September 27 doesn’t need to be explained to a Cincinnati fan. September 27 is the day that Cincinnati meets up with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Every game between Cincinnati and Ohio State is huge. This isn’t quite a huge rivalry since Cincinnati has not consistently been on the same ground as Ohio State. It is definitely a big brother, little brother rivalry. Ohio State is the top dog in Ohio. Cincinnati’s program has been on the rise. Cincinnati has had years, namely 2009, where the claim to be the best in the Buckeye state was completely legit. Mostly, it’s been a fan rivalry. Ohio State fans litter the Cincinnati area. While they aren’t quite Kentucky fan level, they are sure close.
The rivalry has been more of a fan rivalry in part because the teams have rarely played each other. Cincinnati and Ohio State have only played 15 times. 5 of those games were played in the 1890s. Game number 6 was played in 1900. From 1932-1998, Cincinnati and tOSU played a grand total of zero times.
Cincinnati’s 2-13 record against Ohio State is the worst record Cincinnati has against a team they have played at least 15 times. Interestingly enough, if you bump that number up to 10 games, Cincinnati’s next worst opponent are the Miami Hurricanes, whom UC has gone 1-10 against. Interesting that they play both this season. Cincinnati is also 3-11 against Tulane. That ranks as the 4th worst record. UC is 3-16-1 against West Virgina for third place if you were curious.
A Buckeye state series kicked off in 1999. The teams played pretty much every other year: 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006. The most memorable of those games, for Cincinnati fans at least, came in 2002. The first game against Ohio State in Cincinnati since 1900 saw the Bearcats give the eventual National Champion Buckeyes everything they could handle. Cincinnati blew some chances. That Buckeye team had an intense flair for the dramatic and held off a Cincinnati rally to survive with a 23-19 victory.
The next two years saw Cincinnati pounded by 21 and 30 points. Going back to 1912, the 2002 game was the only game Ohio State won by single digits. The Bearcats have lost 10 in a row to Ohio State, a drought that has lasted nearly 117 years. In 1897, Cincinnati beat tOSU 24-0. The year before the score was Cincinnati 8, Ohio State 6. The scores of the two previous games were 4-0 and 6-4 in favor of Ohio State. Cincinnati hasn’t beaten Ohio State since the era where teams would win games 8-6 and 4-0.
While Ohio State has thrived as one of the best programs in the nation year in and year out, Cincinnati has had to learn big time football. The Bearcats are a bowl constant these days. From 1951-1996, Cincinnati played in 0 bowl games. Getting respect in Ohio has been a hard process for the Cats. Playing Ohio State has been very tough with the Buckeyes unwillingness to play other Ohio teams on the road and all. It’s a series that should be happening, but really hasn’t for dumb reasons.
But this year, this year it is happening. September 27 will roll around with Cincinnati taking on Ohio State. The Buckeyes are ranked 5th in the AP poll. They are the best team Cincinnati will play this year and the best team Cincinnati has played in years. Of course, there is now some added intrigue to the game with the injury to Ohio State quarterback and Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller. It isn’t known how serious the injury is to Miller, only that it is serious and backup JT Barrett is looking like he will start the opener against Navy. Ohio State plays three times before Cincinnati makes the trip to Columbus. Whoever the Ohio State quarterback is will have plenty of time to get ready. I hope that it’s Braxton who is starting for Ohio State. When this Cincinnati team is the first Cincinnati team to beat Ohio State since the twentieth century, you want the opponent to be at their best.
This game doesn’t need to be sold. It’s Ohio State. It’s Cincinnati. This is the Bearcats chance to go up to Columbus and kick them right in the dotted I. This is the game we have been looking forward to ever since the time clicked off the board against North Carolina. Toledo and Miami are nice appetizers. We get the main course on September 27. The season starts with Toledo, but the season gets serious with Ohio State.
Is it September 27 yet?
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