The TCU Horned Frogs are the athletic teams that represent Texas Christian University, consisting of 18 varsity teams. The "horned frog" nickname and mascot refer to the Texas horned lizard, also known as the "horned frog". The teams participate in the NCAA Division I and in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) for football competing in the Big 12 Conference. On October 10, 2011, TCU announced that it had accepted an invitation to join the Big 12 Conference.