Cincinnati Football: Seniors break down Battle for the Victory Bell rivalry

The latest chapter of the Battle for the Victory Bell will take place Saturday as Cincinnati meets Miami at Paycor Stadium. Dating back to 2005, the Bearcats have won 15 straight games in the historic rivalry.

With the all-time series tied, Cincinnati has a chance to surpass Miami for the first time since 1915. In the midweek press conference, Arquon Bush explained why it’s important to keep the streak alive and just play like any other game via Cincinnati Athletics.

"“This rivalry has been here for a long time. We have a 15-game winning steak and we don’t want to lose that. You just have to respect the rivalry and go play. Don’t try to do anything that’s not you and just play your game. We prepare every week like championship week and we always want to play our best game.”"

Even though the programs haven’t been in the same conference since 1953,Battle for the Victory Bell is now the longest-played rivalry between in-state schools and the fifth most-played rivalry in the FBS.

Cincinnati Football: Seniors break down Battle for the Victory Bell rivalry

In the 2021 season opener, the Bearcats jumped out to a 35-0 lead at halftime, scoring six touchdowns before Miami got on the board with a fourth quarter score. Cincinnati went on to win 49-14 and even the series with 59 wins apiece and seven ties.

The original meeting between the two teams took place in 1888 and marked the first game in state history. Ben Bryant broke down the significance of the annual rivalry game via Cincinnati Athletics.

"“We want to win every game and obviously a rivalry is something that’s a big game for us. We’re going to prepare really hard this week because we have a tough opponent. They’re going to come out swinging against us. The Miami rivalry just goes back so many years and you have to look at the history and everything that is behind it. t’s going to be a good game and we’re excited for the challenge.”"

On the opposite side of the rivalry, it appears Miami head coach Chuck Martin has some hard feelings about the Bearcats because of a few recent transfer additions. We’re going to cover that more in-depth tonight as the rivalry continues to heat up with the 126th meeting right around the corner!