Through all — the good, the bad, the funny and the sad, the Lariat was there. Here are 12 major moments in Lariat history, hand plucked from the archives.

Fall is here, homecoming is around the corner and the Livingstones hosted their annual homecoming dinner for the Baylor community on Wednesday evening. Food trucks lined Third Street, grills were fired up and students lined up from Allbritton House to Marrs McLean.

Half a century ago, Baylor Homecoming celebrations included barricade kissing, snake dancing and “Hawny Frog” skits, trading elaborate floats for simple wagons and buggies. Today, much like 1909, the bonfire still burns bright, a pep rally flings green and gold afar, the parade bridges downtown Waco and campus and, of course, the football game is a staple. Decades of Baylor Homecoming shine brightly in their similarities, with some crown jewels fading into the archives.

Win or lose, each organization’s float represents hours of hard work, creativity and collaboration on the part of Greek life members. As they carve their annual path around campus on homecoming, those who have put in the work express feelings of fulfillment and familial pride.

Every fall, Baylor Homecoming begins in the heart of campus, where the glow of the Eternal Flame stretches across Fountain Mall. The Ten at Ten: A Mass Meeting Experience marks the start of the weekend as a moment when the Baylor Family gathers to celebrate tradition, renew community and reflect on the university’s motto: “Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo” — “For the Church, for Texas, for the World.”

Generation after generation, Baylor students continue to return to the campus their parents called home. For these families, homecoming is more than just a campus tradition; it is a celebration of a legacy.

Depending on when they graduated, Baylor alumni will give you a different profile of their time in Waco. From year to year, those differences might be as small as a better football record or a few new faculty, but when you compare Baylor of the 1970s to the campus we call home today, the two schools are vastly different.

“One of the early leaders of the Dr Pepper Museum was a Baylor alumnus,” Summar-Smith said. “He was a Dr Pepper drinker for many years, Wilton Lanning. So I think Waco has a lot of identity in Dr Pepper and a lot of identity in Baylor, and so they’re just a natural partnership.”

As Baylor prepares for Homecoming and Pigskin Revue returns to Waco Hall, Greg Rogers’ artistry will once again take center stage — quietly, from behind the scenes.

For many Baylor alumni, homecoming is more than just a fun weekend — it’s a return to the community, traditions and people who formed their college years. And for some, it’s also a cure for something familiar to most post-grads — the fear of missing out.

Football is a staple of Baylor’s Homecoming — the oldest such tradition in the nation. Throughout the longstanding institution, there have been numerous memorable moments that magnify the occasion.

In the midst of the homecoming festivities, the Nu Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and the National Pan-Hellenic Council are bringing a stroll-off to campus on Friday from 7-9 p.m. at the Bill Daniel Student Center.

Terry Terracino rang in her 70th anniversary of being Baylor Homecoming Queen by riding in a glimmering black Corvette in the 2024 homecoming parade. Her daughter, Gretchen McCormack, and granddaughter, Dr. Arden Roeder, stood gleefully watching as they, too, celebrated their legacies at Baylor.

“It brings both Baylor’s campus and the Waco community together to celebrate our shared history,” Chiles said. “The alumni of the past are allowed to come watch an hour and a half long parade that showcases the best of Baylor and Waco.”

In just a few days, Baylor’s 116th celebration of homecoming will commence, ringing in all the craziness and excitement that comes with it every year. Events like Pigskin Revue, the parade and the football game are long-awaited and long prepared for, with students putting in the work toward these events for months prior.

Homecoming is a celebration — a time to gather, get to know one another, share ideas and memories and have fun. Ultimately, I always knew that homecoming was an opportunity, but I never knew it as a blessing until COVID-19.

Soon, streets will be decorated with golden lights and families will gather around bushels of green and gold. No, it’s not Christmas time; it’s Baylor Homecoming! Whether you’re a die-hard football fan or prefer stopping by the bonfire with friends, it’s essential to set a musical tone for your weekend. Here are five songs to add to your homecoming playlist.

School spirit is set to take over Waco Hall this week as Pigskin Revue returns to kick off Baylor’s homecoming festivities. The curtain rises Thursday for the three-day production, which reprises the top-scoring acts from last spring’s All-University Sing.

“It is great having family tradition in the same school,” Linda said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from. You still see people you know, everyone coming together. Ever since we graduated, we’ve come back to homecoming just about every year.”

A sea of green and gold flooded the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center Friday afternoon, marking the Class of 1974 “Golden Grads” Homecoming reunion.

The night before the Homecoming parade, Baylor prefaced their event with a post on X revealing the winning floats. While there is an element of competition to the floats, these float chairs agree that for them, the homecoming parade which is the longest-standing in the nation’s history goes beyond obtaining a ranking.

Behind the most rushing yards in a single game in three years, Baylor football snapped an eight-game home losing streak to Big 12 opponents, knocking off Oklahoma State 38-28 on Saturday at McLane Stadium.

On Jan. 22, 1927, a tragic bus-train collision near Round Rock took the lives of ten Baylor basketball players. These young men were more than just athletes; they were cherished members of the Baylor community.

While homecoming only lasts a week, several months of planning and preparation are put in by the Baylor Chamber of Commerce to ensure that these traditions will run smoothly and be memorable for the Baylor community.

Homecoming is upon us! Here is the ultimate list of happenings to attend during your weekend. From rallies to revues, performances to pumpkin patches, games to gatherings this lineup assures none will be bored. The question is: can you hit them all?

Homecoming weekend is one of the most stand-out traditions at Baylor. Whether you’re attending the parade, watching the bonfire, or front row at the football game, choosing the perfect outfit is key. You get to express yourself and your identity among your fellow students, all while celebrating the history of your future alma mater.

Whether you’re drawn to the fun of the fraternity floats, the intensity of the bonfire, the stakes of the football game, or the high-energy Pigskin Revue, your favorite Baylor Homecoming tradition might just reveal a lot about you.

To aid in their efforts, BUPD utilizes over 2,000 cameras across campus, enhancing their ability to monitor large crowds and respond to potential threats.

Today is the day when some of the best acts from February’s All-University Sing will return to Waco Hall for the annual Pigskin Revue. Tonight at 7 p.m. — opening night — Kappa Omega Tau, Chi Omega, Phi Kappa Chi, Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Sing Alliance will take to the stage.

Every homecoming matters. Whether it is your first Baylor Homecoming, your second, third or even 20th, we can gain more precious moments here in the place we spent years calling home. Even when new traditions are formed, we can always appreciate looking back at past homecomings with fondness, and these memories grow more dear the older we become.