Miami (OH) Cincinnati's oldest football rivalry, begun in 1888, is with
Miami University, located in
Oxford, Ohio about 40 miles to the northwest. The
Victory Bell awarded to the winner of each contest, with Cincinnati holding it after their win in
2024. The teams take each other on annual in many other sports. After a decade hiatus from 2011-2020, the Men's basketball teams faced each other in both 2022 and 2023, with the Bearcats winning both matchups.
West Virginia The teams met 20 times between 1921 and 2011, every year from 2005 to 2011, as conference foes and members of the
Big East Conference. The schools have competed as
Big 12 Conference opponents since 2023, after Cincinnati's invite into the conference.
West Virginia leads Cincinnati in the series 17-3-1 since 2011.
Louisville Cincinnati and the
University of Louisville battled annually for the
Keg of Nails. This rivalry dated back to 1929, but ended when Louisville joined the
Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014. The men's basketball teams of both schools have also participated in a fierce rivalry historically, with Louisville leading the all time series 53–44. The schools continue to play in other sports, primarily an annual game in baseball.
Memphis The rivalry between these two schools dates to their first men's
college football game in 1966, and has continued across all sports, with the
basketball series gaining attention as well, having started in 1968. Interest in the series was renewed with both teams reuniting in the
American Athletic Conference and Memphis's basketball reemergence. Football has also intensified, with both teams playing in the
2019 American Athletic Conference Football Championship Game. The series is expected to go into hiatus upon Cincinnati's move to the
Big 12 conference in July 2023.
Xavier In
basketball, the Bearcats' crosstown rival is the
Xavier University Musketeers. Xavier is located less than 3 miles from the University of Cincinnati's main campus. The Bearcats and the Musketeers meet annually in the popular
Crosstown Shootout. Cincinnati and Xavier used to have a fierce rivalry in football, before Xavier eliminated their program after the 1973 season. The schools routinely battle each other in other sports annually as well.
Others When Cincinnati joined the Big East in 2005, they and the
University of Pittsburgh started the River City Rivalry. The game is a battle for the River City Rivalry trophy. In 2013 the rivalry series went on a ten year hiatus due to Pittsburgh's exit from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Bearcats and Panthers renewed their series in 2023 with the Bearcats winning in Pittsburgh by a 27-21 score. Cincinnati and the
Dayton Flyers were another regional rivalry that has lost significance recently. The teams would play periodically in football, before Dayton went down to NCAA Division III in 1977. The teams also frequently played in men's basketball, though the series has ceased since 2011. Cincinnati also has had intermittent rivalries with the
Ohio State Buckeyes,
Ohio Bobcats, and the
Kentucky Wildcats. Although Cincinnati does not play these schools regularly, these are geographic rivals and are all universities of similar size and stature. In 1961 and 1962 Cincinnati defeated Ohio State in both of its back-to-back national title games in basketball. ==Athletic facilities==