TicketsBy Bill Koch
GoBEARCATS.com
CINCINNATI – If any of the University of Cincinnati football players are feeling complacent after 11 straight Bearcat victories over Miami in their annual Battle for the Victory Bell, they need only talk to former UC quarterback Gino Guidugli to be reminded not to take their recent mastery over the RedHawks for granted.
Guidugli, who played at UC from 2001 to 2004, is UC's career leader in pass attempts (1,560), completions (880), passing yards (11,453) and touchdown passes (78). His name is rightfully etched in UC's Ring of Honor at the top of Nippert Stadium.
But 13 years later, it still sticks in his craw that he went 1-3 against Miami, not getting the best of the RedHawks until his final game against them in 2004. All three of the losses were excruciatingly close.
"It's a deep-rooted rivalry," Guidugli said.
When he left UC, Guidugli had no reason to believe he would ever be involved in the rivalry again. But here he is in his first season as the Bearcats' running backs coach helping his alma mater prepare to face Miami on Saturday night in Oxford. It's another chance for Guidugli to experience what it's like to beat the RedHawks.
"I told some of our guys I've got to live them through them now," Guidugli said. "I actually got a chance to speak to the team today. I told them it's more than just a game for both sides. There's bragging rights, there's alumni rights, there's recruiting rights, all the outside pieces that go into it. But at the end of the day it's about us preparing to go win Saturday and that starts with our preparation Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. When we get up there Saturday, we'll be ready."
Guidugli had the misfortune of facing Miami when Ben Roethlisberger was the RedHawks' quarterback. As every Bengals fan knows, Roethlisberger went on to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowl wins, bedeviling the Bengals along the way, and will likely end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"He's a great player, man," Guidugli said.
Guidugli, a great player in his own right at UC, made his first career start against Miami as a freshman in 2001. The week before, he had come off the bench to lead the Bearcats to a come-from-behind 27-24 win over Army when he completed 31 of 41 passes for 311 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. He was a mainstay at quarterback for the Bearcats for the next four years.
In his first experience in the Battle for the Victory Bell, Guidugli completed 22 of 36 passes for 206 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Oxford. Roethlisberger, who was also a freshman, went 20-for-25 for 264 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Despite Roethlisberger's glowing statistics, the Bearcats were on the verge of winning.
"We got stopped on a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak (at the Miami 19-yard line) with a chance to win the game late," Guidugli said.
The RedHawks posted a 31-26 win over UC the following season before 31,478 fans at Nippert Stadium. Guidugli passed for 353 yards, completing 27 of 48 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions. Both of the interceptions occurred in the fourth quarter.
UC led, 21-17, in the third quarter, but Miami faked a field goal attempt and the holder, backup quarterback Josh Betts, threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Vogel to give Miami the lead. The RedHawks scored again on their next possession on a 55-yard run by Luke Clemens. Roethlisberger went 27-37 for 240 yards with one touchdown pass and one interception.
Miami won again during Guidugli's junior year in 2003. The Bearcats rallied from a 25-point deficit in the fourth quarter at Miami and got within five points on George Murray's 5-yard touchdown run with 1:51 to go. UC was looking for a final drive to win the game, but Thaddeus Lewis fumbled a punt with 40 seconds left and the RedHawks ran out the clock. UC committed five turnovers in that game, four on fumbles. Guidugli was 17-for-39 for 226 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Roethlisberger passed for 377 yards, connecting on 31 of 49 passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Finally, during Guidugli's senior year in 2004, he tasted success when the Bearcats rolled to a 45-26 win at Nippert Stadium behind 238 yards from UC running back Richard Hall, still the sixth-highest rushing total in UC history.
"Richard did his thing," Guidugli said.
Guidugli completed 12 of 23 passes for 258 yards, including 175 yards to wide receiver Hannibal Thomas, as UC gained 599 total yards. By then, Roethlisberger was playing for the Steelers.
Miami would regain the Victory Bell the following year with a 44-16 win at Miami before the Bearcats embarked on their current winning streak. Better than anyone, Guidugli knows not to take the winning streak for granted. The rivalry has been lopsided lately in UC's favor, but it's still a rivalry.
"No matter what Miami's record is or what Cincinnati's record is, when that Saturday comes you know that the other team is gonna get your best shot," Guidugli said. "You look at the last three years, Cincinnati has won them all, but they've all been within a score. It's gonna come down to a play here and there and we've got to be prepared to be the ones to make those plays."
Bill Koch covered UC athletics for 27 years – 15 at The Cincinnati Post and 12 at The Cincinnati Enquirer – before joining the staff of GoBearcats.com in January, 2015.
GoBEARCATS.com
CINCINNATI – If any of the University of Cincinnati football players are feeling complacent after 11 straight Bearcat victories over Miami in their annual Battle for the Victory Bell, they need only talk to former UC quarterback Gino Guidugli to be reminded not to take their recent mastery over the RedHawks for granted.
Guidugli, who played at UC from 2001 to 2004, is UC's career leader in pass attempts (1,560), completions (880), passing yards (11,453) and touchdown passes (78). His name is rightfully etched in UC's Ring of Honor at the top of Nippert Stadium.
But 13 years later, it still sticks in his craw that he went 1-3 against Miami, not getting the best of the RedHawks until his final game against them in 2004. All three of the losses were excruciatingly close.
"It's a deep-rooted rivalry," Guidugli said.
When he left UC, Guidugli had no reason to believe he would ever be involved in the rivalry again. But here he is in his first season as the Bearcats' running backs coach helping his alma mater prepare to face Miami on Saturday night in Oxford. It's another chance for Guidugli to experience what it's like to beat the RedHawks.
"I told some of our guys I've got to live them through them now," Guidugli said. "I actually got a chance to speak to the team today. I told them it's more than just a game for both sides. There's bragging rights, there's alumni rights, there's recruiting rights, all the outside pieces that go into it. But at the end of the day it's about us preparing to go win Saturday and that starts with our preparation Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. When we get up there Saturday, we'll be ready."
Guidugli had the misfortune of facing Miami when Ben Roethlisberger was the RedHawks' quarterback. As every Bengals fan knows, Roethlisberger went on to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowl wins, bedeviling the Bengals along the way, and will likely end up in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"He's a great player, man," Guidugli said.
Guidugli, a great player in his own right at UC, made his first career start against Miami as a freshman in 2001. The week before, he had come off the bench to lead the Bearcats to a come-from-behind 27-24 win over Army when he completed 31 of 41 passes for 311 yards with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. He was a mainstay at quarterback for the Bearcats for the next four years.
In his first experience in the Battle for the Victory Bell, Guidugli completed 22 of 36 passes for 206 yards with one touchdown and one interception in Oxford. Roethlisberger, who was also a freshman, went 20-for-25 for 264 yards with two touchdown passes and no interceptions. Despite Roethlisberger's glowing statistics, the Bearcats were on the verge of winning.
"We got stopped on a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak (at the Miami 19-yard line) with a chance to win the game late," Guidugli said.
The RedHawks posted a 31-26 win over UC the following season before 31,478 fans at Nippert Stadium. Guidugli passed for 353 yards, completing 27 of 48 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions. Both of the interceptions occurred in the fourth quarter.
UC led, 21-17, in the third quarter, but Miami faked a field goal attempt and the holder, backup quarterback Josh Betts, threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Vogel to give Miami the lead. The RedHawks scored again on their next possession on a 55-yard run by Luke Clemens. Roethlisberger went 27-37 for 240 yards with one touchdown pass and one interception.
Miami won again during Guidugli's junior year in 2003. The Bearcats rallied from a 25-point deficit in the fourth quarter at Miami and got within five points on George Murray's 5-yard touchdown run with 1:51 to go. UC was looking for a final drive to win the game, but Thaddeus Lewis fumbled a punt with 40 seconds left and the RedHawks ran out the clock. UC committed five turnovers in that game, four on fumbles. Guidugli was 17-for-39 for 226 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Roethlisberger passed for 377 yards, connecting on 31 of 49 passes with two touchdowns and three interceptions.
Finally, during Guidugli's senior year in 2004, he tasted success when the Bearcats rolled to a 45-26 win at Nippert Stadium behind 238 yards from UC running back Richard Hall, still the sixth-highest rushing total in UC history.
"Richard did his thing," Guidugli said.
Guidugli completed 12 of 23 passes for 258 yards, including 175 yards to wide receiver Hannibal Thomas, as UC gained 599 total yards. By then, Roethlisberger was playing for the Steelers.
Miami would regain the Victory Bell the following year with a 44-16 win at Miami before the Bearcats embarked on their current winning streak. Better than anyone, Guidugli knows not to take the winning streak for granted. The rivalry has been lopsided lately in UC's favor, but it's still a rivalry.
"No matter what Miami's record is or what Cincinnati's record is, when that Saturday comes you know that the other team is gonna get your best shot," Guidugli said. "You look at the last three years, Cincinnati has won them all, but they've all been within a score. It's gonna come down to a play here and there and we've got to be prepared to be the ones to make those plays."
Bill Koch covered UC athletics for 27 years – 15 at The Cincinnati Post and 12 at The Cincinnati Enquirer – before joining the staff of GoBearcats.com in January, 2015.