Syracuse (21-13, 8-10 ACC) is still dancing.

The Orange defeated Arizona State 60-56 in the First Four Wednesday night to advance into the main field of 64 NCAA tournament teams. SU’s next opponent is No. 6 TCU (21-11, 9-9 Big 12) in the first round Friday night at 9:40 p.m.

Here are 10 facts you need to know about the Horned Frogs before they meet the Orange in Detroit.

1. What is a Horned Frog?

The horned frog is actually a horned lizard or a horned toad, and it became the school’s mascot in 1887 after appearing in the school yearbook. A committee picked it over the name “cactus,” and it stuck around for over 130 years. According to Merriam Webster, the horned toad is “any of several small harmless insectivorous lizards of the western U.S. and Mexico that resemble toads and have hornlike spines.” The horned frog is known for shooting blood from its eyes as a defense mechanism. 

2. What’s in a name?

TCU stands for Texas Christian University, but the school isn’t just Christian. Students on campus come from over 60 different religious backgrounds, and the school has 23 different recognized religious groups on campus. The school does not require students to take any Christian classes prior to graduation, but it does require one religious class, according to the TCU website. The school said it is also supporting an “interfaith initiative.”

3. The return of Jamie Dixon

The last man Syracuse fans want to see standing in front of the opposing bench is Jamie Dixon, TCU head coach. Dixon coached Pittsburgh for 13 seasons from 2003-2016, leading the Panthers to a 16-5 record against Syracuse. Dixon has won his last five meetings with Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, including three wins in his final season in 2016. Dixon also played his college ball at TCU.

4. Forced to move

Two brothers, Addison and Randolph Clark, founded TCU in 1873 as the AddRan Male and Female College. The name was then changed to AddRan Christian University in 1889 before the school moved to Waco in 1895.  Once the Waco campus burned to the ground in 1910, TCU relocated to downtown Fort Worth where it currently resides.

5. The Frog Horn

Inside TCU’s football stadium stands the TCU Frog Horn, a 3,000 pound contraption built in 1994. The purple frog features purple lights, and smoke comes out of its mouth. However, the Frog Horn is most known for its sound, producing a whistle of up to 100 decibels during football games. If you’re ever sitting near the Frog Horn, earplugs are highly recommended.

6. A bet for the ages

TCU’s biggest rivalry is with Southern Methodist University. The two schools compete in football every year for the “Iron Skillet.” In 1946, the battle for the skillet began because an SMU fan was frying frog legs before a game when a TCU fan saw him and challenged him. Whoever won the game would get the skillet. The tradition has continued for the last 72 years.

7. The oldest rodeo

Fort Worth’s annual Southwestern Exposition and Livestock show is the longest-running rodeo in the United States. The rodeo began in 1896 and is typically held in the last two weeks of January into early February.

8. Everything really is bigger in Texas

TCU has an enrollment total of 10,489 undergraduate and graduate students, which is the 17th largest university in the state of Texas. Amongst private schools, only Baylor and SMU have higher enrollments.

9. Not just a one-trick pony

The Horned Frogs are best known for their football team, which has posted a 128-40 record in its last 13 seasons. TCU has won both the Rose and Peach Bowl under current head coach Gary Patterson. However, the women’s equestrian team, one of 16 in Division I, reached the NCEA semifinals last season.

10. It’s all about the money

Fort Worth is home to the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing, where 60 percent of the U.S. money supply is printed.

Published on March 15, 2018 at 11:17 am

Contact Anthony: [email protected] | @AnthonyDabbundo