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Cincinnati's 2012 game against Virginia Tech has been moved to FedEx Field in Washington D.C., officials from the Washington Redskins have announced.

The game was scheduled to be at Nippert Stadium as a return game from 2006 in Blacksburg. Virginia Tech was originally scheduled to play in Cincinnati this season, but that game was moved so the Hokies could open against Alabama in Atlanta.

Cincinnati will serve as the host team for the game in FedEx, but clearly it won't be a home field advantage. Obviously, there must have been some major financial incentives for the Bearcats to agree to this move. This game should sell a lot more tickets than what Nippert can hold, but I have to wonder why Cincinnati didn't just move the game at Paul Brown Stadium, the pro facility in its own backyard, if that were the only consideration.

Here's what Cincinnati athletic director Mike Thomas said in an official statement:

“As the program has gained more national notoriety over the last few years with national rankings, a Big East championship, and last year’s BCS appearance in the Orange Bowl, we are always looking for opportunities to grow our brand beyond Cincinnati and the state of Ohio. These types of games are important to the development of our championship program and help to expand our exposure on a national stage.”

Posted by ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg and Brian Bennett

Eight FBS teams call Ohio home, but only one program has been nationally relevant for decades. Ohio State is the state's premier program, having won 13 national championships and 33 Big Ten championships. It's produced seven Heisman Trophy winners.

But for the first time in recent memory, the Buckeyes face a legit challenger for the title of best in state. Cincinnati has surged under third-year coach Brian Kelly, winning the Big East last season and rising to No. 8 in the BCS standings, nine spots ahead of the Buckeyes, who already have two losses. While the teams don't meet again until 2012, the two programs have been compared a lot during the past few weeks.

Big Ten blogger Adam Rittenberg and Big East blogger Brian Bennett break down the debate in the Buckeye State.

Adam Rittenberg: We've already looked at Iowa-Cincinnati and Penn State-Pitt. Now let's get to a topic that has been debated for a while this season. A Cincinnati radio station even got into the act to mock Ohio State after the Buckeyes' loss to Purdue. What's your take on these two teams?

Brian Bennett: Adam, Cincinnati fans are getting a bit chesty after decades of playing the role of little brother in Ohio. Well, maybe more like little second cousin than little brother. Look, there's no question that the Buckeyes have a William Taft-sized edge on the Bearcats in history, tradition, resources and facilities. But college football is becoming a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately sport, and it's hard to argue against the fact that Cincinnati is having the better season this year.

	AP Photo/Jay LaPrete
	The Buckeyes have yet to figure out how to best utilize Terrelle Pryor’s skills.

Which team is better? That's debatable. But let me ask you this: If given the choice, would you rather have Terrelle Pryor, who looks ill-suited for Ohio State's system, or Tony Pike expertly running the spread? Or, for that matter, Bearcats backup Zach Collaros, who's a dual-threat guy himself?

Rittenberg: Cincinnati knows exactly who it is on offense, and the results show every time the Bearcats take the field. The system is bigger than any player, as Kelly can plug in just about anyone at quarterback and get tremendous results. Ohio State, meanwhile, hasn't established an offensive identity since Pryor became the starter. The Buckeyes keep experimenting with the spread, the pistol formation, a pro-style set, etc., as they try to mold the offense around Pryor. I wish they'd just pick something and stick with it, even if it's an option-based offense. I do think Pryor will get better over time. He's just so talented.

Ohio State's defense knows exactly who it is, and it's an extremely talented group. I know UC's offense is tremendous, but do the Bearcats face any defenses like Ohio State's in the Big East?

Bennett: Well, a couple of weeks ago, I might have said South Florida, but the Bulls have since been exposed. So it's true that at least so far, the Bearcats haven't faced any shutdown, stout defenses. The last time they did, in fact, was against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl, and that didn't work out so well.

	Joel Auerbach/US Presswire
	Brian Kelly’s offense has proven successful no matter who is at quarterback.

But I do think this is a better, more well-rounded offense than even last year. And if you can fairly ask if Cincinnati has seen a defense like Ohio State's, I can fairly counter by asking if the Buckeyes have faced anything as good as Kelly's offense. USC wasn't exactly airing it out. Purdue runs some spread and managed to beat Ohio State, and I think we'd both agree that the Boilermakers aren't quite in the Bearcats' class. And on the flip side, don't count out that Cincinnati defense, which statistically has been better than the one in Columbus.

Rittenberg: I can't believe you, Bennett. You're totally neglecting the mighty Toledo Rockets, the nation's 14th-ranked offense that managed to put up exactly zero points against Ohio State back on Sept. 19. I see how it is. Now that Cincinnati is highly ranked and competing for state bragging rights, you totally neglect the little guy. Jim Tressel wouldn't approve.

In all seriousness, no, Ohio State hasn't faced an offense that resembles Cincinnati's, though the Buckeyes really did a nice job against USC until the final drive. It's too bad Illinois never showed up this season, as the Illini could have given Ohio State a nice challenge. But Kelly's scheme would really test Ohio State, especially in the secondary. Kurt Coleman is one of the best safeties in the country, but corners Chimdi Chekwa and Devon Torrence would have their hands full. Ohio State's pass rush would need to be on point, but I have full faith in the Buckeyes' defensive line.

OK, Brian, you're on the spot. Who wins this game? And perhaps, more importantly, could Cincinnati win in Columbus? I don't think the Bearcats enter many environments nearly as hostile as The Shoe.

Bennett: Does this mean we have to debate Toledo vs. Akron next?

You know, if they played every year or even if they played 100 times this year, Ohio State would probably win the majority of them. But in a one-shot deal, this year, no matter where the game was played, I'd cast my lot with the Bearcats. Not only is this a really good team, but it's a team full of guys who grew up in Ohio but weren't considered good enough to play for the Buckeyes. Combine their talent with motivation, and I think that would be enough to change the state's power structure for one day, at least.

Who would you take?

Rittenberg: I agree the Bearcats would have no trouble getting up for this game. Cincinnati clearly has the better offense, but I don't think UC has seen a defense like Ohio State's. Keep in mind the Buckeyes play a similar style to Virginia Tech, which beat Cincinnati pretty handily in the Orange Bowl. Location also would make a difference. Cincinnati wins at Nippert, but I don't see the Buckeyes losing this game in Columbus.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Virginia Tech must be doing something right. The Hokies are one of just three programs (Florida and Florida State are the others) who will be participating in a bowl game this year for the 16th straight season.

But when it comes to bowl results, Frank Beamer figured that Virginia Tech must be doing something wrong. The Hokies have lost their last two postseason games despite being favored over Kansas in the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl and Georgia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl two years ago. They've dropped four of their last five bowl contests and their last four BCS appearances.

"We've been to, I guess, 16 straight, and we've really kind of had the same procedure for a long, long time, and we've won some bowl games," Beamer said at Wednesday's coaches' news conference. "But in the last couple years we didn't win. So, after the game last year, we went back as a football staff and said, 'If we can get back to a bowl game, what do we need to do differently?'"

The Hokies (9-4) have changed things up in Miami this week. The players have had a midnight curfew every night, whereas in the past they've been allowed to stay out later in the days leading up to the game. For the first time during a bowl week, Beamer is moving his team out of the designated team hotel the night before the game. Virginia Tech left its cushy digs at the Westin Diplomat and headed away to a quieter, undisclosed location Wednesday night for more of a regular game feel.

Beamer said the team did more full-speed drill work and scrimmages in Blacksburg before coming to Miami, unlike in the past when he gave the upperclassmen some time off.

In the end, Beamer said, winning bowl games often comes down to the team being in the right mindset. Last year's squad may have relaxed a bit after beating Boston College in the ACC title game to get here, he said. This year, he senses more of a focus on beating Cincinnati.

"Hopefully our minds are right, and I do believe this is an important ballgame to this football team," he said.

Virginia Tech will have some challenges to overcome in this game. Two defensive starters -- end Jason Worilds, the team's sacks leader, and linebacker Brett Warren, the Hokies' second-leading tackler -- are out with injuries. Freshman Barquell Rivers will replace Worilds, while junior Nekos Browns will step in for Warren.

Of even bigger concern is the loss of starting offensive guard Nick Marshman to academics. Freshman Jaymes Brooks, who has played only four snaps all season, will take his place against an athletic and aggressive Cincinnati defensive front.

"He's done OK," Beamer said when asked how Brooks has practiced. "He's going to be a good, good player. He's very athletic, with good size, good pop. He just hasn't played very much."

This may or may not be the year the Hokies get back on the bowl winning track. But Beamer said that shouldn't take away from the accomplishment of reaching this stage yet again. He said he was thinking about that while watching past Orange Bowl highlights at Tuesday's luncheon for the teams. This is a young Virginia Tech squad that was 6-4 at one point this season and didn't expect to get here.

"When it's all said and done, it's important to this football program, to our players, to our coaches, to our fans that you're successful in that last ballgame, and it's not every day you get a chance to be successful in an Orange Bowl," Beamer said. "Sometimes I think we take these bowl games a little bit for granted, but I'll tell you, going through this year and not being sure that you could win enough to get to a bowl game, I don't think we ever need to take these things for granted. "

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Here are seven story lines to keep an eye on during the final two Big East bowls this week, starting with Thursday night's FedEx Orange Bowl:

1. Cincinnati's defense vs. Virginia Tech's running game: It's no real secret what Frank Beamer and the Hokies want to do on offense. They're not going to line up five wide and throw it all over the field. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor may make some plays with his arm, but the strategy is for him and his running backs to pound the ball down Cincinnati's throat. Since 1999, Virginia Tech is 90-8 when outrushing its opponents and 9-20 when being outrushed. If the Bearcats can choke off that running game, the Hokies are going to have a very difficult time finding ways to score.

2. Cincinnati's passing attack vs. Virginia Tech's secondary: While the Bearcats do strive for some balance, they basically are the polar opposite to the Hokies on offense. Coach Brian Kelly's spread attack will feature multiple-wide receiver sets, and quarterback Tony Pike likes to heave it deep. Receivers Mardy Gilyard and Dominick Goodman are the team's top playmakers, though Goodman's effectiveness for this game is questionable since he's recovering from a separated shoulder. It should be a terrific matchup against Tech's talented and hard-hitting defensive backs, led by Victor "Macho" Harris.

3. Special teams in South Florida: Beamer-ball can be boiled down to strong defense plus big special-teams play. The Hokies, of course, are known for their ability to block kicks and make other things happen to provide field-position superiority. But the Bearcats can be pretty special in the kicking game, too. Punter Kevin Huber is an All-American who routinely drills 50-yarders with plenty of hang time, while Gilyard is one of the nation's top return men. You can bet Cincinnati spent extra time preparing its punt-protection unit for this game. Avoiding any costly mistakes in special teams is a must for the Bearcats.

4. Cincinnati's discipline: The Bearcats offense and the Virginia Tech defense is strength vs. strength. Special teams could be a wash as well. So, what, ultimately could be the difference in this game? One thing that's been lost in the excitement of an 11-2 season is that Cincinnati has been a heavily penalized team this year with a minus-5 turnover margin. That's one reason why most of the Bearcats' wins were close shaves. Those kinds of self-inflicted wounds will only get magnified under the glare of the BCS lights and against a fundamentally sound Virginia Tech team.

5. Donald Brown: The nation's leading rusher takes his show to another country as Connecticut travels to Toronto for the International Bowl. Brown will have had nearly a month to rest after a heavy workload this season, and he needs 178 yards to reach 2,000 for the season. Buffalo ranked 83rd in rushing defense this season, but the Bulls have some reason to believe they can at least slow down Brown. They held Pitt's LeSean McCoy to 93 yards early in the season.

6. Darius Butler: UConn's star cornerback missed the final three games with a knee injury. He's expected to be back and near full strength for this bowl game, and the Huskies sure need him. Buffalo quarterback Drew Willy threw for over 3,000 yards and had nine touchdown passes of 30 yards or longer this season. Butler may be able to shut down a portion of the field. And he also brings a dynamic presence on special teams and the occasional offensive snap for a team that struggles to score.

7. Turnovers in Toronto: Connecticut finished even in turnover margin this season, but the Huskies coughed it up too many times in big games. They had 13 turnovers in losses to North Carolina, West Virginia and Pittsburgh. They simply don't have enough firepower to overcome those giveaways. Buffalo, on the flip side, had a plus-15 turnover margin, which was good for eighth-best in the country. If UConn doesn't take care of the ball, it can't count on getting it back from the Bulls.

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

It's time for our last batch of Big East-related bowl picks, which culminates with Thursday's FedEx Orange Bowl and Saturday's International Bowl. Here goes nothing:

Cincinnati 21, Virginia Tech 17: These two teams are evenly matched in most areas. I just don't see the Hokies being able to score enough points to win this game against a stout Bearcats defense. Cincinnati is fast and fleet enough to contain quarterback Tyrod Taylor, so it will come down to whether Virginia Tech can pound the ball between the tackles. The Bearcats aren't going to score a ton against the Hokies' defense, either, but they have far more big-play ability with guys like Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard. Unless Tech can come up with some patented Beamer-ball special-teams swings or Pike turns the ball over, Cincinnati will win its first BCS game.

Buffalo 27, Connecticut 20: I'm going with the upset special here. UConn limped to the finish line this season, and while Donald Brown's running numbers shouldn't suffer too much with the Canadian exchange rate, the Huskies' offense is still limited in the passing game. Buffalo, on the other hand, can put up points in a hurry with quarterback Drew Willy and running back James Starks. The Bulls are pumped up for the school's first-ever bowl appearance, and they'll clear customs with a trophy.

Last week: 1-1

Bowl season: 2-1*

Season record: 48-24 (67 percent)

* not including Brut Sun Bowl pick

Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett

Some people might make this matchup out to be Cincinnati's offense against Virginia Tech's defense, but they would be missing the point.

Yes, the Hokies are as fearsome as ever defensively, ranking seventh in the country in total defense. But the Bearcats have a swift, ball-hawking defense with 10 starting seniors themselves. The two teams feature outstanding secondaries, led by Macho Harris for Virginia Tech and Mike Mickens for Cincinnati, assuming the latter is healthy after late-year knee surgery. And both sides are terrific on special teams.

It's been endlessly documented how Cincinnati overcame all its quarterback issues this season. Virginia Tech had its own issues until Tyrod Taylor stepped up and solidified the position.

The Bearcats have a much better passing attack with quarterback Tony Pike and big-play receivers Dominick Goodman and Mardy Gilyard. But the Hokies are far more effective at running the ball and can use that to control the clock.

The Big East has won three straight BCS games and would like nothing better to defeat one of the three teams (along with Miami and Boston College) that bolted the league for the ACC before the 2005 season. The ACC has lost its last eight BCS games.