The Battle of the Victory Bell series is tied at 60 wins apiece, and while the Miami RedHawks seek to keep the bell for the second year in a row, the upcoming game against the University of Cincinnati means more than just winning.
For Miami RedHawks Head Coach Chuck Martin, this Saturday’s noon game is part of a rivalry dating back to the late 1800s and has long since been a staple matchup in collegiate athletics.
“I always say it this way … it means everything,” Martin said. “To Miami University, to Miami alum, to Miami fans … this game is larger than life to this place.”
To Miami University and local fans, this matchup means everything. It means pride, it means keeping the artifact that represents a rivalry, the Victory Bell, possibly forever, according to Miami RedHawks Linebacker Matt Salopek.
“I mean, it’s huge,” Salopek said. “Obviously, this has been one of the oldest rivalries in the country … The Victory Bell is huge for Miami people and for Cincinnati people. Being able to bring it home … is a huge importance for us and it’s a different week for us when we prepare.”
“We’ve got a lot of fans that come out and support us every Saturday,” Salopeck said. “It [the game] signifies a lot, but it’s awesome when we see people in the stands coming out and cheering for us.”
While this game is culturally and socially significant, an event like this one is also economically noteworthy, and not just for Miami University, according to Oxford’s Economic Development Specialist, Seth W. Cropenbaker.
“Our economy turns on these big weekends,” Cropenbaker said. “Days like this coming Saturday are going to be a high dollar day in town. People are gonna be filling their tanks, filling their bellies and having a good time while they’re here in town, and our economy is gonna benefit from that.”
For Miami University, this upcoming Saturday represents many things. Among these is the strong relationship between the City of Oxford and Miami University Athletics, according to Deputy Athletic Director and Chief of Staff Chauncey Winbush.
“We obviously have to have a really great relationship with the City of Oxford,” Winbush said. “It takes a lot of support from outside of the Athletic Department to run a game … You need the support of the city. That’s what Oxford really does for us, for the most part, is supporting the game day operations on Saturday.”
Oxford and Miami University Athletics have helped one another for a long time and have fostered a kinship, according to Cropenbaker.
Or, as he puts it: “There is no Oxford without Miami and, really, Miami doesn’t have nearly the [same] identity without Oxford.”
Last fall the RedHawks reclaimed the Victory Bell for the first time in 18 years, breaking a 16-game losing streak. The upcoming matchup this Saturday at Yager Stadium marks the second last game and the final RedHawk home game in the Victory Bell series.
