The Cincinnati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - Ohio State apparently wasn't daunted by its tight tussles with Cincinnati. While it still has two games remaining in its four-game series with the Bearcats, it has been discussing an extension to the series.

The remaining games of the original series are set for Sept. 4, 2004, and Sept. 16, 2006, both at Ohio Stadium. Talk of future games has included the possibility of another date at Paul Brown Stadium, where OSU narrowly beat UC 23-19 last year.

In 1999, OSU rallied from a 17-3 deficit to beat UC 34-20 in Columbus.

"We've been fortunate we've developed a good rapport, a good relationship, with Ohio State," said UC associate athletic director Paul Klaczak, who schedules UC football.

UC seemingly has separated itself from the rest of the programs in Ohio, which are more or less in a rotation on OSU's schedule. The Bearcats have gotten four games in eight years and are the only team OSU was willing to visit.

"We want to get some notoriety and recognition in Cincinnati, and a good way to do it is to play a football game," OSU athletic director Andy Geiger said.

Geiger raved about the atmosphere for the game last season, which drew 66,319 fans - the largest crowd ever to see a sporting event in Cincinnati. Though OSU played Northwestern in Cleveland in 1991 - originally to be the Wildcats' home game - Geiger isn't eyeing any other cities to host games.

"We would play Cincinnati in Cincinnati, but we're not going to move a game to Cleveland or anything," Geiger said.

Neil Schmidt