For the past four months, Cincinnati has put together a dream season that led the Bearcats to become the first Group of Five team to make it to the College Football Playoff. Facing top-ranked Alabama on Friday, it didn’t take long for that dream to turn into a nightmare.
The Crimson Tide dominated all game long, beating Cincinnati 27–6 and controlling the line of scrimmage from the opening drive. Alabama rushed for 301 yards on 47 carries, and out-gained the Bearcats 482–218. The Tide’s defense was particularly effective against quarterback Desmond Ridder, limiting him to 17-for-32 passing for 144 yards and batting down numerous balls at the line of scrimmage.