The oldest non-conference rivalry in Division I college football will be played on a soccer pitch this fall.
The Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Miami RedHawks Victory Bell rivalry game will be played at TQL Stadium in the West End, rather than the Cincinnati Bengals’ Paycor Stadium, where it was originally scheduled. An official announcement is expected soon, but the groundwork began a while back.
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The two teams did not meet in 2025.
The Cincinnati Bearcats reclaimed the Victory Bell after defeating the Miami RedHawks for the 17th time in 18 years at Yager Stadium in Oxford on Sept. 14. 2024.
UC leads the long-standing rivalry 61-60-7. The Bearcats won the last game at Yager Stadium, Sept. 14, 2024, 27-16 to reacquire the fabled bell.
The year before, in Scott Satterfield’s first season, Miami University ended a 16-game skid in the series by knocking off the Bearcats in Nippert Stadium, 31-24 in overtime.
After that win, Miami University canceled return trips to Nippert in 2025 and 2028, with UC then calling off the 2027 and 2029 games set to be played in Oxford. After a year-long hiatus, this fall’s 2026 game was originally scheduled to be the last.
Miami RedHawks hoist the Victory Bell in the air after winning their football game against the rival Cincinnati Bearcats in overtime 31-24 on Sept. 16, 2023 at Nippert Stadium. It was the last rivalry game in Nippert Stadium. UC won the rematch at Yager Stadium.
Both sides dropped hints of a venue change.
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TQL became a “naming rights level” sponsor of the Bearcats and Nippert Stadium in 2023. When the Cincinnati Bearcats’ 2026 football schedule was released, there was no mention of Paycor Stadium for the UC/Miami game, even though that’s where it was originally planned, just as the two played at the Bengals stadium in 2022.
“We look forward to facing the RedHawks at Yager Stadium in the Battle for the Victory Bell this fall and at Paycor Stadium in 2026.,” UC AD John Cunningham said in the summer of 2024. “We will continue to explore opportunities to play Miami in the future.”
Those explorations have led to another “neutral site” as Miami AD David Sayler alluded to before last season.
“Fans will undoubtedly notice no game with Cincinnati on the 2025 schedule, however we look forward to squaring off against them in 2026 on a neutral field. I am optimistic, based on some preliminary conversations, that we will continue to play into the future and look forward to working with the UC Administration to make that happen.”
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Capacities for UC, Miami venues
Had the game stayed at Paycor Stadium, it holds 65,515. It likely was cost-prohibitive as when UC was playing downtown during Nippert’s renovation, it would have taken more than a Nippert sellout to break even in the NFL stadium.
With a standing-room crowd, Nippert Stadium can accommodate 40,000 fans. Miami’s Yager Stadium seats 24, 286 with the 2024 game with UC getting a standing-room total of 24, 717.
TQL Stadium capacity for FC Cincinnati games is 26,000, so maybe more could have seen the game at Nippert, but the venue is more in line with what the RedHawks would draw.
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The stadium has hosted concerts and has been the finish for the yearly Thanksgiving Day run, but has not hosted a football game yet.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats, Miami RedHawks Victory Bell football to be at TQL Stadium
