Is UC the best football team in Ohio? Maybe…

In years past there has never been a debate as to who carries the banner as the best team in the state of Ohio. Yet, many Ohio State fans have all but erased the near loss to Cincinnati in their national title season of 2002. Ohio State fans dismiss the near loss as a lucky near win for the Cincinnati Bearcats—who weren’t even in a BCS conference at the time.

In just seven seasons the winds have changed in both Columbus and Cincinnati. After getting waxed by Florida and Louisiana State in two straight national title games and being embarrassed in other big games the groans toward former untouchable head coach Jim Tressel have fired up.

Meanwhile, two hours down the road in lowly Cincinnati the Bearcats have won an outright conference title and went to their first BCS bowl game ever. It’s only a small step for the school once better known for its basketball. Head man Brian Kelly is practically a god in the Queen City and his style of running the Bearcat program has excited the whole fanbase.

Although Ohio State bought their way out of a road trip to Cincinnati in 2011 by paying the Bearcats a cool million dollars to travel to Columbus that season, we won’t know until then who really is the best team in the state.

Ohio State fans easily outnumber UC Bearcat fans in the state and nationally, but through the winning ways of Kelly those who were never really a fan of either program in the city of Cincinnati have now changed their allegiance. Those who used to wear scarlet and gray on Saturdays in Cincinnati now wear red and black Bearcat gear.

Of course until the teams meet up on the field—which may not even happen in 2011, it’s honestly up to Ohio State—we truly will never know who is the better team. But this week a reporter asked Oregon State head coach Mike Riley, “Coach, you’ll obviously never get Ohio State to play a home-and-home series here, but are you playing the best team in the state of Ohio this weekend?”

(And I shall make no comment on the fact that what the reporter said was true because no sane Ohio State fan would admit that they’d duck an out of conference opponent… Well, one not named Cincinnati)

His answer Buckeye fans, will surprise you. You’re no longer alone at the top.

“We might be,” Riley responded.

To make a statement the Bearcats just have to win on Saturday afternoon. And until they actually play Ohio State, UC will just sit on the fact that Riley said the Bearcats are the best team in the state of Ohio. They’ve certainly played like it in the first two contests.