LINCOLN, NEBRASKA – NOVEMBER 16: Jalen Billups #21 of the Northern Kentucky Norse drives into Walter Pitchford #35 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Pinnacle Bank Arena November 16, 2014 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Eric Francis/Getty Images)

2-seed Kentucky vs. 15-seed Northern Kentucky is the best in-state rivalry of the first round of the NCAA Tournament, mostly because there are only two in-state rivalries in the first round.

The truth is, Kentucky is on another level from Northern Kentucky, which has only been a Division I team since 2012 and is eligible for the tournament for the first time ever. According to KenPom.com, Kentucky has a 95 percent chance to win and is projected to win by 19. It’s probably not going to be close.

However, if the Norse—yes, the Norse!—somehow do pull off the upset, Northern Kentucky students are going to celebrate with a great meal. Cincinnati restaurant owner Jeff Ruby said he will buy steak for all of NKU’s 15,000 undergrads if the team wins. WLWT5 in Cincinnati says the meal could cost over $1 million.

“Yes, this could get very expensive,” Ruby admits with a smile. “But it’s important to me to show support to our hometown organizations. NKU is a real asset to the community as they continue to produce extraordinary talented leaders for our region and beyond.”

If this really does cost $1 million, Ruby really wouldn’t be cheaping out on his promise—that would be $67 per steak! Bone-in filet mignons for everyone!

[WLWT]

About Kevin Trahan

Kevin mostly covers college football and college basketball, with an emphasis on NCAA issues and other legal issues in sports. He is also an incoming law student. He's written for SB Nation, USA Today, VICE Sports, The Guardian and The Wall Street Journal, among others. He is a graduate of Northwestern University.