(08-27-2023 04:01 PM)SouthernConfBoy Wrote:  I realize that they must have stopped teaching history in Ohio but here goes my attempt.

As in many states, the fight of the land grant money was huge and Ohio and Miami wanted along with the folks in Cincy. In 1870 Ohio and Miami already existed as robust entities when crooks from Columbus swung The Ohio State U with the land grant money. 35 years later the State of Ohio stuck it to all public's in the State of Ohio by limiting doctoral degrees to TOSU. Damaging Miami and Ohio - freezing them in place. This was the law for over 50 years. Cincy did not become a state intuitions until sometime in the 1970's.

It doesn't matter what Cincy, Miami, or Athens offers now, the policy of the State of Ohio for nearly a 100 years was to stomp on everyone else and make Ohio State the first or "prime" State University.

They have been damn effective wouldn't you say?

Without active smothering by the State of Ohio, the U of Ohio is probably an ACC school on near to or on a par with Pitt or UNC. Cincy without active smothering by the State of Ohio would be in the B10, SEC, or ACC and an AAU member most likely.

Cincy was formed out of a collection of independent schools that had many stops and starts. It really didn't come together in its modern incarnation until the late 19th Century, specifically when the university was charted in 1870 and all the separate schools slowly combined together. This was well after Ohio State was awarded the state's land-grant.

UC for most of its history was a municipally-supported school. It didn't start seeking state affiliations until the 1960s and didn't become part of the state system until 1977. It was offering graduate and professional degrees well before then. The state didn't do anything to "smother" Cincy.