Forty-Five to Thirty-Five: The Rematch, the Title, and Rose's Pom-Poms Rest
Cleveland State45
Ohio35
- Game
- 2032 Big 12 Championship
- Site
- Neutral site
- Result
- Win
- Record
- 12-1
VIKINGS 45, OHIO 35. BIG 12 CHAMPIONS. AGAIN.
Folks, three weeks ago they beat us by forty-two. And on a neutral field, for the conference championship, our guys beat the three-time national champions by ten. That’s our fourth Big 12 title in five years: 2028, 2030, 2031 and now 2032.
Kenny said nobody in this rivalry ever wins three in a row. Kenny was right. I’ve decided to start trusting Kenny about Ohio. It took nine years.
Rose was there, with Eli, and Bridget sent me a picture after the game: Rose asleep in her car seat, still holding her pom-poms. Bridget wrote, “she didn’t wave them once. she knew.” Folks, a sixteen-month-old knew.
At Big Stan’s on Monday, I looked at the wall. The two frames. The brass plate that says TWICE. The nail. Stan was on his ladder, dusting it. I said, “Stan, how about now? Big 12 champions. Beat Ohio.” Stan climbed down, put his hand on my shoulder and said, “Mick, the nail is for the big one. We’ll know it when we see it.” Then he gave me a pierogi. Chester abstained from the conversation.
Five pierogi.
A ten-point win over Ohio for the Big 12 championship, three weeks after a forty-two-point loss to the same team. The Vikings are twelve and one and have earned a first-round bye.
Some facts. This is the fourth conference title in five years. The Vikings have now beaten Ohio in three Big 12 championship games: 2028, 2030 and 2032. And the Vikings now lead the rivalry eight games to seven since 2024, which feels about right. Neither of these programs has ever been able to put the other one away.
Teddy gave no number before this game, either. He gave Mickey another piece of butcher paper. It said, “Good day, Mick.” That’s it. He’s moved from scores to weather reports. They’re more accurate.
My father called on his own Sunday, which he rarely does anymore. He’d watched. My mother had put it on. He said, “Kenny, we got ‘em.” I said, “We got ‘em, Dad.” He said, “Ohio’s always tough. But we’re tougher in December.” He’s never said that before. I don’t know if it’s true. I’m putting it in the Doom Model anyway.
Back and forth
Eight to seven, Kenny. Since 2024.
Fifteen games, and one game apart. That’s not a rivalry. That’s a marriage.
Stan says the nail’s for the big one.
Stan’s been saying that for two years. I’m starting to believe him.
The rematch goes the other way by ten, a fourth Big 12 title in five years, a rivalry that stands at eight games to seven, and a toddler who knew not to wave her pom-poms.
Split Decision is fiction. Mickey Bridges, Ken Hogmanes and The Lakefront Ledger are invented; the games and scores are not.