BYU football: Cougars rivalry with TCU may be ending

PROVO — Just when the BYU-TCU rivalry was picking up steam, it appears it could come screeching to a halt.

Some might argue that the rivalry between the Cougars and Horned Frogs has diminished, considering TCU has outscored BYU by a combined score of 70-14 the past two seasons. And this time around, the No. 4 Frogs are 6-0 and are eyeing a national championship while the Cougars are 2-4 and have just snapped a four-game losing streak after last week's win over San Diego State.

But there's no doubt that the two programs have shared an intriguing, colorful history in five years as members of the Mountain West Conference. Since 2005, the two teams have won two outright MWC championships apiece.

With the Cougars jumping to independence next season, and reports that TCU could join the Big East, nobody knows if the two will ever meet again after Saturday's game in Fort Worth.

In TCU's inaugural season in the league in 2005, the Frogs won an epic battle, 51-50, in overtime at LaVell Edwards Stadium. The following year, BYU exacted revenge with a 31-17 victory in Fort Worth as the Cougars ended the No. 15 Frogs' 13-game winning streak.

BYU won, 27-22, the next season. In 2008, TCU crushed BYU, 32-7, smashing the No. 9 Cougars' BCS hopes and stopping their 16-game winning streak.

A year ago in Provo, the Frogs dominated again, 38-7, in a contest highlighted by ESPN College GameDay's first visit to Provo.

"Any rivalry normally comes with any type of reasons, but this one kind of has developed because the games have been so close," said coach Bronco Mendenhall. "You're normally competing for bowl game slots and conference championships. So I think that's how the rivalry generated some interest, just because of how the teams are playing."

Regarding the Cougars and Frogs playing again someday Mendenhall said, "It will probably have to do with just the ability to schedule and how that fits into what goes on in the future."

TCU coach Gary Patterson has been outspoken on the topic of teams leaving the MWC, including Utah's imminent departure to the Pac-10. When news of BYU going independent broke in August, Patterson bristled. "If you're BYU, you better be careful what you wish for. It's not my job to worry about what Utah does, what BYU does, but I can tell you this: If you think being an independent is an easier way to get to a national championship, you're kidding yourself."

Asked about those comments this week, Patterson toned down his ire.