Revivalry week adds fuel to the fire for Baylor

Revivalry week adds fuel to the fire for Baylor Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email By Bennett Parker | Sports Writer There is a level of agitation fueling Baylor football ahead of the TCU game. “I just don’t like them; none of us do,” senior safety Micah Gifford said. The Bears will butt heads in the Revivalry game with the Horned Frogs on Saturday. Returners and newcomers alike are not taking the opportunity for granted. Baylor (4-1, 2-0 Big 12) has just one win over TCU (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) in the last six seasons. The Bears are ready to flip the script and defend the home turf, keeping the slim 35-34-1 margin when playing in Waco. “We gotta go out there and win,” Gifford said. “We haven’t had the most success against TCU in my time here, and I feel like it’s about time that changes. … You just feel like [Aranda] really wants this.” The Bears under head coach Dave Aranda have struggled against the Frogs, and Aranda has taken it upon himself to educate his squad on what this game means. “I’ve been instructing our team about what this [rivalry] means and how long this has been going on,” Aranda said. “Particularly for us, what the last seven or 10 years have looked like in this rivalry … It’s very important to hear from so many people what this means.” There are a lot of new pieces joining the program. Among them is fifth-year wide receiver Louis Brown IV, who transferred from San Diego State in 2025 and has been compatible with the Baylor offense, already notching three touchdowns in 2026. While he didn’t appear in the matchup last year, Brown is itching to line up against TCU. “Man, I’m ready to win,” Brown said when asked about the rivalry. “I’m ready to go out there and beat them. … Since I’ve been here, I just know it’s a big rival team. I’ve been in rivals before at my previous college, and rivals are a big game. So you have to come ready to win when somebody comes to your home.” Games like these carry extra weight for both fans and players. Brown said it would mean “everything” for him to snag another touchdown against the Frogs and help out the team. TCU has had a rocky start to the season, and Baylor is fired up. The Horned Frogs have been competitive in their three losses, falling by a combined 20 points. The Bears need to stay level-headed against the pesky opponent. “It doesn’t matter what their record is coming into this game,” Gifford said. “Looking at it, it’s still a nameless, faceless opponent. We are going to prepare the same every week. … Every team is a good team.” The Bears’ trouncing of Arizona State in their strongest all-around performance of the season has earned them a blackout home game under the floodlights this weekend, but there is still plenty of meat left on the bone for Baylor. “We’re not done becoming who we can become yet,” Aranda said. “We haven’t done anything yet … When you look at someone that’s the underdog, they’re out there doing it against all types of odds. I think that’s this team.” Baylor is hoping for a packed house against TCU at 6 p.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium. Baylor bears Baylor Football Dave Aranda Louis Brown IV Micah Gifford rivalry sports