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Deep Ohio State-Cincinnati ties propelling both programs, making them each other’s biggest fans
Austin Ward
@AWardSports
Posted 28 mins ago
INTERSTATE 71, Ohio — Whatever distance used to exist between Ohio’s two flagship football programs is seemingly shrinking by the day.
Sure, technically the highway is just as long and there are still 110 miles to cover between Nippert Stadium and the Horseshoe. Of course, Cincinnati and Ohio State compete in different conferences. The Bearcats and Buckeyes don’t usually cross paths on the field, they aren’t always chasing the same recruits (at least not yet) and the facilities and budget don’t exactly match, either.
In the past, whether because of provincial pride from the State of Cincinnati or the laser focus by The Ohio State University, there might even have been bit of hesitancy for the two teams to embrace a relationship.
But more than ever, the two appear to be working in lockstep — and not just because Ohio State might have extra interest when Cincinnati goes “up north” to take on rival Michigan on Saturday.
“Sure, I know who I’m rooting for,” Urban Meyer said with a grin. “I remember hearing that Cincinnati [didn’t like Ohio State] when we went down there for the spring game in 2013. That shocked me.
“I never looked at it that way. And there are a lot of reasons I’m a fan of Cincinnati.”
In no particular order, Meyer can rattle off a checklist.
He met his wife at Cincinnati, for starters. His son is going to play baseball there next year and his sister, Gigi, is a vice provost for the university. He loves visiting the city itself and is a huge Reds fan with some memorabilia in his office to this day.
Then there’s Luke Fickell.
The two men leading the biggest teams in Ohio are alums of the opposite programs, with Fickell starting his head-coaching career after a lifetime at Ohio State by taking over where Meyer spent his college days.
And if there was ever any problem about the two programs supporting each other, there’s no question it doesn’t exist now. Cincinnati is officially Ohio State’s second-favorite team — and not just when it visits the Big House.
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