[/size]CINCI fans check out this article i found.

WV fans my sincere apoligies for coming down to hard on coach Stewart, I hope he succesfull.



[/size][size=large]

Ohio State fans not happy trailing Cincinnati in AP Top 25
Associated Press
Comments (18) More
Login or register to post comments Printer-friendly version Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009 - 4:30 p.m. ET
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Unlike powerhouse programs such as Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, Southern California and Michigan, Ohio State football has had no peers within its borders.

The Buckeyes haven't lost to an in-state rival in 88 years. Even though Ohio has eight Football Bowl Subdivision teams, there's no question who the top dog is in interest, attendance or talent.

But Ohio State's lofty perch on its scarlet and gray pedestal was shaken this week when the Associated Press Top 25 came out. Right there, in black and white, was Ohio State at No. 9 - and Cincinnati at No. 8.

On the Big East coaches call on Monday, UC coach Brian Kelly made light of the question of who would win a Battle for the Buckeye State.

"You settle these questions on the field. They're all hypothetical, so who knows?" he said. "Ohio State doesn't play Cincinnati, though my son played (them) in PlayStation the other day, and Cincinnati won 91-0. So maybe we can use that."

Eight-year-old Kenzel Kelly was rewarded for engineering the decisive victory.

"I promptly took him out to McDonald's," Kelly cracked.

Almost immediately after the poll came out, radio talk shows in Columbus were flooded with outraged fans. On Twitter, blogs and Web sites, proud Ohio Staters called the rankings a travesty. They pointed out that the Buckeyes have met the Bearcats on the field three times this decade and have won all three by an average score of 29-11.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati followers chortled over the mega-university in the middle of the state getting knocked down a peg. They pointed out that it took two dropped passes in the end zone by Bearcats receivers in the final minute for the Buckeyes to even get out the Queen City with a 23-19 win in 2002. Then again, those Buckeyes went on to win the national championship - something the Bearcats have never even come close to doing in football.

True to form, Ohio State coach Jim Tressel sidestepped the debate.

"Well, it reminds you that there's good players in Ohio," he said Tuesday of UC's ascension above his team. "Outside of our conference, (the Bearcats) are probably our next favorite group."

There hasn't been much of a debate until now.

Cincinnati is ranked ahead of the Buckeyes for the first time in 58 years. The Bearcats were No. 20 and Ohio State unranked on Nov. 21, 1951.

No Ohio team had risen above Ohio State in the AP poll since Bowling Green was No. 25 and the Buckeyes were unranked on Nov. 13, 2004.

"That's just college football," Ohio State defensive lineman Todd Denlinger said. "I don't know how these things are voted upon or how it's all looked at, but if we just keep getting better I think by the end of the year we'll be where we want to be."

The Bearcats are idle this week, while the Buckeyes are preparing for a showdown at home Saturday against unbeaten Wisconsin.

The margin between the teams in this week's AP poll was a measly 10 points. The media poll has no bearing on the Bowl Championship Series and who the teams might meet in bowl games. The coaches and Harris polls each have Cincinnati behind the Buckeyes.

Should Cincinnati remain an in-state rival with Ohio State, know one knows what the effect might be on recruiting for the many blue-chippers in the state. Maybe the next on-field meeting might tell more.

The teams don't play again until 2012 - a game that Ohio State reportedly paid $1 million to move from Cincinnati to Ohio Stadium. A return match will be in 2014, again in Columbus.

"By that time, hopefully we can continue to accelerate our program so Ohio State has something to gain by playing us," Kelly said. "In years past, it's been such that Ohio State has everything to lose; they're supposed to beat Cincinnati. So it hasn't really been an equal footing. If we continue to win, continue to play at a high level, it makes for an exciting matchup. But before this, it wasn't much of a matchup."

Buckeyes punter Jon Thoma discounted the polls.

"It's all what people see, what they think. Who knows who's better?" he said. "But we'd be confident in a matchup with them."

One reporter jokingly proposed a showdown at a neutral site in Ohio, after the regular season and before the bowls.

"Bring it on," Thoma said with a grin.

I'd love to see Ohio State and Cincinnati in a bowl game. They could settle it all - on the field, where it's supposed to be settled. Don't settle it in the polls, with all the Big Tin homer voters calling the shots...

Unless it's for the national championship, I don't want to see the 2 play. I hate playing other Ohio teams. There's a lot of things that schools represent, but the one that's always meant the most to me has been their state. I love watching a game and thinking Ohio vs. Indiana, Texas, Florida, whatever. We don't have to be playing a flagship school or even a very good one, but it's always a little deflating when we are cheering against another team that is carrying out an Ohio flag. (Yes, I know I'm odd in this way, but can't help it)

That story is national, all kinds of local papers have posted it. Good publicity for UC and the Big East.

(10-07-2009 03:00 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I'd love to see Ohio State and Cincinnati in a bowl game. They could settle it all - on the field, where it's supposed to be settled. Don't settle it in the polls, with all the Big Tin homer voters calling the shots...

Would love to see that game. It would be a good match up indeed. I would love to see UCONN play OSU. I guess we have to settle against Michigan next year.

(10-07-2009 03:28 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Unless it's for the national championship, I don't want to see the 2 play. I hate playing other Ohio teams. There's a lot of things that schools represent, but the one that's always meant the most to me has been their state. I love watching a game and thinking Ohio vs. Indiana, Texas, Florida, whatever. We don't have to be playing a flagship school or even a very good one, but it's always a little deflating when we are cheering against another team that is carrying out an Ohio flag. (Yes, I know I'm odd in this way, but can't help it)

I agree. I have said it numerous times but we don't need to play Ohio State. And that isn't meant as a shot at Ohio State, it's meant as a compliment. In the past, we needed to play Ohio State to help our attendance, give us a national opponent and a presence in Ohio and nationally, a taste of the BCS. Now that we're a Top 25 program, strong recruiting program, great facilities, good attendance, and wer'e in a BCS conference, let us do our thing and let Ohio State do their thing. Also, the speculation of a potential Cincinnati vs Ohio State matchup actually helps both sides.

(10-07-2009 04:16 PM)SF Husky Wrote:  

(10-07-2009 03:00 PM)bitcruncher Wrote:  I'd love to see Ohio State and Cincinnati in a bowl game. They could settle it all - on the field, where it's supposed to be settled. Don't settle it in the polls, with all the Big Tin homer voters calling the shots...

Would love to see that game. It would be a good match up indeed. I would love to see UCONN play OSU. I guess we have to settle against Michigan next year.

Give RR a kick in the nuts for me next year, dude...

(10-07-2009 04:45 PM)CatsClaw Wrote:  

(10-07-2009 03:28 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Unless it's for the national championship, I don't want to see the 2 play. I hate playing other Ohio teams. There's a lot of things that schools represent, but the one that's always meant the most to me has been their state. I love watching a game and thinking Ohio vs. Indiana, Texas, Florida, whatever. We don't have to be playing a flagship school or even a very good one, but it's always a little deflating when we are cheering against another team that is carrying out an Ohio flag. (Yes, I know I'm odd in this way, but can't help it)

I agree. I have said it numerous times but we don't need to play Ohio State. And that isn't meant as a shot at Ohio State, it's meant as a compliment. In the past, we needed to play Ohio State to help our attendance, give us a national opponent and a presence in Ohio and nationally, a taste of the BCS. Now that we're a Top 25 program, strong recruiting program, great facilities, good attendance, and wer'e in a BCS conference, let us do our thing and let Ohio State do their thing. Also, the speculation of a potential Cincinnati vs Ohio State matchup actually helps both sides.

In the end, I couldn't agree more CatsClaw. They can succeed apart from each other and I think there are advantages to that. It might be different in Cincinnati itself, but in Columbus, everyone I know who knows anything about the Bearcats is routing for them as an Ohio team. That wouldn't be the case if we were rivals playing every year (trust me, most aren't rooting for Michigan ever and we actually gain from that being a big game). It's probably naive, but I'm hoping it's possible to maintain duel allegiances (even if everyone will have their primary team).

Well Ohio1317 I'm sure there are buckeye fans that do root for UC just like there are UC fans that do in fact root for to$u.....but what I've noticed is, up to this point many buckeye fans acted like they were rooting for uc...like the cute little brother who they "hope does well" etc. but now that we are in front of the bucks in one of the polls and some media articles are saying we are the best team in Ohio a LOT of those buckeye fans that thought UC was "cool" and "fun" to root for are all of a sudden mad. It's almost like, most buckeye fans want UC to do well as long as we "know are place" and "stay out of the deep end of the pool".....now that we are indeed in the "deep end" a lot of those buckeye fans are all of a sudden not too happy about it and thus the meltdown I've seen in many buckeye forums....just my thoughts.

Bearcats#1,
The forums are a different animal than people on the streets. At least those I know personally have been pulling for UC in the games they've been in (I don't how many would want them in the championship).

UC being ahead of OSU admittedly does raise many more feathers than just doing well though and I can't deny there is truth in what your saying. You are probably right, the longer it persists the more Buckeyes are going to be less supportive of the Bearcats. I can't even honestly say that I'm not a bit uneasy about the success at quite this level and I've been moderately following the Bearcats a couple of seasons.

I guess it comes down to just how successful UC ends up over the next couple of years. I could see a UC that was regularly competing for the Big East championship that most Buckeye fans that care could get behind, but it will be harder for Buckeye fans to accept UC if it's also in the national championship hunt. Obviously the latter the goal for the Bearcats, and I hope I'm wrong and there will be room enough even under those circumstances.

(10-07-2009 07:11 PM)ohio1317 Wrote:  Bearcats#1,
The forums are a different animal than people on the streets. At least those I know personally have been pulling for UC in the games they've been in (I don't how many would want them in the championship).

UC being ahead of OSU admittedly does raise many more feathers than just doing well though and I can't deny there is truth in what your saying. You are probably right, the longer it persists the more Buckeyes are going to be less supportive of the Bearcats. I can't even honestly say that I'm not a bit uneasy about the success at quite this level and I've been moderately following the Bearcats a couple of seasons.

I guess it comes down to just how successful UC ends up over the next couple of years. I could see a UC that was regularly competing for the Big East championship that most Buckeye fans that care could get behind, but it will be harder for Buckeye fans to accept UC if it's also in the national championship hunt. Obviously the latter the goal for the Bearcats, and I hope I'm wrong and there will be room enough even under those circumstances.

I appreciate your candid thoughts....and I agree with you. I think Ohio is big enough for both. And yes, it would be natural for O$U fans to be uneasy if UC is in the national title hunt....it would make sense. As long as BK is here, I think we will be good to one degree or another. If we can stay on the national stage, at least it will be worthwhile for O$U to play us....BK said himself, we have to be a "good option" for you guys and up to now, we have not been. Up to now, you've had nothing to gain by playing us in football (bball is a different story, but let's not go there) and I hope we can stay good, ranked, and relevent. If we do, then at least you guys would see us as a "good" competition and if we can play each other as ranked teams any given year, it would be great for the state!

the reason that cinci and sfla were added is they are hotbeds for hs athletes and trained goose knew that they would both prosper in a bcs conference, when, not if the ville gets up to speed the beast will be 1 tough fb league, with syracues and rutger being improved teams.un like the other leagues the beast will be tough top to bottom.

the trained goose is grooming memphis so they will fit in a bcs conference, i wonder which one lol and they will bring both fed ex sponsorship and the liberty bowl to that conference. i would like too see one program who hasn't pulled their weight be asked to leave and memphis be invited all sports, with ecu fb only.

the question is which team should be asked to leave?