Ben Roethlisberger was on a recruiting visit to Oxford two years ago, watching the annual rivalry football game between the University of Cincinnati and the Miami RedHawks. When the game ended in a UC victory, he saw a group of Bearcats sprint across the field and head for the Miami bench.

Guidugli

Roethlisberger

        “I didn't know what was going on,” Roethlisberger said. “I saw them take that bell and I could see the passion on the upperclassmen's faces when they talked about getting that bell back.”

        The bell in question is the Victory Bell, which traditionally goes to the winner of the UC-Miami game, and which currently rests in the UC football office. Roethlisberger, now Miami's starting quarterback, wants it back in Oxford.

        But it's Gino Guidugli's intention to keep it right where it is when Miami and UC meet for the 106th time Saturday at Yager Stadium.

        Guidugli doesn't have the same frame of reference for this rivalry as Roethlisberger. He grew up in Northern Kentucky following the University of Kentucky Wildcats. His idea of a rivalry is UK-Louisville or UK-Tennessee. He has never seen a UC-Miami game, but he's eager to get into the spirit.

        “It's going to be an experience going up there, no doubt,” Guidugli said.

        The two freshman quarterbacks figure to be at the center of this century-old rivalry for the next four years. If they're as good as their high school numbers indicate, they should put on a captivating offensive show and perhaps generate renewed fan interest in the process.

        “This could be Round 1 of hopefully a very memorable four years,” Miami coach Terry Hoeppner said. “I don't know that there's ever been a matchup between quarterbacks who had the senior year in high school that these two had. There's 100 touchdown passes between the two of them, almost 10,000 yards combined. That's phenomenal.”

        Roethlisberger, Ohio's Division I offensive player of the year at Findlay High School in 1999, set state records with 4,041 passing yards and 54 touchdowns. Guidugli, runner-up for Kentucky's Mr. Football award, threw for 4,367 yards and 51 touchdowns last year at Highlands High School.

        The two prodigies, mirror images in the way they play the game, have never met, nor have they seen each other play. Roethlisberger is a year older, having sat out last season as a redshirt while Mike Bath finished his Miami career. Guidugli, a true freshman, hasn't had the advantage of easing into the college game.

        Both debuted this season under trying circumstances. Roethlisberger received his first start three weeks ago in front of 109,676 fans at Michigan, then played on the road again two weeks ago in front of 58,291 at Iowa. Miami lost both games, Roethlisberger completing 51 percent of his passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns. He was intercepted five times.

        Guidugli was thrust into action as a reserve two weeks ago on the road against Army when starting quarterback Adam Hoover was injured. He led his team to a come-from-behind victory with 311 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. This will be his first collegiate start.

        “He's a very accurate passer,” said Hoeppner, who saw Guidugli up close in Miami's summer camp a few years ago. “He's not a mechanical quarterback. Whatever kind of throw it takes, if he has to throw it sidearm, he can throw it sidearm. And he's more agile and runs better than people probably think.”

        At 6 feet 5, Roethlisberger has a 2-inch height advantage over his UC counterpart. Like Guidugli, he's the classic dropback quarterback with a strong, accurate arm but also has sufficient athleticism to run when he has to, as evidenced by the 80-yard touchdown run he produced against Iowa.

        “He was put under the learning curve so quickly against quality competition,” Minter said. “He looks pretty poised in the pocket. He can loft a good, soft ball if he needs to and he can put a stick to it if he needs to. They got themselves a real gem when they signed Ben.”

Freshman QBs center stage in UC-Miami game 6-8 guard to visit UC

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