WLWT: Excitement builds for Bearcats’ playoff game

“We've had over 10,000 requests for tickets out of our allotment,” said Anthony Di Fino, the deputy athletic director for external relations at UC. “So, it'll be a competitive allotment. But for us, it just shows how involved people are with this team.”

UC has been allotted 13,000 tickets for the Cotton Bowl game against Alabama on Dec. 31. Ticket requests are being accepted until 5 p.m. Dec. 10 for both that game and the potential national championship game.

Local establishments also are preparing for big crowds. The busiest days of the year at Mac's Pizza have coincided with UC football games, a trend Mac Ryan expects to continue in the playoff.

Historically success in college football also has led to an increase in applications for student admissions.

“They find that after a good football season, applications for the school go up by about 3%,” said David Brasington, a professor and the James C. and Caroline Kautz Chair in Political Economy at the University of Cincinnati Carl H. Lindner College of Business.

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Featured image: Bearcats fans cheer during the University of Cincinnati football game against the University of Tulsa at Nippert Stadium. Photo by Andrew Higley/UC Creative + Brand.