The Cincinnati Bearcats made history as the first non-Power Five team ever to take their talents to taste the College Football Playoffs; the end result was predicted accurately.
Bearcats were two-touchdown underdogs, particularly facing the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Crimson Tide’s opening drive featured ten straight runs, then a pass that became a touchdown. It was a small opening tale of the semifinal game.
Fifth-year senior and first-year featured back running Brian Robinson Jr. rushed for a career-high 204 yards. Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes; the Crimson Tide earned the chance to play for yet another national title with a 27-6 victory over Cincinnati on Friday in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.
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Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is now 36-0 when facing a coach for the first time.
Alabama (13-1) has missed the four-team playoff only once and will try to win its second national title in a row and fourth in the eight seasons of the CFP format.
The Crimson Tide awaits the winner of the No.3 Georgia Bulldogs versus No.2 Michigan Wolverines game to be played in the Orange Bowl Semifinal game. Before both teams landed in South Florida, the chatter was an Alabama versus Georgia national title game.
Alabama beat Georgia for the SEC title, a rematch in the national championship game on Jan. 10 in Indianapolis will come with greater bragging rights if it is the anticipated rematch.
Young, a 20-year-old sophomore, completed 17 of 28 passes for 181 yards. He has a chance to become the fifth Alabama quarterback in 13 seasons to win a national title as a first-year starter. Moreover, he is the first Crimson Tide QB to win a Heisman Trophy.
The American Athletic Conference champion Bearcats had a season-low 218 total yards and held without a touchdown for the first time since a 42-0 loss at Ohio State in the second game of the 2019 season, the last time they played a top-five team.
The Bearcats (13-1) were led by their talented quarterback and NFL prospect Desmond Ridder. But he was overwhelmed by the Crimson Tide’s defense. He was sacked six times, finishing 17-of-32 passing or 144 yards.
The Bearcats’ offense contributed a field goal in the opening and third quarters to the scoreboard. They were the nation’s only undefeated team until facing Alabama face-on.
Bearcats were held to a season-low 74 rushing yards.
The beat goes on.
The Crimson Tide now waits and prepares. Expect no surprise if the opponent is a familiar one they will face next.
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