By Jeffrey Cohen | Sports Writer
Beginning in 1909, Baylor laid claim to the oldest homecoming in the nation. A football game has long been a staple of the storied tradition, along with a pep rally, bonfire and parade.
Baylor football stands at 51-43-4 all-time in homecoming games, including 17 wins in 35 contests against its most common opponent, TCU. The Bears are coming off a 38-28 win over Oklahoma State in last year’s matchup. Here are five of Baylor’s most memorable homecoming football moments.
1909: Baylor defeats TCU 6-3
With alumni returning to campus, students held a rally and bonfire the night before the game to inspire the team ahead of its matchup against rival TCU.
The Bears were set to close the 1909 season against TCU in the teams’ third meeting that season. The Horned Frogs won the first two games 9-0 and 11-0, but Baylor had historically fared well in what was dubbed the Thanksgiving Day game, having lost only twice in those contests since 1898.
Roughly 5,000 fans packed Carroll Field, now known as Fountain Mall. The Bears were inspired by their success over the past few seasons and the support of hundreds of alumni who returned to campus.
Baylor played the better game through the first 10 minutes, but the Horned Frogs kicked a field goal to take a 3-0 lead. Then, 14 minutes into the second half, the Bears scored a touchdown with a successful extra point to jump ahead 6-3. There was no more scoring for the rest of the game, and “the old bell pealed forth the glad tones of victory.”
The occasion marked the first time Baylor alumni returned to their alma mater for the Thanksgiving Day game, and the festivities around it marked the first homecoming, predating Missouri’s 1911 and Illinois’ 1910 claims.
1924: Baylor defeats Texas A&M 15-7
After the original homecoming in 1909, there would not be another one until 1915, and then not again until 1924, likely because of cost concerns.
In front of a crowd of 20,000 at the Texas Cotton Palace, the Bears prepared to take on the Texas A&M Aggies for their first Homecoming in nine years.
Following a scoreless first quarter, a penalty gave the ball to the Aggies on Baylor’s 30-yard line. They scored first on a 30-yard touchdown pass to take a 7-0 lead. The Bears tried to work their way down the field but failed to score before halftime.
Baylor scored a rushing touchdown and missed the extra point on its first drive of the second half. The Bears took the lead soon after with a 63-yard scoop-and-score, followed by a blocked extra point to lead 12-7. They kicked a 43-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter to secure the 15-7 win over Texas A&M.
The matchup marked the third homecoming football game in Baylor history and began the annual tradition. Baylor has played in 97 homecoming matchups since 1924, missing only 1944 (World War II) and 2020 (COVID-19).
2006: Baylor defeats Kansas 36-35
The Bears struggled on homecoming heading into their 2006 game against Kansas. They were in the midst of an eight-game homecoming losing streak dating back to 1998. Baylor, then 3-4, was facing off against an evenly-matched Kansas team that held the same record in 2006.
Both squads started the game with touchdowns on their opening drives. The Jayhawks jumped ahead with a 28-yard pick-six.
The second quarter was all Kansas. The Jayhawks outscored the Bears 21-10 behind three touchdowns, a forced fumble and a Baylor missed field goal to go ahead 35-17.
After an empty third quarter, the Bears started to rally. Quarterback Shawn Bell threw his second interception of the game to start the final quarter. Feeling down and out, Bell and the offense regrouped. They strung together three consecutive touchdown drives to take a 36-35 lead with only one minute left in regulation.
A Dwain Crawford interception completed the dramatic 18-point comeback to end the program’s longest homecoming losing streak — marking the Bears’ first homecoming win since their 23-21 victory over Texas in 1997.
2013: Baylor defeats Iowa State 71-7
Baylor was looking to make its last season at Floyd Casey Stadium one to remember. The Bears started the season 5-0 and scored a combined 108 points in their first two conference games. Iowa State limped into the Bears’ homecoming game, riding in at 1-4.
Through the first fifteen minutes, the Baylor faithful knew it would be a special night. After punting on their first drive, the Bears rattled off two touchdowns and a field goal to jump ahead 17-0 at the end of the first quarter. They continued to lay it on the Cyclones, reaching the end zone twice and making two more field goals to lead 37-0 at halftime.
The third quarter was Baylor’s slowest. The Bears started with a Bryce Petty 6-yard rushing touchdown and finished with a 52-yard punt return touchdown from Levi Norwood to extend their lead to 51-0. They tallied two more rushing touchdowns before Iowa State got on the board with 1:14 remaining in the game. Corey Coleman answered with a 97-yard kickoff return to cap off the onslaught at 71-7 and secure Baylor’s program-record 10th straight win.
The game marked Baylor’s largest margin of victory on homecoming at 64 points. The previous record was set in a 51-0 shutout win over TCU in 1915.
2019: Baylor defeats Texas Tech 33-30 in 2OT
Coming into its 2019 homecoming game, Baylor found itself at 6-0 overall and 2-0 in the Big 12. On the other side stood a surging Texas Tech team coming off a major 45-35 victory over No. 21 Oklahoma State, which saw quarterback Jett Duffey throw for a season-high 424 yards.
After a quiet first half, in which the Red Raiders led 6-3, Baylor scored two touchdowns and Texas Tech scored one to open the third quarter. After multiple empty drives, the Red Raiders scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:37 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Bears ripped down the field on an 11-play, 89-yard drive that ended in a field goal to send the game to overtime.
Both squads made a splash in the first overtime, scoring touchdowns to make it a 27-27 game. In the second overtime, Baylor’s defense was able to stop running back SaRodorick Thompson from converting on third-and-16, forcing a field goal.
The Bears worked the ball in only three plays, ending with a JaMycal Hasty 5-yard touchdown run to secure Baylor’s first overtime win on homecoming.
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The Bears will look to make more homecoming memories at 11 a.m. Saturday at McLane Stadium, when they’ll kick off their 98th homecoming game against UCF. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU.
