PROVO — Prior to the 2005 season when TCU joined the Mountain West Conference, BYU had played the Horned Frogs four times. The most memorable meeting was a 1987 game played in Fort Worth, Texas, that featured a massive infestation of crickets on the football field by the fourth quarter.

But as No. 10 TCU prepares to invade LaVell Edwards Stadium Saturday (5:30 p.m., Versus) to face the No. 18 Cougars, there's since been a storied history between the two programs that transcends an insect invasion of Biblical proportions.

The two teams have split their four meetings dating back to '05, including a 51-50 overtime TCU win with a controversial ending four years ago in Provo, and last year's dominating 32-7 TCU victory in Fort Worth.

Since 2005, the Frogs have won one conference championship and the Cougars have claimed two. Over the span of four short years, no doubt, this series has resembled a rivalry.

"I think we acknowledge (the rivalry) because they've clearly made it so," said BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall. "From what I understand of (TCU) having a blocking dummy or something in their locker room with our helmet on it. I don't think that happens unless there is some respect, I guess is what I'll call it."

Then again, Mendenhall added that practically every team in the league considers the Cougars a rival because of BYU's success over the past three decades.

Adding to the intrigue of this year's BYU-TCU showdown? ESPN's College GameDay crew will be descending on Provo this weekend, the Frogs are eyeing a BCS berth, and both teams are nationally ranked for the second straight year.

Mendenhall said his team is "excited" for "another occasion to rise to. … There's a lot of attention that will be on our game versus TCU, as there should be. I think it's two very good opponents with a chance to compete for a conference championship."

The hype and excitement surrounding Saturday's game against TCU is similar to Rivalry Week, according to BYU linebacker Terrance Hooks.

"TCU is a great team," he said. "My first experience with TCU was when I was a redshirt freshman (in 2005). When we lost that game, my emotions were comparable to that loss against Utah (later) that season. This can be compared to a rivalry. When you play a team over and over throughout the years, I think you do develop a rivalry, especially when that team you're playing against is so good and you have a good team yourself. There's a lot of emotion that goes into it. A rivalry is formed through that."