If anybody at Miami is thinking about trying to wrest the Victory Bell away from the University of Cincinnati before Saturday's UC-Miami football game, here's a suggestion:

        Bring plenty of help.

        One at a time, two reporters tried to lift the bell Monday. (The bell is located outside the office of UC coach Rick Minter.) Midway through the lift, they both decided they had no urge to have a hernia operation.

        The density of the bell befits the length of the rivalry: the 2 p.m. Saturday kickoff at Nippert Stadium is the 105th meeting between the two teams. Miami leads the series, 55-42-7.

        UC won 52-42 last year.

        The rivalry has been full of close, exciting games. Minter loves the tradition associated with this game, but wants the crowd size to reflect it.

        “I'd like people to come see this game, even if it's the only one they come to all year,” Minter said. “It's Homecoming to boot.”

        Minter noted that truly fierce rivalries — Bengals vs. Browns, Texas vs. Oklahoma, Michigan vs. Michigan State — are defined by the same bottom line: tickets are hard to come by.

        “What I'd like to see, with so many Cincinnati and Miami grads in the Tristate, is that every year we'd have to go request Paul Brown Stadium to host this game,” Minter said. “Neutral field, largest stadium around, that's the flavor you'd love this game to have.”

        He feels strongly that if fans come out Saturday to check out Bearcat Village, Nippert Stadium and the talent on the field, they'll be back. Quarterback Deontey Kenner is near the top of UC's passing stats in almost every category; elusive DeMarco McCleskey always breaks some runs.

        The lack of a full house hasn't diminished the players' intensity.

        Thanks to the two teams coming off bye weeks Kenner (stomach) and receiver Antonio Chatman (back), and Miami's QB Mike Bath and receiver Sly Johnson (hip) could be at full steam.

        This is a big game for both teams, even though it's played right in the middle of their conference schedules.

        “The older guys are really into it,” Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. “This is the game the fans and alumni talk about because so many live in the area.”

        UC upset Syracuse here, had Wisconsin well-hooked but couldn't get them in the boat up there and had the upper hand on rival Louisville down there before Kenner got hurt. UC (3-4) is still very much in the picture for a bowl game.

        “As a launching point, we'd like people to say to one another, "Hey, let's ride over and see the UC-Miami game,'” Minter said. “We feel once we can get 'em here, we can win 'em over. There's no reason why this game can't warrant 35,000 people — and that's all we have seats for.”

        Minter is asked regularly by fans: “So, what do you think about this great rivalry with Miami?”

        His response?

        “It's a great game, we've enjoyed playing it and we look forward to continuing to play it. But if you want to call it a rivalry, tell me this: why doesn't everybody in town want to come see it?”

        Minter lays down the gauntlet: “As long as everybody wants to brag about (this game) being a rivalry, and if this is the one everybody in town is going to quiz our players about for the rest of their lives — "Hey, how'd you do against Miami?' — then I challenge them to come see the game.”

        Enquirer reporter John Fay contributed to this story.

Minter challenges fans to attend UC-Miami game

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