I thought this article sums it up pretty well...

[Globetrotter]

I will be rooting for Toledo this weekend. And think they might just have a chance.

My allegiance was to the underdog and then to BG after I attended. OSU was a second team until I moved down here and fully experienced their fans.

What I will never understand is how come Cincinnati does not chip away at OSU fandom? It is a nice size school from a big city with some recent success. With any luck OSU will lose this weekend and Cincy will win.

[Falcon137]

I grew up in a Ohio State family, but I have 6 relatives that were OSU grads. My dad was is UD guy, so I spent most Saturdays going to 1AA-Non scholarship games and my mom a Miami grad, so I was a MAC guy. Then when my sister went to BG everyone in the immediate family became a BG fan.

I must say that Dayton seems to be the Mason Dixon line for Ohio State fans. Cincinnati is not an Ohio State stronghold, family down there constantly complains about the coverage or lack there of for Ohio State and in recent years there is only one team in town, UC. It's good to hear at least one large city in Ohio could care less about them.

[h2oville rocket]

. It's good to hear at least one large city in Ohio could care less about them.

Grant?

[BGFalconfromCincy]

Cincinnati is not an Ohio State stronghold, family down there constantly complains about the coverage or lack there of for Ohio State and in recent years there is only one team in town, UC. It's good to hear at least one large city in Ohio could care less about them.

I remember someone over on the cincy sports board I post on last season posting something from some OSU fan site with a story about Cincinnati had the least number of OSU fans in the state. The story made me smile thats for sure even if UK being so close to Cincy maybe being one of the reasons for that (and I dislike them as much as OSU). If I can find that story I'll post it over here

[Ydfalcon]

What I will never understand is how come Cincinnati does not chip away at OSU fandom? It is a nice size school from a big city with some recent success. With any luck OSU will lose this weekend and Cincy will win.

Well, what you have to understand is that UC just recently joined the Big East, putting them on a more equal plane with OSU in the eyes of potential fans. But the thing is, most of those fans are already OSU fans. And they're not likely to change allegiances. It's kinda like when a new professional team starts up in an area. The people in that area are already fans of another team, and just because this new team started up closer to them, doesn't mean they will suddenly declare that team as their favorite. But, after a while, you get people who become fans of the sport and decide that team is their favorite, so after a generation or so, that team has a true fanbase. I think in the case of UC, you could get some kids who decide they like UC even though their parents like OSU, and it'll spread from there. But it just doesn't happen overnight.

[MarkL]

UC football is doing well in Cincy. People seem to be caring much more than ever before largely because the Bengals are such an embarrassment. Last year on WLW there was a sports reporter that normally did Bengals games and got stuck doing an assignment he didn't want - UC football. He talked about it on the radio and said how much fun he had, how great it was to report on a winning team, and that football is actually supposed to be fun and such is true at UC these days. He encouraged people to ditch the Bengals and go check out the Bearcats. I got a huge smile off of that one as a long time UC fan.

[Falcon137]

UC football is doing well in Cincy. People seem to be caring much more than ever before largely because the Bengals are such an embarrassment. Last year on WLW there was a sports reporter that normally did Bengals games and got stuck doing an assignment he didn't want - UC football. He talked about it on the radio and said how much fun he had, how great it was to report on a winning team, and that football is actually supposed to be fun and such is true at UC these days. He encouraged people to ditch the Bengals and go check out the Bearcats. I got a huge smile off of that one as a long time UC fan.

I listen to 700 every chance I get, rarely if ever do they talk about Ohio State. Brian Kelly has energized the city and put UC football on the map.

I've always thought BG and UC would be a good nonconference game.

[NWLB]

I've always thought BG and UC would be a good nonconference game.

They typically were in the past. But I think the institutional memory at UC is strong enough to retain a fear of being beaten by MAC teams. As well as they are doing, they are not really so far beyond anybody else in Ohio, as to be able to really stand toe to toe with OSU. They still buy their way into bowls now and then.

But it will be curious to see another intra-state power, if they can keep it up.

[h2oville rocket]

I remember playing Cinci in the MCB and feeling very disappointed that we didn't get a better quality team. The Cinci fans at our hotel were stunned that we beat them and we were stunned that it was close. I don't think either school had a clue about the other- Cinci just wasn't on the radar outside of SW Ohio.

[MarkL]

I've always thought BG and UC would be a good nonconference game.

My parents are UC alums so that's a common talk. I also bring up the record - BG is all time 3-0 vs UC.

[Falconfreak90]

I've always thought BG and UC would be a good nonconference game.

My parents are UC alums so that's a common talk. I also bring up the record - BG is all time 3-0 vs UC.

Actually Mark, BG leads UC 4-0 all time. We last played Cincy in 1994, a 38-0 rout of the Bearcats in Cincy.

[jpfalcon09]

OSU never gained a hold in my household either. My dad grew up with UT and the great Chuck Ealey teams, and then once my brother went to BG in 1995 and me in 2005, he was converted. We can't stand their fans and believe they're all blind, mindless sheep who follow them because #1 - Their friends like them, #2 - They win a lot so it makes them feel better, or the rare #3 - They or a family member attended the school.

One of my friends actually challenged me last week, saying that I couldn't "just be a BG fan" because supposedly living in Ohio means to have to root for Ohio State. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to see them lose and have their bandwagon fanbae break ankles as they jump off.

The display on campus as well in 2006 made me sick, when the Falcons played Ohio State and I and about 3 other people were the only ones in my dorm who were rooting for the school we attended. It was so sad, disrespectful and disgusting to see students rooting against their own school.

[VDub26Falcon]

A gentleman came into the Credit Union today wearing a Kent State shirt and I said "You need to get out of here with that Kent State stuff!" and he replies "Oh, I'm rooting for Ohio State." I just looked at him for a second and then replied "That's nice, but BG is going to thump you later this season." People automatically assume that you feel they should be wearing OSU stuff if you rag on any other school they are wearing. Ugh.

[bgsukid]

or the rare #3 - They or a family member attended the school.

Doesn't OSU have like the first or second most living alumni in the country? I guess that makes meeting alumni of most any other university about as rare as seeing Halley's comet.

[NWLB]

or the rare #3 - They or a family member attended the school.

Doesn't OSU have like the first or second most living alumni in the country? I guess that makes meeting alumni of most any other university about as rare as seeing Halley's comet.

I think it is less the actual alumni, than the wannabes that cling to the place and likely couldn't have gotten in, much less actually graduate from OSU.

I never ever begrudge folks being loyal to the school they went too. Even subway alumni aren't so bad, but the greater number of the OSU variety, just bloody annoying.