After several matchups in the 1950s, the two teams played each other every year from 1976 to 1995, when both schools were part of the now-defunct Southwest Conference.[3] The rivalry was especially competitive from 1976 to 1986, when Hall of Fame coaches Grant Teaff (Baylor) and Bill Yeoman (Houston) were coaching against each other, with Yeoman holding a 6–4–1 edge over Teaff in the head-to-head.[4][5]
After the breakup of the Southwest Conference, the two teams would not play each other again until 2023, when Houston joined Baylor in the Big 12 Conference.[6][7] Despite not playing each other in that time frame, the rivalry was still contentious, as Houston fans felt that Baylor had taken their spot in the creation of the Big 12 back in 1996 by leveraging their state political connections at the time so as to not be left out of the conference.[8][9][10][11]
Notable games
September 11, 1976: In what was Houston's first game as a member of the Southwest Conference, the Cougars would come away with a 23–5 win over Baylor on their way to the conference title in their first year in the league.[12]
November 4, 2023: Playing each other for the first time since the breakup of the Southwest Conference, Houston defeated Baylor 25–24 in overtime thanks to a game-winning two-point conversion run from quarterback Donovan Smith.[13]
Game results
Rankings are from the AP Poll released prior to the game.
