TCU heads into Saturday’s matchup at McLane Stadium needing more than a rivalry win. The Horned Frogs are 2-3 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play, and after a bye week they’re trying to shake off a 17-10 loss to BYU on Oct. 3 and get their season moving in the right direction.
Baylor, meanwhile, comes in at 4-1 and 2-0 in the league, riding a four-game winning streak into “The Revivalry.” Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, with FS1 carrying the game and streaming available on FOX One.
Here’s the full game-day setup for TCU vs. Baylor:
Matchup: TCU Horned Frogs at Baylor Bears
Records: TCU 2-3, 0-2 Big 12; Baylor 4-1, 2-0 Big 12
Date: Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
Kickoff: 6 p.m. CT / 7 p.m.
ET
Location: McLane Stadium in Waco, Texas
TV: FS1
Streaming: FOX One
TCU Radio: KZPS 92.5 FM
Spanish-Language Radio: KAMV-FM 107.1-2 and KLNO-FM 94.1-2
TCU Audio Streaming: The Varsity Network App
Baylor Radio: Baylor Sports Media Network, with John Morris (play-by-play), Geff Gandy (analyst) and Bryson Jackson (sideline)
TCU’s last outing left plenty to clean up. The defense kept the Frogs in striking distance against a top-10 BYU team, but the offense never found enough consistency to match it. That same split can’t hold up against Baylor.
Saturday’s challenge looks familiar for TCU’s defense, which will again be dealing with a talented quarterback in DJ Lagway. Baylor’s offense brings enough firepower to punish mistakes, and the Frogs will need a cleaner effort on that side of the ball to keep the game in reach.
On offense, TCU has to do more with its possessions. The bye week should have given the staff time to sort out protection issues, reduce mistakes and find a steadier rhythm around Jaden Craig. The formula is simple: sustain drives, finish them with points, and stop leaning so heavily on the defense to do the heavy lifting.
There are also injury situations worth watching. Kari Ashley and Jeremy Scott were both listed as probable in the Wednesday availability report covered by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Ashley has become a key option for Craig, so TCU would have to adjust if he’s limited.
Kicker Kyle Lemmermann was listed as questionable in that same report, with Nate McCashland handling kicking duties in his absence. Baylor had notable names of its own on the report, including defensive lineman Devonte Tezino and wide receiver Ashton Jones, both listed out.
Those statuses can still change before kickoff, so the latest Big 12 availability report matters. Fans heading to Waco should also keep an eye on the forecast, and plan ahead for parking, stadium entry and the Interstate 35 drive.
Baylor is branding the night as “Blackout on the Brazos,” and the Bears have also announced drone displays between the third and fourth quarters and after the game. Anyone hoping to catch the postgame show will need to stay inside McLane Stadium.
In Other News...
Baylors Defense Could Decide Everything In This TCU Rivalry Test
After the bye week, TCU comes back into a rivalry game that feels like more than just another step on the schedule. The Horned Frogs are 2-3 and still searching for their first conference win, so there is no hiding from the urgency as they head into a matchup with Baylor that should say plenty about where this team stands. The offensive line will be under a microscope, especially with the Bears bringing the kind of defense that can turn a game into a grind.
On the other side, TCUs own defense remains central to how this turns out, with Andy Avalos group carrying a big share of the load. This is the sort of game where character, discipline and resilience tend to matter as much as scheme, and it gives the Frogs a chance to show whether the bye week helped them reset before a pivotal stretch. Rivalry games often live on small edges, and this one should be no different. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor-TCU Simulation Reveals One Exciting Edge And One Big Concern
KillerFrogs weekly EA SPORTS College Football 27 simulation has become a quirky little barometer for the TCU-Baylor matchup, and this weeks run gave Horned Frogs fans a mixed preview. The game played out with both offenses finding room, as TCU got notable work from Jaden Craig and Jeremy Payne while Baylors attack also moved efficiently enough to keep the pressure on throughout.
For TCU, the simulation offered one encouraging sign and one obvious worry. The Frogs showed they can generate points and keep pace in a shootout setting, but Baylors edge on the scoreboard pointed to the kind of defensive stress TCU will want to avoid when the real thing arrives. It is still just a video game, of course, but it did underline why this rivalry always feels like it could swing on a few explosive plays either way. [Read more 🡒]
Baylor Faces A TCU Showdown With Real Pressure On Aranda
The 122nd Baylor-TCU meeting carries the usual rivalry baggage, but this one also arrives with a different kind of edge. Baylor comes in trying to steady itself after a turbulent stretch, and the matchup has taken on added weight because a win would do more than just settle bragging rights for a week. For TCU fans, it is another reminder that this series rarely plays out cleanly, no matter what the records say.
What makes this installment so intriguing is how much it looks like it could come down to small margins and one or two timely plays. Baylor still has a path to improve its standing in the Big 12, and the pregame talk has centered on the kind of disciplined, physical game that often defines this rivalry. However it unfolds, the result is likely to say as much about where Baylor is headed as it does about who claims another chapter in one of college footballs most unpredictable series. [Read more 🡒]