BOULDER ? The University of Colorado has scheduled two home-and-home series in football, one with former Big 12 rival Texas A&M and another with first-ever games against Texas Christian University (TCU), athletic director Rick George announced Wednesday.

CU will renew its series with Texas A&M, as the two first met in 1995 when the Buffs were in the Big Eight and A&M in the Southwest Conference, and then eight times as members of the Big 12 between 1996 and 2009.? Included in those games was the first-ever Big 12 game for both teams, a 24-10 Buff victory at A&M on Sept. 28, 1996.? CU leads the series, 6-3, with all but two games decided by 10 points or less; Colorado won the last time out in '09 in Boulder in a 35-34 thriller.

The CU-A&M rivalry will resume on Sept. 19, 2020, at Kyle Field in College Station, with the Aggies to return the game on Sept. 11, 2021, most likely at CU's Folsom Field in Boulder but with a clause in the contract making Sports Authority Field in Denver a possible option.

CU's first-ever games on the gridiron against TCU will follow in the subsequent two years, with the Horned Frogs to open the 2022 season in Boulder on Sept. 3; Colorado will travel to Fort Worth for the 2023 season opener on Sept. 2.? TCU finished the 2014 season with a 12-1 record, the co-Big 12 champions and a No. 3 national ranking.

“We feel these series with two of the preeminent schools in Texas are important for several reasons,” George said.? “With the emphasis we put on recruiting in the state of Texas, it is vital that we return to areas both in the northern and southern areas of the state.? We played a number of road games there in the 1990s and 2000s and need to get back there, we have a good alumni base in Texas who will enjoy seeing us return, and fans of A&M and TCU travel well and will like coming to Colorado.

“Lining up these two quality opponents at this time is great for us, as practically every day you read about an agreement between teams scheduling up to a decade down the road,” George added.? “Schools are scheduling tougher non-conference games in case they are in position for the College Football Playoff or to quality for a 'New Year's Six' bowl game, and at the same time, you need attractive opponents to help with season ticket sales and to earn maximum revenue from your gate.”

Colorado's non-conference schedules at present over the next decade (subject to change):