CINCINNATI — The big showdown between the No. 7 Cincinnati Bearcats and No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will leave one program in the driver’s seat for a College Football Playoff spot.
While fans are gearing up for a top 10 showdown, one Cincinnati native finds himself in the middle of the matchup.
Rocky Boiman is a former NFL linebacker, who now is a broadcaster for ESPN and 700 WLW, where he regularly breaks down big games throughout the football season.
“If you told anybody even three years ago that UC would be going into Notre Dame as a two-point favorite in South Bend, I think they’d say you’re nuts,” Boiman said. “But I think that that just shows how far this Bearcat program has come in a short amount of time with how really great they’re playing.”
Boiman grew up in Cincinnati, playing football at St. Xavier High School, earning a chance to play for his favorite team, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
“My dad kind of raised me to be a Notre Dame fan,” he said. “I remember watching games with him. I was eight years old when Notre Dame won their last National Championship in 1988. Kind of those formable years when you’re figuring out what teams you like and that sort of thing, I was brainwashed to be a Notre Dame fan.”
He was a team captain his senior year at Notre Dame, won a Super Bowl with the Indianapolis Colts and now he lives back home in Cincinnati. He’s loyal to his Irish, but the game this weekend puts him in a tough spot.
“Personally, I win either way, right? I’m a Notre Dame alum, and I wanna see my alma mater have success,” Boiman said. “But on the other hand I’m a Cincinnati native, and I know more than anybody or as much as anybody how starved this town is for success on the athletic field, right?”
Boiman isn’t the only link to Notre Dame from Cincinnati. Along with plenty of alumni and a strong Catholic community, coaching connections between the two programs are a big part of the story.
Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator Marcus Freeman had the same position at UC last year, and most notably, Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly left the Bearcats for his current job in South Bend.
“Yes, I know that there are some UC fans, that even though it happened, what 11-something years ago, that are still always and forever will be upset at the way Brian Kelly left,” Boiman said. “They want revenge for that. I understand their position on that.”
It all adds up to a game carrying critical weight for both programs. And despite his loyalty to Notre Dame, Boiman thinks Cincinnati holds an advantage heading into this contest.
“I think it would just wonderful for the city for UC to go and win this game and go on out for the rest of the season and have a magical season,” Boiman said.
Cincinnati faces Notre Dame on Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m.
