Bearcats Set For 113th Battle For The Victory Bell Saturday

Sept. 15, 2008

Game Notes | Statistics | Roster | | Watch Live (ESPN360.com) | Listen

PREVIEWING THE MIAMI (OHIO) GAME

• TV: Battle For The Bell To Air On ESPN360.com
• MARKETING: Vote BEARCAT In 2008
• FOOTBALL: Weekly Press Conference Quotes
• UCATS: UC To Honor Donor Joni Herschede
• MARKETING: UC Announces Miami Pregame Activities
• TV: Episode Three Of Bearcats Sports Weekly Airs Wednesday
• TV: UC-Akron Game Set For FSN Ohio On Sept. 27

  GAME 3: MIAMI (OHIO) AT CINCINNATI
  Saturday, Sept. 20 | 7:30 p.m. EST | Nippert Stadium (35,000) | Cincinnati, Ohio

  Series: Miami leads 59-46-7
  Television: ESPN360.com Broadcast: Dave Weekley (PXP), John Gregory (ANA)
  Streaming: www.ESPN360.com
  Radio: 92.5 WOFX-FM: Dan Hoard (PXP), Jim Kelly, Jr. (ANA) Tom Gelehrter (SL), & Mo Egger (Host/ENG)

  BEARCATS AND REDHAWKS BATTLE FOR THE VICTORY BELL
  The University of Cincinnati football team renews its long-standing rivalry with Miami (OH) University on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Nippert Stadium, the 113th matchup for the Victory Bell. The Miami-Cincinnati Victory Bell is the oldest non-conference college football rivalry in the United States. UC is 1-1 on the young season after winning its season opener against Eastern Kentucky on Aug. 28 and dropping a road matchup at No. 4/4 Oklahoma on Sept. 6. The RedHawks are 1-2 on the campaign.

  THE SERIES
  Cincinnati and Miami (OH) have met 112 times on the field. Miami leads the all-time series 59-46-7, 43-37-5 in Cincinnati. UC has won the past two matchups and three of the last four.

  THE COACHES
  Brian Kelly, the 2007 BIG EAST Coach of the Year, is in his second full season at the helm of the Cincinnati football program with an 12-4 record and a 18-year career mark of 149-55-2. Kelly led the Bearcats to a school-record-tying 10 wins in 2007 and a victory in the Papajohns.com Bowl. He won two NCAA Division II National Championships at Grand Valley State and led Central Michigan to the 2006 Mid-American Conference Championship. He is the leader in victories among active BIG EAST coaches and would be the only current BIG EAST coach with 150 career wins.

  SHANE MONTGOMERY is 16-23 in his third season with the RedHawks. He is 1-2 all-time against the Bearcats. The Newark, Ohio native is a 1990 graduate of NC State.

  STREAKS, STORYLINES, SIDEBARS
  

  • Quarterback Dustin Grutza is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on his right leg on Sept. 10. Grutza fractured his right fibula and suffered a high ankle sprain in UC's loss at No. 4 Oklahoma on Sept. 6.
  • Tony Pike is scheduled to make his first career start against Miami.
  • UC leads the BIG EAST in turnover margin (+0.50), kickoff returns (34.9 ypr), and net punting (43.2 ypp).
  • The Bearcats have not attempted a field goal in 2008.
  • Head coach Brian Kelly is seeking career win No. 150. His 149 victories rank 11th among active NCAA FBS head coaches and he is the active wins leader in the BIG EAST.
  • Mardy Gilyard was named the BIG EAST Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 8. He set league and UC records with 246 yards on kickoff returns and had a school-record 365 all-purpose yards (119 receiving, 246 return yards). He also had a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, the first for UC in 13 years (145 games).