Cincinnati’s chance for a historic upset was thwarted by the Alabama defense.
Cincinnati, the first Group of Five program to reach the College Football Playoff, already defied the odds by reaching this point. But the Bearcats could not overcome the mountain that is Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide in a 27-6 CFP semifinal loss at the Cotton Bowl in Texas.
The Cincinnati defense managed to limit Bryce Young, Alabama’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, to just 181 passing yards.
But UC had no answer for Brian Robinson, who gashed the Bearcats for 204 yards on 26 rushing attempts — a dominant 7.