No. 13 Baylor, TCU all tied up in 117-year-old series

WACO, Texas (AP) The longest-played series for both No. 13 Baylor and TCU really can't get any tighter.

Going into their 112th meeting Saturday, the Bears have won 52 times - and the Horned Frogs have won 52 times. Their other seven matchups have ended in ties, including a scoreless game in their inaugural meeting in 1899.

Things haven't changed much since the old Southwest Conference rivals reunited in the Big 12 four years ago. They have split those four games, and the last three have been decided by a combined 13 points.

While TCU (4-4, 2-3 Big 12) is still trying to get bowl eligible, the Bears (6-1, 3-1) are still in control of their Big 12 fate despite coming off their first loss of the season.

''It's a hard thing to get over a loss, but I think that we're determined to get back to the winning record,'' Baylor linebacker Aiavion Edwards said. ''I think that the loss won't change much, and we're going to be a very determined team coming into this week.''

Baylor quarterback Seth Russell has been cleared to play after having to go through concussion protocol early in the week. He started feeling nauseated at dinner after the 35-34 loss at Texas, where he took plenty of hits while running a career-high 21 times and getting sacked six times - he had been sacked only three times combined in the first six games.

''I don't think we took a step back at all,'' center Kyle Fuller said. ''We played very physical football and that was really the whole point of that game.''

TCU's defense is coming off its best performance of the season, holding national passing leader Patrick Mahomes to 209 yards and the Red Raiders to only 17 points in regulation. But the Frogs fell 27-24 in their second double-overtime loss this season.

The Frogs have lost consecutive games for the first time since 2013, and their Big 12 wins have been over Kansas and Iowa State - neither of which has won a conference game. Three of their losses this season have been by six points or fewer.

''We need to find a way to win a close one,'' TCU coach Gary Patterson said. ''You've got to find a way.''

Some other things in the latest meeting between the Big 12's two private schools:

BACK TO THE BRAZOS: This is only TCU's second trip to Baylor's campus stadium on the banks of the Brazos River. In the stadium's inaugural season two years ago, the Frogs had a 21-point lead in the fourth quarter. The Bears rallied and won 61-58 on a game-ending field goal. That was TCU's only loss that season. The Frogs and Bears ended up as Big 12 co-champs, but both one-loss teams were bypassed for the first four-team College Football Playoff that season.

HEALING HORNED FROGS: TCU leading rusher Kyle Hicks injured his ankle early on the opening series last week against Texas Tech, and defensive end Josh Carraway missed that game with an ankle injury. Both are expected to play against Baylor. Plus, sophomore playmaker KaVontae Turpin should get more involved in the offensive game plan after being limited last week in his return from a left knee injury.

SWITCHING BACK? TCU made an in-game quarterback switch last week with struggling starter Kenny Hill getting replaced by Foster Sawyer. Patterson said more than once this week that Hill would probably be the starter again, but he also said both quarterbacks could play. Patterson also said more consistent play from the outside receivers would help either quarterback be better.

NO ART: Much of the intrigue in the rivalry the past decade centered around Patterson's defense against Art Briles' offense, and the fact that the two coaches really didn't like each other. But Briles is no longer at Baylor, and Bears acting head coach Jim Grobe considers Patterson a friend. ''We'll enjoy seeing each other before the game,'' Grobe said. ''But during the game we'll try to knock each other down as much as we can.'' Patterson believes the TCU-Baylor rivalry has helped the Big 12 and both schools.

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