ARLINGTON, Texas – In a season filled with abnormality and uproar, The Cincinnati Bearcats admission to the big college football show might be the most sizable storyline of them all. And now the fighting Luke Fickell’s face The Playoff’s most formidable foe – the Crimson Tide. Not only is this the David-vs-Goliath matchup we deserve but it’s the one college football fans need, not just for the good of the sport but for an actual point of reference between CFB’s have and have-nots.
But this matchup is so much more than big vs. small, good vs. evil, underdog vs. top dog – it’s about the players, the game plan and the coaching. Here’s what you need to know for this year’s College Football Playoff Semifinal Cotton Bowl Game.
Up in The Air
Both teams boast exceptional albeit extremely different quarterbacks. Alabama’s Bryce Young won the Heisman on the wings of his prolific passing – the freshman QB finished the season with 4,322 passing yards, 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions. But Alabama head coach Nick Saban will have to hope that Young doesn’t get lost in the sauce. Cincinnati cornerback Ahmad ‘Sauce” Gardner will prove troublesome for the young touchdown tosser as the matchup between Gardner and Alabama wide receiver Jameson Williams is highly anticipated.
“Every time I’ve faced Alabama, there’s been big‑time wide receivers,” said Cincinnati defensive coordinator Mike Tressel in Tuesday’s media availability. “Jameson is no different. He’s flat‑out fast. Bryce Young at quarterback, he’s unbelievable. He knows where to go with the football. He understands, even when free pressure is coming, how to drift away from that and buy himself a little bit more time. He has the ability to extend plays.”
But the Bearcats have a scrappy, play-making gunslinger of their own in senior Desmond Ridder, who finished the season with 3,190 passing yards and 30 touchdowns as well as 361 rushing yards and six more touchdowns. His 44 wins are the third-most ever by an FBS quarterback, behind Kellen Moore (50) and Colt McCoy (45). Ridder also leads not only his school but the entire AAC conference in career yards with 12,281. But Ridder’s weakness is protecting the ball – he has thrown six interceptions in his last seven games. He is more reckless than Young, who is known for his patience. It’s not quite Ford vs. Ferrari but the game will likely come down to poise and finesse from those under center.
Defense Wins Championships
Cincinnati has not faced a defense like Alabama’s. They just haven’t. Will Anderson Jr. and the rest of the Tide’s pass-rush will be coming at Ridder & Co. like a spider monkey. Sure, it’s easier to stop something you know is coming, but you have to find Anderson first – the 6-foot-4, 243-pound linebacker also lines up at defensive end. Anderson led the country with 31.5 tackles for a loss and is tied for the most sacks (15.5).
What Bama’s defense brings in force, Cincy brings in chaos. The Bearcats rank 10th in Defense Fremeau Efficiency Index ratings and third in defensive turnover rate (17.6%).
“They’re very active, they’re very aggressive, they’re a good group,” said Saban of the Bearcats defense in a press conference before Christmas. “They play a 3-3 stack; they slide over to a four-down front sometimes. They plug a lot of backers. They have a lot of good pressure. They play a lot of man-to-man, but they change it up a bit. They play very well together as a team.”
Digital vs. Analog
I’m talking about the coaches. Saban is the old world, Fickell is the new. Saban sticks with what works because, well why wouldn’t he? Fickell will have to take risks to turn the Tide, run some trick plays, execute some fakes, go for it more often than not on fourth down. I read a stat in a great Saturday Down South article that pretty much summed it up: Since losing to Ohio State in the 2014 Playoff Semifinal, Alabama has won its past five Playoff semifinal games by an average of 20.2 points.
Work Experience
You hate to compare resumes but whenever it’s a game involving Alabama, it’s important to impress upon everybody the body that is the Crimson Tide’s work.
Saban has won seven national championships, six at Alabama. This is the defending national champion’s record seventh College Football Playoff appearance in the eight seasons of playoff history. Alabama is 8-3 in CFP games. This is the Tide’s ninth appearance in the Cotton Bowl (4-4) and its 74th overall bowl game appearance, which is 17 more than the next closest team (Georgia). This is only Cincinnati’s 20th overall bowl appearance.
But the Bearcats are the lone undefeated team left in college football, extending their win-streak to 11 with a 35-20 win over Houston the AAC championship game. Cincinnati is in its second consecutive New Year’s Six game and its only loss in the last two years came against Georgia in last year’s Peach Bowl. If you recall, Alabama just handed Georgia its only loss of the season in the SEC championship earlier this month, giving the Tide their seventh consecutive win over the Bulldogs. Prior to that game, no one had put up more than 17 points on Georgia; Alabama finished with 41.
Experience matters, which is why most people don’t bet against Nick Saban. But newcomer Luke Fickell looks like the kind of guy who bets on himself. Which wager will pay dividends in the new year? Tune in Friday, December 31st at 2:30 PM CT to find out.
Written by Emily Van Buskirk
