With Brigham Young University’s departure from the Mountain West Conference this season in a bid to go independent in football, it turns out the Frogs will still have a chance to play the Cougars before the Frogs depart to the Big East Conference in 2012.
The Frogs will play BYU next season at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington on Oct. 28 8212; this time BYU will fill a nonconference void Texas Tech left in the Frogs’ schedule after the Red Raiders backed out of their game with TCU for the second straight year.
The TCU-BYU game will be the second year in a row the Frogs play a nonconference game at Cowboys Stadium 8212; the Frogs defeated then-No. 24 Oregon State 30-21 in the Frogs’ 2010 season opener.
As a member of the MWC, TCU went 4-2 against BYU and defeated the Cougars 31-3 last season.
“We’re very excited about our nonconference schedule, especially with being able to maintain some old and new rivalries for us,” TCU football coach Gary Patterson said in a TCU Athletics release. “Between our home schedule and being able to play BYU at Cowboys Stadium, we’re pleased that our fans will have seven opportunities to see us in the Metroplex.”
The Frogs will also continue rivalries against former conference foes in 2011. TCU will open up the season at Baylor on Sept. 3. The Bears, TCU’s former Southwest Conference rival, have yet to beat the Frogs since TCU was left out of the Big 12 Conference in 1996. TCU is 3-0 against the Bears since exiting the Southwest Conference, while the Frogs lead the all-time series 50-49-7.
The Frogs will play their first home matchup against Louisiana-Monroe on Sept. 13, followed by Portland State on Sept. 24. It will be the first time the Frogs face either LMU or Portland State.
TCU will continue its Battle for the Iron Skillet rivalry against Southern Methodist University on Oct. 1 at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The Frogs have not lost to the Mustangs since 2005 and have won 10 of their last 11 meetings against SMU.
The dates of the Horned Frogs’ MWC contests will be announced by the league office this spring, according to TCU Athletics. TCU will host Colorado State, New Mexico and UNLV while traveling to Air Force, Boise State, San Diego State and Wyoming.
With TCU’s departure to the Big East in 2012, it’s uncertain if and when TCU will play many of its current MWC rivals after the 2011 season.
