Fort Worth is home to the Texas Christian Horned Frogs – a football program decorated in history and tradition. TCU has been snapping the pigskin since 1896, and gameday in Fort Worth offers a perfect blend of modern traditions and timeless classics that have lasted generations.
In the three hours leading up to kickoff, the main street outside Amon G. Carter Stadium shuts down to make way for Frog Alley. A flurry of festivities ignite gameday on this purple painted thoroughfare highlighted by the TCU team arriving on scene and being welcomed by the Horned Frog faithful. The marching band, cheerleaders, and TCU Showgirls add further fanfare to the spectacle.
Once inside the stadium, folks are greeted with the tradition-rich sights and sounds of college football. Right before the team’s entrance, fans of all ages are allowed to run the field from goal line to goal line – a thrill that bonds Horned Frog devotees to their cherished football program. The beloved mascot, Super Frog, entertains with his playful antics on the sidelines. The Horned Frog moniker has been linked to TCU since 1897, and while the mascot rotated through some variations over the years, Super Frog has become a face of this university.
With each TCU score, 120 decibels of train-horn power blare out of a purple coated machine behind the end zone. The ear-rattling blast has filled the Fort Worth air since 1994, and it’s hard to imagine gameday without it. The more modern Frog Horn is complimented by a spirited chant dating back to the 1920s. Riff Ram has stood the test of time and can be heard all throughout gameday:
Riff, Ram, Bah, Zoo
Lickety, Lickety, Zoo, Zoo
Who, Wah, Wah, Who
Give ’em Hell, TCU!
The fervent build up of this battle cry hollered in unison unites a fan base through decades of gridiron magic. That’s what traditions like these provide. They are a reminder of why places like TCU help to raise college football on a level high above all other sports.
TCU may occasionally fall in the shadows of Texas A&M, Texas, and Oklahoma, but when folks ask me about places they should visit that don’t get enough recognition, TCU would comfortably make that list. It offers a classic college gameday with a bounty of unique and colorful traditions that truly make a lasting impression.
Frog Walk 
Frog Walk 
Frog Daddy 
TCU Showgirls 
Super Frog 
Bleacher Creatures 
Bleacher Creatures 
Frog Horn 
My memories date back to the ‘50s and #23 Jim Swink (Swivel Hips Swink). My uncle W.E. Boswell was the official time keeper and sat in an evelated chair right on the sidelines with his blank pistol in hand to signal the end of every quarter. My thill was sitting right under him with a sideline pass hanging from my neck watching greats like Rice’s King Hill and SMU’s Don Meredith. all the while cheering for my Frongs!
What an absolute incredible memory. These stories are what make college football so special!