THE BLUEBONNET BATTLE: BEARS, FROGS AND BAD BLOOD

FORT WORTH, Texas (FOX 44) — Fort Worth’s Westcliff neighborhood and nearby Amon G. Carter Boulevard aren’t shaking yet — but by noon Saturday, they just might be. The Baylor Bears and their high-powered offense are rolling into town for the annual backyard battle with the TCU Horned Frogs — a matchup that’s part football, part family feud and 100% Texas chaos. The Bluebonnet Battle is back, baby — where Baptists meet Frogs, bragging rights hang in the balance and Amon G. Carter Stadium transforms into the loudest lily pad in the Big 12.

This isn’t your polite “good-luck-brother” kind of rivalry. Baylor wants revenge, TCU wants redemption and both schools are about as subtle as a marching band in a library. The last two meetings were decided by a field goal, and every year the stakes feel less like “who wins” and more like “who has to hear about it until next Thanksgiving.”

You can almost hear the Horned Frogs ribbiting: “Welcome to our swamp, Bears — bring your sunscreen.” Meanwhile, Baylor’s back is stiffened, ready to snap. TCU leads the all-time series 59-54-7. That gives them bragging rights — but not enough to get comfortable, and Baylor wants to steal the crown back.

Baylor’s 2025 season has been a rom-com where the lead flips between hero and zero. The Bears lost to Auburn to open, then won in overtime over SMU, then blew up Samford. They slipped at Arizona State but torched Oklahoma State for 612 yards and 8.3 per play — basically treating the Cowboys’ defense like a scout team at recess. In their latest battle, Baylor trailed 31-17 going into the final quarter, then ripped off an 18-3 run and finessed a 35-34 win. Quarterback Sawyer Robertson went 25 of 39 for 345 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Receiver Michael Trigg hauled in eight catches for 155 yards. If Baylor were a movie, we’re entering the third act — the part where the underdog starts believing its own soundtrack.

TCU, for its part, is strutting into the game with swagger — and plenty of horn to blow. The Frogs took out North Carolina, Abilene Christian and SMU in lopsided fashion, ran into Arizona State trouble, then beat Colorado with a furious fourth quarter and four takeaways. But last week’s game against Kansas State was a mess: they lost 41-28 despite quarterback Josh Hoover torching defenses for 376 yards and three scores. Two interceptions, though, proved that Frogs sometimes slip on lily pads.

When it comes to offense, Baylor is flexing — 494 yards per game, top 10 in the FBS, with a robust passing attack. The Bears average 36 points a game while allowing about 30. TCU isn’t far behind, but its rushing game is timid, sitting around 116 yards per outing. The defense? More screen door than steel door, especially against the run.

What’s wild is how often Baylor-TCU games are decided by a field goal or less. Forty-five of their meetings have come down to seven points or fewer. Close doesn’t begin to describe it — it’s been a tug-of-war for more than 120 games. In 2024, Baylor won 37-34 on a final kick. The year before, TCU stole it 29-28 on its own buzzer-beater. You don’t predict blowouts here — you predict heart palpitations.

So when the dust settles Saturday and the echoes of the Frog Horn fade, one side will claim bragging rights and the other will be pricing new televisions. Because this isn’t just the Bluebonnet Battle — it’s the richest rivalry money can buy… literally. Private-school pride, million-dollar facilities and enough trust funds in the stands to buy every Whataburger in Texas. When it’s over, the Frogs will be croaking happy or the Bears will be growling all the way down I-35, leaving Fort Worth with a hangover that smells like burnt turf and six-figure tuition.

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