So why did we play at Nippert all those years?
Also, how bad did UC suck to be that underwater to us record wise. At their home stadium!
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As I recall, it was largely because of tradition. In the early years the game used to be played on Thanksgiving weekends. It was a train trip to Cincy for Miamians in Oxford for years and a party in the city. A good many Miami students were already home in Cincinnati that weekend.
Nippert was a big concrete dump until UC started making money as an AQ team in the Big East. But it was twice as big as Miami Field. They finally agreed to play an occasional game in Oxford in the early 70s.
I think the 1-1-1 arrangement came about after UCâs move back to G5 as a member of the American.
Back in the 60s and 70s, both UC and Louisville were members of the MVCâŚBoth had very mediocre football programs but national caliber hoops. Louisville played in a stadium at the Kentucky State Fairgrounds.
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Nippert was almost condemned back in about 88 or so. Yet we played there every year.
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Yeah, when I was at Miami I went to the UC game at Nippert on Thanksgiving weekend every year. (we won 3 of 4 during my four years in Oxford). I always went to the games w high school buddies who were going to UC, and those 3 wins were very satisfying (to say the least).
Hard for the recent grads among us here to fully contemplate how big those games where for most of our football history. Those were serious bragging rights wins and we won far more than we lost most every decade until 2010.
I was at my Mariemont HS 50 year reunion a week ago (stayed at the beautiful Mariemont Inn of course), and was back with many of my former classmates who went to UC (mostly for engineering degrees). At least I had bragging rights from our most recent game!
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And every one of those temporary bleachers were filled vs Marshall in 1997. Largest crowd in Miami history.
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I think they were also pretty full for the Marshall game in 2003 when Roethlisbergerâs darts blew them away despite something like a 25-30 mph wind.
Wasnât there but watched that game at the now defunct ESPN Zone bar in downtown Chicago w 4 other MU grads. What a glorious night that was as we destroyed the Green plague from Huntington!
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I was in the MU marching band in â69 when I made my first trip to Nippert as a Junior. We beat UC 36-20. It was awesome!
I didnât play in the band my Senior year but I attended the game against UC on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. If we won it weâd finish 8-2. Our only losses were one point road losses at Ohio and Toledo.
The skies were as gray as the cold and ugly concrete in Nippert stadium. A chilling rain fell all afternoon. We lost it 33-0.
It was one of the worst three or four Miami football experiences of my 60 years of being a fan.
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That game was way fuller at the start than at the end. I bought a stadium blanket. With every touchdown scored, more fans left and those of us remaining were moving down and together to try and get a break from the wind.
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Infiltrating the UC student section for the 2002 game is one of my favorite Miami memories. Obviously the Hootenanny fake was big⌠but Milt Bowen will always be one of my favorite players for his 2 enormous interceptions in the 4th quarter of that game to secure the win.
Iâm undefeated at Nippert.
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The 97 game vs Marshall had the biggest crowd of any game I have attended. The stadium was larger at the time and overflow fans ringed the fence surrounding the field.
The authorities were not prepared for the amount of traffic coming up Rt. 27(largely Marshall fans coming over from W. Virginia) and folks were arriving all the way until halftime due to delays.
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We had to lower the temporary stadium light stands too due to wind. Ben was throwing darts INTO 40 MPH wind. Gosh knows what the wind chill was on that wind coming from the North.
Thatâs pre athlectic training center so barely any windbreak. We were sitting in the N End Zone.
Good,thing we had a motor home standing by with chili and KYâs Finest
For half time.
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The game 1812grad is referring to was, to my mind, the most important Miami game of My 38 years of association with Miami football. Without that win over Marshall we donât play in the MAC championship game in 2003 and even our best team in Miami history falls short to the toothless Herd from West Virginia.
It was not, however, nearly as well attended as Marshallâs first trip to Oxford after returning to the conference. That was in 1997.
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The stadium was full before 50 mph cold winds emptied Big Benâs last home game.
Think the final score was 45-6?
As I recall, it was also very warm that day. People at the game were not ready for a significant temperature drop along with the very strong winds. No sweaters, or jackets, or hoodies. Tâs and short sleeves drove them away when the cold front moved in. Also, there was talk of suspending the game due to the high wind threat to the light posts. Too bad. Was a great crowd.
Goes to show you, ya have to check the weather or bring a jacket to a night game before you go out as changes can come very quickly. That night was a perfect example.
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I was shirtless for that game. I made it all the way through and then I ended up puking 3 times on the walk back to the dorm⌠and then another 3 times in the bathroom while washing off the face and body paint about 20 minutes later. And I had actually prepared for cold temperatures. Starting that summer, I would take really cold showers to try to toughen up my body to go shirtless in November. That BG game on 11/4 (when it was in the 70s all day and into the night) ended up not being a challenge. The Marshall weather 8 days later more than made up for it. I distinctly remember one gust of wind around late 3rd/early 4th quarter that was bone-chilling.
It was still worth it. Also, we honestly could have realistically scored 3 more touchdowns against Marshall that night. We had a couple of drives stall out on 4th when the game wasnât close and then we really took the foot off the pedal when it was out of hand. Three more TDs would have put the score at exactly 66-6.
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There was a Tornado Watch that afternoon.
If anyone has the ability to upload those old classics to YouTube that would much appreciated!
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Three of us played golf at Indian Ridge that day. I remember seeing all the students going to the game wearing shorts and t-shirts and thinking theyâll regret that.
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That would be great. Iâve always looked for that 1997 Marshall game but have never been able to find it.
I was one of those students ⌠but despite the cold - no regrets 
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