Miami (Ohio) (1-1) at Cincinnati (2-0), Saturday, 7 p.m. ET (Big 12 Now on ESPN+)
Line: Cincinnati favored by 14 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Cincinnati leads 60-59-7.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
In-state foes Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio) will renew college football’s oldest non-conference rivalry on Saturday in the 127th Battle for the Victory Bell. Cincinnati has won 16 straight meetings against Miami, its neighbor from nearby Oxford, Ohio. A mere 37 miles separate the two campuses. The RedHawks haven’t beaten the Bearcats since 2005 (44-16 at Miami). Cincinnati defeated Miami 38-17 last season at Paycor Stadium, the home of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals. The win marked the Bearcats’ first lead (60-59-7) in the rivalry series since 1915. Cincinnati and first-year coach Scott Satterfield look to go undefeated in non-conference play before opening their first-ever Big 12 slate against No. 19 Oklahoma.
KEY MATCHUP
Miami QB Brett Gabbert, the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs QB Blaine Gabbert, ranks fourth in program history in career passing yards (6,688) and sixth in career completion percentage (.588). But opposing quarterbacks are completing just 40.4% (23-57) of their passes against preseason AP first-team All-American DT Dontay Corleone and the Cincinnati defense through the first two games. That ranks first in the FBS.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Miami (Ohio): Gabbert is responsible for 54 career TDs (49 passing and five rushing) at Miami. His 49 passing scores rank fifth in program history. Gabbert needs eight more to move into third place. Ben Roethlisberger ranks first in RedHawks history with 84 career passing TDs.
Cincinnati: RB Corey Kiner leads the Big 12 and ranks sixth in the FBS in rushing yards per game with 129. Kiner rushed for a career-high 153 yards and a score last week in a 27-21 win at Pittsburgh.
FACTS & FIGURES
Cincinnati is 44-43-5 all-time against Miami at home. The Bearcats are 26-1 at home since the start of the 2019 season. That’s a win percentage of 96.3. That ties Clemson for the highest in the FBS during that span. ... Miami leads the Mid-American Conference with 714 wins all-time. ... Cincinnati ranks 12th in the FBS in total offense (519) and 19th in rush offense (222.5). ... WR Gage Larvadain leads the RedHawks in receptions (16), receiving TDs (three) and receiving yards per game (176.5). ... Cincinnati QB Emory Jones is completing more than 75% of his passes and his 199.14 passer rating ranks seventh in the FBS. ... Miami DB Michael Dowell has a team-high two interceptions. ... Miami has 10 players on its roster from the Cincinnati area.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll
