Scott Satterfield didn’t spend much time dancing around the subject at Big 12 Media Day: rivalries matter, and Cincinnati’s annual clash with Miami (OH) is exactly the kind of game college football should keep around.
Speaking during his solo press conference on Wednesday, the Bearcats head coach pointed to the value of long-running regional matchups when asked about the Redhawks and the future of the series.
"I certainly believe that in college football you want to have rivalries, you want to be able to play some of the teams that you've been playing for years, and regional rivalries, I think, are important for the fan bases for sure."
Cincinnati and Miami (OH) have played 121 times since 1888 in the Battle for the Victory Bell, with the Bearcats holding a narrow 61-60-7 edge. The teams did not meet last season, the first time in decades the rivalry was left off the schedule, after Cincinnati had previously beaten Miami 27-16 in 2024. Miami, though, got the last word in 2023 with a 31-24 overtime upset - Chuck Martin’s only win over the Bearcats, leaving him 1-8 against Cincinnati since 2014.
The Bearcats’ decision to schedule Bowling Green instead of Miami last season drew public backlash from fans, and Cincinnati took the hint.
This year’s meeting will come with a different feel, too. The game is set for TQL Stadium in downtown Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine district, a soccer venue Satterfield described as “a very unique venue,” one that should be “an intimate, loud, great environment,” and one that will stand out when the teams take the field.
The Bearcats and Redhawks will kick off on September 19 at 3:30 p.m., with the game streamed on ESPN+.
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