It is no secret that the football rivalry between the Miami University RedHawks and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats is as intense as it gets. The Bearcats hold the slightest edge in the series, leading 61-60-7. But the rivalry exists far beyond the football field, or any field for that matter.
Miami and Cincinnati, established in 1809 and 1819, respectively, have been competing as athletic teams and institutions for over 200 years. They have competed for students, professors and influence in the southwest Ohio area for as long as they’ve been around.
This year’s rendition of the Victory Bell will be the last for the two universities on the gridiron, while the rivalry has subsided in other sports recently too.
The Miami men’s basketball team has not squared off against the Bearcats since the 2022-23 season. This year will mark four seasons since the squads matched up.
The women’s team has also experienced a lull in the past years, but the teams have begun playing again. Last season, the RedHawks won the game 75-71. This year, the two teams will play in Cancun, Mexico as a part of the Riviera Tournament. With a win, Miami will tie the all-time series at 18 wins apiece.
The rivalry still persists in baseball. The RedHawks and the Bearcats have faced off six times in the past four years, typically during midweek action.
Volleyball has seen less consistency with the rivalry. The 2022 season is the last time the teams faced off on the court.
Since Cincinnati moved from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12 Conference the Bearcats have seemed less inclined to play the RedHawks, whether it be on the field, court or any other venue.
Do the administrators and coaches at Cincinnati now see Miami as inferior? In October 2022, the Big 12 announced a $2.28 billion television rights deal with ESPN. Does that have anything to do with the sudden downtick in the schools competing? The sharpest decline in matchups appears to be in the sports most commonly shown on TV.
There are many factors that go into scheduling opponents. One of them is the quality of the team; do the RedHawks recent successes impact Cincinnati’s scheduling process?
The Bearcat men’s basketball team has not competed in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament since 2019. The RedHawks accomplished that feat last season and were a last-second shot away from making an appearance in 2024-25. The Bearcat women’s basketball team has not gone to the “Big Dance” since 2003. Miami participated in the tournament last season.
Cincinnati has not achieved much football success since joining the Big 12. Its conference record currently sits at 9-18. Conversely, Miami has had immense success in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) since head coach Chuck Martin took over in 2014.
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Last season, the Bearcat men’s basketball team finished the season 18-15 on the wrong side of the tournament draw. A potential win against a team like the RedHawks would have pushed Cincinnati closer to the tournament. On the flip side, Miami struggled all year to earn national respect due to a weaker schedule. A potential win against a power conference team like Cincinnati could have helped to solve that issue.
Rivalry games bring out all the fans too, especially ones that are so geographically close. The 2024 version of the Battle for the Victory Bell drew over 24,000 fans into Yager Stadium, a figure that has not been matched since. The same concept applies to other sports. In 2023 the Bearcats baseball team hosted the RedHawks and drew 2,500 fans, the second most ever for Cincinnati baseball. When fans care and there is genuine dislike for the other team, they show up.
No matter what the current dichotomy of the collegiate sports world is, Miami and Cincinnati hold a rivalry that must stand the test of time. It has persisted through war, disease and whatever else the world has to offer. The Victory Bell has taken place over two centuries on battlefields that extend far beyond the football field. It has impacted the lives of thousands of athletes, coaches, students and fans. Without the Victory Bell, both Miami and Cincinnati lose a part of their history, and thus, a part of what makes the universities whole.
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