2021 Cotton Bowl Classic
2021 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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College Football Playoff Semifinal 86th Cotton Bowl Classic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Date | December 31, 2021 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Season | ESPN Brazil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Announcers | Matheus Suman (play-by-play) and Weinny Eirado (analyst) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
The 2021 Cotton Bowl Classic was a college football bowl game played on December 31, 2021, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The 86th edition of the Cotton Bowl Classic and the first of two College Football Playoff semifinal games, the game featured two of the four teams selected by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee- the No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide from the Southeastern Conference and the No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats from the American Athletic Conference; the latter becoming the first Group of Five team to appear in a College Football Playoff, and the season's last major undefeated team in the FBS. The winner advanced to face the winner of the Orange Bowl at the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship, which is at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
The game began at 2:30 p.m. CST and aired on ESPN. The game was one of the 2021–22 bowl games concluding the 2021 FBS football season. Sponsored by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, the game was officially known as the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
Teams
This game marked the sixth meeting between the two teams; Alabama has won all previous meetings, most recently playing in 1990.[3] This is also Alabama's second consecutive year playing at AT&T Stadium, as the 2021 Rose Bowl was also played in Arlington owing to California pandemic restrictions.
Alabama
15th-year head coach
Cincinnati
The Bearcats started their 2021 season ranked 8th, after easy wins over Miami (Ohio) and FCS Murray State, the Bearcats traveled to Bloomington to face Big Ten foe Indiana and defeated the Hoosiers 38-24, rallying from an early 14-0 deficit. After a bye, the Bearcats traveled to South Bend to face Notre Dame defeating the 9th ranked Irish, leading all the way to a 24-13 win. Returning home the Bearcats notched back to back 50 point games in home wins over Temple and Central Florida. The next three wins were markedly more difficult as they struggled to handle Navy's unique triple option offense but hung on for a 27-20 win; trailed early but used a steady 2nd half to defeat Tulane 31-12 in New Orleans and needed a late goal line stand to fend off Tulsa for Homecoming 28-20. The Bearcats rolled through the rest of their conference schedule more easily routing South Florida in Tampa 45-28, scoring the first 41 points and carrying a shutout into the 4th in routing Southern Methodist 48-14 and completing an unbeaten regular season with a 35-13 win over East Carolina. The Bearcats finished their regular season with a 12–0 record, 8–0 in AAC play, completing only their second 12-0 season in school history (2009) Facing 21st ranked Houston in the AAC Championship Game, the Bearcats broke open a tight 14-13 halftime with 21 3rd quarter points to claim a 35-20 and win their 2nd straight American Conference title. The Bearcats were ranked 4th in the final CFP poll and entered the Cotton Bowl with a 13–0 record and ranked fourth in all major polls. The program's most recent loss was to Georgia in the Peach Bowl on January 1, 2021.
Game summary
First half
After winning the
An Alabama
Second half
Cincinnati got possession of the ball to begin the game's second half, as Will Reichard's kickoff went through the end zone for a touchback. Cincinnati moved the ball down the field quickly to open the quarter, finding themselves in Alabama territory in just four plays, but stalled just inside the red zone and the Bearcats had to settle for their second field goal try, this one from 37 yards, which was made by Cole Smith. Cincinnati's defense came out of the half playing well, too; they gave up a first down but eventually forced Alabama to punt on their first possession of the quarter, giving their offense the ball back at the Cincinnati 29-yard-line. The quarter nearly halfway over already, Cincinnati faced a 4th & 4 at their own 35-yard-line but suffered a delay of game penalty, which pushed them back five yards. Mason Fletcher's punt was fair caught at the Alabama 26-yard-line, but Alabama gave the ball right back; Bryce Young threw a pass which was intercepted by Bryan Cook at the Cincinnati 49-yard-line. An illegal shift penalty on Cincinnati's next play pushed the offense back to a 1st & 15, and a sack on third down forced a punt on fourth-and-long. Alabama took over at their own 30-yard-line, and ran six plays, reaching the Cincinnati 44-yard-line, before the end of the third quarter.[24]
The Crimson Tide offense reached the red zone within two additional plays, and the drive concluded with an Alabama touchdown by way of a nine-yard pass from Bryce Young to Cameron Latu, extending the lead to eighteen points. Cincinnati took the ball back over at their own 25-yard-line; a 28-yard pass from Ridder to Michael Young Jr. took the Bearcats into Alabama territory, but Cincinnati stalled at the Crimson Tide 22-yard-line with a 4th & 3, which they failed to convert, giving Alabama the ball back at the Crimson Tide 26-yard-line. Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball on each of Alabama's next three plays, and Trey Sanders got each of the next four carries, setting the Tide up for a 43-yard field goal, which was made by Reichard. Cincinnati, now trailing by three touchdowns, got the ball back with just over six minutes to play; they got to the Alabama 38-yard-line but again faced a 4th down, this one with five yards to gain. Ridder's pass was incomplete, giving Alabama the ball back again for what would be the final time. Getting the ball with three minutes remaining, Alabama was able to run five more plays and run the rest of the clock out, cementing their victory,[24] and thus, for the first time since 2018, insuring that the 2021-2022 season will end with no undefeated teams in the FBS system.
Scoring summary
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
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No. 4 Cincinnati | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
No. 1 Alabama | 7 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 27 |
at AT&T Stadium • Arlington, Texas
- Date: Friday, December 31, 2021
- Game time: 2:30 p.m. CST
- Game weather: n/a (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 76,313
- Referee: Steve Strimling
- TV announcers (ESPN): Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Todd Blackledge (color), Laura Rutledge and Molly McGrath (sidelines)
- Box score
Scoring summary | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Statistics
Team statistics
Statistic | Cincinnati | Alabama |
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First downs | 13 | 27 |
First downs rushing | 6 | 16 |
First downs passing | 7 | 10 |
First downs penalty | 0 | 1 |
Third down efficiency | 2–12 | 5–13 |
Fourth down efficiency | 0–3 | 1–1 |
Total plays–net yards | 58–218 | 75–482 |
Rushing attempts–net yards | 26–74 | 47–301 |
Yards per rush | 2.8 | 6.4 |
Yards passing | 144 | 181 |
Pass completions–attempts | 17–32 | 17–28 |
Interceptions thrown | 0 | 1 |
Punt returns–total yards | 1–12 | 4–(−8) |
Kickoff returns–total yards | 1–40 | 1–15 |
Punts–average yardage | 5–45.2 | 2–44.0 |
Fumbles–lost | 0–0 | 1–0 |
Penalties–yards | 6–39 | 6–36 |
Time of possession | 26:19 | 33:41 |
Individual statistics
Bearcats passing | |||||
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C–A | Yds | TD–INT | |||
Desmond Ridder | 17–32 | 144 | 0–0 | ||
Bearcats rushing | |||||
Car | Yds | TD | |||
Jerome Ford | 15 | 77 | 0 | ||
Ryan Montgomery | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
Desmond Ridder | 10 | −6 | 0 | ||
Bearcats receiving | |||||
Rec | Yds | TD | |||
Michael Young Jr. | 4 | 55 | 0 | ||
Tyler Scott | 4 | 43 | 0 | ||
Alec Pierce | 2 | 17 | 0 | ||
Josh Whyle | 1 | 12 | 0 | ||
Tre Tucker | 2 | 12 | 0 | ||
Jerome Ford | 3 | 11 | 0 | ||
Leonard Taylor | 1 | −6 | 0 |
Crimson Tide passing | |||||
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C–A | Yds | TD–INT | |||
Bryce Young | 17–28 | 181 | 3–1 | ||
Crimson Tide rushing | |||||
Car | Yds | TD | |||
Brian Robinson Jr. | 26 | 204 | 0 | ||
Trey Sanders | 14 | 67 | 0 | ||
Jameson Williams | 1 | 18 | 0 | ||
Bryce Young | 6 | 12 | 0 | ||
Crimson Tide receiving | |||||
Rec | Yds | TD | |||
Ja'Corey Brooks | 4 | 66 | 1 | ||
Jameson Williams | 7 | 62 | 0 | ||
Slade Bolden | 3 | 31 | 0 | ||
Jahleel Billingsley | 1 | 12 | 0 | ||
Cameron Latu | 1 | 9 | 0 | ||
Trey Sanders | 1 | 1 | 0 |
References
- ^ Fawkes, Ben. "Odds for College Football Playoff, every bowl game". vsin.com. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ "2021-22 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 6, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2021.
- ^ "2021 Alabama Football Media Guide" (PDF). University of Alabama. p. 162. Retrieved December 5, 2021.
- ^ Smith, Stephen M. (September 4, 2021). "Alabama-Miami Game Preview to open 2021 season". Touchdown Alabama. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Potter, Charlie (September 4, 2021). "Recap: No. 1 Alabama blasts No. 14 Miami to open 2021 football season". 247Sports. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Young, McClellan lead No. 1 Alabama to 48-14 rout of Mercer". CBS Sports. Associated Press. September 11, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Becton, Stan (September 21, 2021). "No. 1 Alabama hangs on, holds off No. 11 Florida's rally". National Collegiate Athletic Association. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Williams, No. 1 Alabama sprint by Southern Miss, 63-14". ESPN. September 25, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Suss, Nick (October 2, 2021). "Lane Kiffin, Matt Corral, No. 12 Ole Miss football crushed 42-21 at No. 1 Alabama". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Texas A&M beats No. 1 Alabama 41-38 on last-play field goal". CBS Sports. Associated Press. October 10, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Weaver, Morgan (October 10, 2021). "Aggie Recap: Alabama". KBTX. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Kratch, James (October 10, 2021). "AP Top 25 ballot breakdown: Georgia jumps to No. 1; where does Texas A&M rank after Alabama upset?". NJ.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "No. 5 Alabama rebounds from loss to rout Mississippi State 49-9". CBS Sports. Associated Press. October 16, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Alabama has to work hard to earn win of Tennessee". Paris Post-Intelligencer. October 25, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Rodak, Mike (November 7, 2021). "What Saban said after Alabama's 20-14 win over LSU". AL.com. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Young, Williams, No. 3 Alabama romp over New Mexico St 59-3". CBS Sports. Associated Press. November 13, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Jones, Matt (November 20, 2021). "Alabama holds off Arkansas, wins 42-35". Whole Hog Sports. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Young sets record, No. 2 Bama tops No. 21 Arkansas 42-35". CBS Sports. Associated Press. November 21, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Blackwell, Joey (November 23, 2021). "Alabama Drops to No. 3 in Latest College Football Playoff Rankings". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Hunte, Sydney (November 22, 2021). "Alabama humorously trolls Arkansas in Pig Latin after win to clinch SEC West". Saturday Down South. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Mohr, Dani (November 28, 2021). "Alabama vs. Auburn final score, results: No. 3 Tide escape with 4-OT victory in Iron Bowl". Sporting News. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ Condon, Jack (November 27, 2021). "GAME RECAP: Alabama 24, Auburn 22 (4 OT)". SB Nation. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- ^ "Playoff bound: Bama rolls No. 1 Georgia 41-24 for SEC title". ESPN. December 4, 2021. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "Cincinnati vs. Alabama - Play-By-Play". ESPN. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
External links
- Game statistics at statbroadcast.com