, TCU moved to Fort Worth and the rivalry continued. The rivalry was put on hold between 1995-2006 when TCU and Baylor joined different conferences.

Over the years, the rivalry has become storied, with 36 shutouts and 44 games ending within seven points. You have to go back to 2017 to find the last time more than 10 points separated the teams.

Four of the last five games between TCU and Baylor have finished within one score, including last year in Waco, when fourth-ranked TCU won, 29-28, on a 40-yard field goal as time expired in the game.

Both teams are experiencing disappointing 2023 seasons.

Baylor has been unable to take advantage of a 2023 schedule featuring eight home games, including the first four games of the season, and five of the first six games.

The Bears are 3-7 overall and 2-5 in the Big 12. They have lost three straight games and four of their past five games.

Baylor has beaten: Long Island, 30-7, in Waco; UCF 36-35, in Orlando; and Cincinnati, 32-29, in Cincinnati.

The Bears have lost to: Texas State, 42-31, in Waco; Utah, 20-13, in Waco; Texas, 38-6, in Waco; Texas Tech, 39-14, in Waco; Iowa State, 30-18, in Waco; Houston, 25-24 OT, in Waco; and Kansas State, 59-25, in Manhattan, Kansas.

Baylor head football coach Dave Aranda is considered to be on the hot seat, with his third disappointing season of the four seasons he has been leading the Bears. However, Aranda is under contract through 2029 and reportedly it would cost Baylor close to $30 million to buy out his contract after this season.

In his first year in Waco, which was the Covid-19-plagued 2020 season, Baylor went 2-7.

In 2021, the Bears went 12-2 overall and 7-2 in the Big 12. Baylor defeated Oklahoma State in the Big 12 Championship Game and Ole Miss, 21-7, in the Sugar Bowl, to finish the season ranked fifth in the country.

Last season, Baylor finished 6-7 overall, 4-5 in the Big 12. The Bears lost to Air Force, 30-15, in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl, played in Amon G. Carter Stadium, in Fort Worth, Texas.

This season, Baylor is averaging scoring 22.9 points a game, which is 99th in the country, and totaling 385.3 yards of total offense per game; 274.2 passing yards and 111.1 rushing yards per game.

Baylor has scored 13 touchdowns through the air and 11 touchdowns on the ground.

The Bears have lost eight-of-14 fumbles and suffered 30 sacks, the most of any Big 12 team.

Baylor is aggressive offensively, converting 18-of-40 fourth-down attempts.

Blake Shapen (#12), a redshirt junior, has returned as Baylor’s starting quarterback after having missed three games due to injury. He has completed 164-of-268 passes for 1,991 yards. He has thrown 12 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He has scored three touchdowns on the ground.

Baylor’s leading receiver is junior wide receiver Monaray Baldwin (#80). He has caught 35 passes for 592 yards. He has four touchdown receptions and a long catch of 71 yards.

Senior tight end Drake Dabney (#89) has caught 27 passes for 452 yards. He has five touchdown receptions and a long catch of 63 yards.

Baylor’s leading rusher is junior running back Dominic Richardson (#21). He has gained 428 yards on 98 rushing attempts. He has no rushing touchdowns and a long run of 32 yards.

Freshman running back Dawson Pendergrass (#35) has carried the football 64 times for 295 yards. He has five rushing touchdowns and a long run of 31 yards.

Sophomore running back Richard Reese (#29) has 264 rushing yards on 60 carries. He has scored two rushing touchdowns and has a long run of 28 yards.

Defensively, Baylor is allowing opponents to score 32.4 points game, which ranks 116th in the country. Opponents are averaging 400.6 yards of total offense per game; 213.7 yards passing and 186.89 yards rushing.

Baylor’s defense has given up 39 touchdowns; 21 on the ground and 18 through the air.

The Bears have recorded only 17 sacks and allowed 11-of-19 fourth-down conversion attempts. The have forced 20 fumbles, recovering eight of them.

Redshirt senior linebacker Matt Jones (#2) leads the Baylor defense with 65 tackles, including three sacks and 10 tackles for loss. He has been credited with four pass breakups and one quarterback-hurry.

Bobby Devyn (#28) has 63 tackles. He has one tackle for loss, one interception and one forced fumble.

Senior outside linebacker Byron Vaughns (#45) has three sacks and six tackles for loss.

Senior defensive lineman TJ Franklin (#9) has 2.5 sacks and five tackles for loss.

Senior defensive lineman Gabe Hall (#95) has two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.

Freshman cornerback Caden Jenkins (#19) leads Baylor with three interceptions. He has three pass breakups and one fumble recovery.

Redshirt junior cornerback Chateau Reed (#21), freshman cornerback Carl Williams IV (#15) and Kyler Jordan (#51) each have one interception.

Freshman Palmer Williams (#94) is Baylor’s punter. He averages 43.03 yards per punt. He has a long punt of 53 yards. He has not had a punt blocked this season.

Redshirt sophomore Isaiah Hankins (#98) is Baylor’s placekicker. He has made 16-of-21 field goal attempts. He has a long field goal of 54 yards. He has had one field goal attempt blocked.

Betting line: TCU is favored by 12.5  points. The over/under is 58.5 points.

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes discusses Baylor: here  

Baylor head coach Dave Aranda discusses TCU: here

With the University of Texas athletic teams moving to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) in 2024, the sun set on Saturday, November 11, for TCU-Texas football games for the foreseeable future. With its 29-26 victory over the Horned Frogs, the Longhorns improved their overall football record with TCU to 65-28-1.

The TCU Army ROTC presented the colors prior to kickoff of the TCU-Texas game.

(photos above and below) The service of US veterans was honored during Veterans Day ceremonies prior to and during the TCU-Texas game.

TCU head football coach Sonny Dykes (right) and Texas head football coach Steve Sarkisian talk prior to kickoff of the TCU-Texas football game.

TCU captains for the game against Texas were (from left to right) Brandon Coleman (#77), former TCU football player and US Army officer Chris Wingate (honorary captain), Josh Newton (#2) and Andrew Coker (#74).

(photos above and below) Here come the Frogs!

(photos above and below) Here come the Longhorns!

TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (#10), TCU offensive coordinator Kendall Briles and the Horned Frogs' offensive staff worked together to produce 390 total offensive yards against the experienced and talented Texas defense in the Frogs' 29-26 loss.

(photos above and below) TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (#10) completed 24-of-36 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns against Texas. He was intercepted once and sacked three times.

Chandler Morris (#4), who was TCU's starting quarterback until he hurt his left knee in the Horned Frogs' October 7 loss at Iowa State, was in uniform and he warmed up on the sideline at various times during TCU's game against Texas, but he did not play against the Longhorns.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver Savion Williams (#3) had a career-best game with 11 receptions for 164 yards. It was his first 100-yard receiving effort. His seven first-half receptions surpassed his previous high of six catches against BYU earlier this season.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver Savion Williams (#3) caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Josh Hoover late in the fourth quarter of TCU's 29-26 loss to Texas.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver PJ Richardson (#7) had three receptions in the game against Texas, to give him at least one catch in his last 25 games for the longest active streak on the team.

(photos above and below) TCU wide receiver PJ Richardson (#7) caught a three-yard touchdown pass from Josh Hoover on a fourth-and-goal play in the fourth quarter. A failed two-point play after the touchdown resulted in TCU trailing Texas 29-19.

(photos above and below) TCU tight end Jared Wiley (#19), who transferred from Texas to TCU prior to last season, caught six passes for 65 yards against his former teammates. He had a long catch of 46 yards, marking a second straight game with his longest catch as a Horned Frog. His career long is 52 yards, against TCU while playing for Texas in 2020.

(photos above and below) The TCU offensive line had a tough day opening running lanes against the Texas defensive line. TCU running back Emani Bailey (#9) rushed 21 times for 98 yards. For the season, he has rushed for 1,006 yards.

(photos above and below) TCU running back Eman Bailey (#9) began TCU's fourth-quarter comeback against Texas with a 17-yard touchdown run early in the final quarter. With the extra point, TCU trailed 26-13.

(photos above and below) Against the Longhorns, TCU kicker Griffin Kell (#39) kicked two first-quarter field goals, a 41-yarder and a 56-yarder. Kell's 56-yard field goal was one yard shy of tying the school record of 57 yards, which he shares with Jaden Oberkrom (2015) and Michael Reeder (1996). Kell’s 57-yard field goal came earlier this season, against Nicholls. Kell has 59 career field goals. He is in third place on TCU’s career field-goal list.

Under the direction of TCU defensive coordinator Joe Gillespie (red shirt), TCU's defense gave up 482 total yards to Texas. The Longhorns did the majority of their damage through the air, with 317 passing yards. Texas added 165 rushing yards.

TCU safety Millard Bradford (#28) intercepted a Texas pass (photo above) in the first quarter. He returned the interception 40 yards before he fumbled the football. Longhorns wide receiver Xavier Worthy recovered the fumbled football (photo below). The ensuing drive by Texas ended in a field goal that gave the 'Horns a 10-6 lead. The interception was Bradford's second of the season, tying him with safety Bud Clark for the team lead. Bradford has four career interceptions.

(photos above and below) TCU's defense forced Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (#3) to fumble a snap, but Ewers was able to recover the fumble.

(photos above and below) TCU linebacker Jamoi Hodge (#6) had a team-best 11 tackles against Texas and running back CJ Baxter (#4). It was Hodge's second-best game of his career, behind only the 13 tackles he had in last year’s win at West Virginia.

Against Texas, TCU safety Abe Camara (#1) tied a career high with eight tackles, including one tackle for loss.

TCU punter Jordy Sandy (#31) punted four times against Texas, averaging 37.5 yards per punt. He had a long punt of 47 yards and had two punts downed inside the Longhorns' 20-yard line.

Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (#3), running back Jonathon Brooks (#24) and tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (#0), along with wide receiver Xavier Worthy, provided the offensive punch that the Longhorns needed to ease past TCU 29-26.

(photos above and below) Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (#3), who returned to action after missing Texas' last two games because of injury, completed 22-of-33 passes for 317 yards against the Horned Frogs. He threw one touchdown pass and one interception. He was not sacked.

(photos above and below) Against TCU, Texas running back Johnathon Brooks (#24) rushed 21 times for 104 yards.

(photos above and below) Texas running back Jonathon Brooks (#24) had two rushing touchdowns in the Longhorns' 29-26 victory over TCU. Brooks had a two-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter and a 22-yard scoring run in the second quarter.

(photo above and below) Early in the fourth quarter, Texas running back Jonathon Brooks (#24) was injured when he was tackled by TCU safety Mark Perry (#3) after a seven-yard run. Brooks did not return to the game.

On the Sunday, November 12, Texas announced that running back Jonathon Brooks (#24) suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee in the Longhorns' 29-26 victory over TCU. He will miss the remainder of the season.

Texas wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (#5) caught a six-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter of the Longhorns' win over TCU. Late in the fourth quarter, Mitchell caught a 35-yard pass on a third-and-12 play from the Texas 13-yard line that enable the 'Horns to run out the clock and leave Amon G. Carter Stadium with a 29-26 victory over the Horned Frogs.

Texas tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders (#0) caught four passes for 47 yards against TCU cornerback Josh Newton (#2) and the Horned Frogs' secondary.

TCU cornerback Josh Newton (#2) and the Horned Frogs' secondary couldn't contain Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy (#1). In Texas' win over the Frogs, Worthy caught 10 passes for 137 yards.

Midway through the fourth quarter, Texas kicker Bert Auburn kicked a 49-yard field goal that proved to be the winning points in Texas' 29-26 win over TCU.

Texas defensive back Terrance Brooks (#8) intercepted a TCU pass late in the first half. Texas capitalized on the takeaway by scoring a touchdown five plays later and taking a 26-6 lead into halftime.

Texas defensive lineman T'Vondre Sweat (#93) celebrates sacking TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (#10), who is assisted by TCU offensive lineman Coltin Deery (#51).

(photos above and below) TCU quarterback Josh Hoover (#10) fumbled the football while being tackled for a loss. Offensive lineman John Lanz (#53) recovered the football for the Horned Frogs.

The traditional Riff-Ram video played during the TCU-Texas game featured Bruce Bochy and Mike Maddux, manager and pitching coach, respectively, of the World Series champion Texas Rangers.

TCU's next game is against Baylor on Saturday, November 18, in Amon G. Carter Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 pm (Central). The game will be televised by Big 12 Now, on ESPN+.

(photos above and below) Saturday’s game between TCU and Baylor will be the 119th meeting between the two teams, becoming the longest-standing college football rivalry in the state of Texas, overtaking Texas and Texas A&M. In addition, the annual game will be called The Bluebonnet Battle, agreed upon after a monthslong initiative led by the student governments of both schools. The name was selected to pay homage to the state of Texas and the prairies in which both schools reside. The winner of The Bluebonnet Battle will receive a trophy in the shape of a circular battle shield, hand-forged in steel by Baylor alumnus Bryant Stanton of Stanton Studios in Waco, Texas. The face of the shield features: the logos of both universities; an outline of the state of Texas adorned with bluebonnets on each side and boldly displaying the rivalry’s official name; and the year 1899, when Baylor and TCU first met on the gridiron. The trophy is two-and-a-half feet wide and rests in a mesquite wooden base, embellished with the lone star of Texas.