Live Updates CFP Semifinal Cotton Bowl: Alabama vs. Cincinnati

The Crimson Tide and Bearcats are playing for a spot in the National Championship Game on January 10 in Indianapolis.

ARLINGTON, Texas — Alabama and Cincinnati will meet for the first time at a neutral site, and the sixth time overall, in the 2021 College Football Playoff Semifinal in Arlington, Texas. 

The winner advances to National Championship Game on January 10 in Indianapolis, when it will face the winner of Georgia vs. Michigan in the Orange Bowl. 

The Crimson Tide holds a perfect 5-0 mark in the previous pairings and has outscored the Bearcats by a 156-27 margin in those contests. 

Alabama head coach Nick Saban has never faced Cincinnati during his time as a collegiate head coach. Additionally, Cincinnati head coach Luke Fickell has never squared off with the Crimson Tide during his six-year head coaching career.

Alabama is playing in its 12th College Football Playoff. The Crimson Tide is 8-3 all-time in College Football Playoff games since the playoff’s inception in 2014 and is the only team to appear in seven of the eight playoffs. 

Alabama also holds the record for the most games played and wins in the history of the CFP. The Crimson Tide claimed CFP National Championships in 2015, 2017 and 2020 and has reached the National Championship Game in five of its six seasons in the Playoff.

Follow along throughout today's game for live updates, stats and analysis from AT&T Stadium as the Crimson Tide take on the Bearcats.

(most recent updates at the top)

For live drive updates, check out our Fanalytix graphic here. 

Fourth Quarter

FINAL SCORE: No. 1 Alabama 27, No. 4 Cincinnati 6

• Trey Sanders has rushed the ball for five straight times to end the drive and the game. Alabama wins 27-6, and the Crimson Tide is headed to Indianapolis. 

• Cincinnati turns it over on downs again. Alabama takes over at its own 39. 

• Right as Cincinnati is starting to gain momentum into Alabama territory, Ridder is sacked for the sixth time in the game. 

• A third-down attempt for Javon Baker falls incomplete, and Will Reichard is brought on for the 43-yard field goal attempt. The field goal is good. Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6
• It was a nine-play drive with eight straight rushes before the incompletion on third down. 

• Trey Sanders with back-to-back eight-yard rushes as Alabama is now deep in Cincinnati territory. 

• Robinson rushes it two more times for a first down and goes over 200 yards rushing in the game. 

• Brian Robinson bursts though for 19 yards on first down. 

• Ridder is sacked for the fifth time in the game, but this one might be the most costly. Cincinnati turns the ball over on downs, and Alabama takes over at its own 26. Brian Branch and Will Anderson Jr. combined for the sack.

• Cincinnati going for it on fourth down from the Alabama 22. Well, the Bearcats lined up to go for it, but Luke Fickell takes his second timeout of the half with 10:27 to go in the game. 

• After three straight rushes by Jerome Ford, Ridder connects with Michael Young for 28 yards down to the Alabama 29. It is the Bearcats' longest play of the game so far. 

• Bryce Young connects with Cameron Latu for a nine-yard touchdown. Alabama 24, Cincinnati 6
• With the touchdown, Bryce Young sets the Alabama record for passing yards in a single season at 4,503, surpassing Mac Jones' 4500 last year. 

• Brian Robinson rushes it nine yards down to the Cincinnati four, but Chris Owens is called for a false start on second down.

• Alabama opens the fourth quarter with an incompletion. On second down, Young connects with Williams over the middle who runs down to the Bearcat 27. A Cincinnati defender pulled off Williams' helmet at the end of the play to tack on 15 yards with an unsportsmanlike penalty. 

Third Quarter

END OF THIRD QUARTER: No. 1 Alabama 17, No. 4 Cincinnati 6

• Brian Robinson rushes for 11 yards down to the Cincinnati 44, and that will be the final play of the quarter. 

• Bryce Young slips through pressure and finds Jameson Williams for a first down on third-and-14. 

• Back-to-back negative plays for Alabama to start the drive.

• Ridder is sacked for a huge loss on third down by Will Anderson and Christian Harris. Another punt coming for Cincinnati. Slade Bolden is back to receive. 

• Another ball is deflected at the line for Phidarian Mathis. Cincinnati now facing a third-and-16. Luke Fickell calls a timeout before the play. 

• Bryce Young throws an interception over the middle on third down. The ball is picked off by Bryan Cook, and Cincinnati will get the ball right around the 50. That was just the fifth interception thrown by Young on the season.

• Jameson Williams has left the medical tent and is in the huddle for the offense during the commercial break with his helmet and gloves on. He is back out on the field for the first play. 

• Brian Branch defends the pass on third down, and Cincinnati goes three-and-out. 

• An incompletion from Ridder on first down, and six-yard run from Ford on second down, sets up a big third down for both teams. 

• Cincinnati returns the punt out to the 29. 

• Bryce Young gets sacked on third down after he can't make up his mind whether to run or pass, and James Burnip is on to punt. 

• Brian Robinson Jr. with a nice 17-yard run, and he's up to 156 rushing yards in the game. 

• Jameson Williams attempts to return the kickoff and is slammed at the 15 yard line which is where Alabama will open the second half.
• Williams went into the medical tent after the return and did not participate in the offensive drive for Alabama. 

• Cole Smith makes the 37-yard field goal for Cincinnati. The Bearcats are on the board for the first time since the first quarter. Alabama 17, Cincinnati 6, 9:57 3Q

• Cincinnati can't convert on third-and-five and will attempt a field goal. Jordan Battle briefly went to the medical tent, but was on the field for that third down play. 

• Two quick completions give the Bearcats a first down into Alabama territory. Another completion to Alec Pierce puts Cincinnati at the Alabama 36. Cincinnati working on its best drive since its first of the game. 

• Jerome Ford picks up the first down for Cincinnati. 

• Desmond Ridder picks up nine yards on the opening play of the half, and Alabama safety Jordan Battle is shaken up on the play. He walks off the field under his own power. 

• The second half begins with a Will Reichard touchback, and the Bearcats will open up from their own 25. 

Halftime Notes

• Bryce Young set the Alabama single-season touchdown record with his to Slade Bolden in the first quarter. He is 48 yards away from breaking Mac Jones' record for most passing yards in a single season. 
• Alabama outgained Cincinnati 302-76 in the first half. 
• Brian Robinson Jr. had 134 rushing yards on 17 carries in the first half alone. This is higher than his total yardage in any game this season except for Ole Miss (171) and Texas A&M (147.)
• Alabama had four pass breakups in the first half. The season high is six against LSU. 
• The Crimson Tide closed the half with back-to-back sacks by Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner. 
• Cincinnati will get the ball to start the second half. They have not scored since their opening possession of the game. 

Second Quarter

HALFTIME: No. 1 Alabama 17, No. 4 Cincinnati 3

• And Ridder gets sacked by Will Anderson Jr. on fourth down. Alabama with all the momentum going into halftime. 

• Dallas Turner with the sack of Ridder on third down, and that should do it for the first half. Correction: Cincinnati chooses to take a timeout with two seconds left. They will try a hail mary before the half. 

• Ridder scrambles for nine yards and first down into Alabama territory. 

• Cincinnati's Tyler Scott with a 40-yard return on the ensuing kickoff to give the Bearcats their best field position of the game. 

• Two plays later, Young finds Brooks over the top of the Cincinnati defense for a 44-yard touchdown.  Reichard's PAT is good. Alabama 17, Cincinnati 3, 1:36 2Q
• Brooks' touchdown caps an eight-play, 94-yard yard drive for Alabama that took 2:03 off the clock. 
• Alabama now has a 302-72 advantage over Cincinnati in total yardage. 

• Young connects with Brooks for the second time today. This time, it's a tight pass along the sideline for a 14-yard gain and a first down. 

• While facing intense pressure, Young escapes and flips the ball to Robinson for a 23-yard gain. 

• Young connects with Williams on third down for a first down to the Cincinnati 16. 

• JoJo Earle fumbles the ball on the punt return, but it is recovered by Alabama. Jaylen Moody is called for an unsportsmanlike penalty during the scuffle for the ball, and Alabama will start the drive with 3:39 left in the half from its own six-yard line. 

• Ridder is pressured heavily by the Alabama pass rush on the third down, and Cincinnati has to punt for the third possession in a row.

• Patrick Mahomes and Cincinnati alum Travis Kelce are shown on the jumbotron during the timeout. Alabama alum Gehrig Deiter is also in the suite with them. 

• The missed FG wastes a 12-play, 65-yard drive that had taken nearly five minutes off the clock for Alabama. The Crimson Tide is outgaining the Bearcats 208-67.

• Young can't connect with Billinglsey on third down, and Reichard comes back out to attempt a 44-yard field goal. The field goal is no good. Reichard misses wide left with 4:47 to go in the first half. Alabama still holds a 10-3 lead. 

• Ja'Corey Brooks with his first catch of the day. It goes for 10 yards and a Crimson Tide first down. 

• Brian Robinson Jr. surpasses 100 yards in the game halfway through the second quarter with a nine-yard gain on first down. 

• Alabama turning back to the running game on this drive with consecutive runs by Robinson and Trey Sanders for 25 total yards. 

• Out of the TV timeout, Young connects with Jahleel Billingsley for the first time this game. It results in a 12-yard gain and an Alabama first down. 

• Current Dallas Cowboys and former Alabama stars Amari Cooper and Trevon Diggs are shown on the jumbotron during the commercial break much to the delight of the Alabama fans. 

• Ahmad Garner sniffs out the swing play to Jameson Williams on first down and forces a one-yard loss. A Bearcat defender is shaken up on the play, and we enter another TV timeout.

• A nice punt by Mason Fletcher downs Alabama inside the 10 after a negative punt return from Bolden. 

• Phidarian Mathis with a pass deflection on third down, and the Bearcats are forced to punt. 

• Emil Ekiyor is out with an upper body injury and will not return according to the ESPN broadcast.

• James Burnip has a 41-yard punt down to the Cincinnati 30.

• Young's pass for Jameson Williams is incomplete on third down, and Alabama will be forced to punt for the first time. 

• With no gain on first down, and a short gain on second down, Alabama faces a third-and-14 from its own 29. 

• Alabama begins its third drive from the 33. The Tide is called for an illegal formation on first down. 

• Ridder with a completion to Tyler Scott on third down, but it is well short of the first down marker. JoJo Earle is back deep to receive the punt for the first time since the New Mexico State game. 

• DJ Dale with the nine-yard sack of Ridder on second down. Cincinnati facing a third-and-14 from its own 21.

• It's another touchback for Reichard, and Cincinnati will being its second drive from the 25. 

• After a little drama with a false start penalty, Will Reichard drills a 26-yard field goal to push Alabama's lead back to seven. Alabama 10, Cincinnati 3, 14:56 2Q

• Emil Ekiyor heads to the locker room with the medical staff holding his left arm/shoulder.

First Quarter

END OF FIRST QUARTER: No. 1 Alabama 7, No. 4 Cincinnati 3

• Alabama outgained Cincinnati 142-60 in the first quarter.
• Brian Robinson already has 11 carries for 74 yards.
• Bryce Young only attempted five passes in the first.

• On the final play of the first quarter, Young scrambles for 12 yards down to the Cincinnati 3 on third down. Alabama will open the second quarter with fourth and goal. 

• Bryce Young is sacked on second-and-goal. Emil Ekiyor is injured on the play and taken straight to the injury tent by the medical staff. It looked like an upper body or shoulder injury.  JC Latham comes in to replace Ekiyor at right guard. 

• Robinson with another 15-yard pickup down to the Bearcat 10-yard line. 

• Jameson Williams picks up 12 yards on third down, and Robinson gets the rest on fourth down for a first down to the Cincinnati 25. 

• It is ruled an illegal forward pass on the field by Young to Latu on second down. The play is under review. If it is upheld, it will be third-and-14 for Alabama from the 41 upcoming. 

• Young finds Slade Bolden again for a 16-yard gain and a first down. It is followed by a 16-yard rush from Brian Robinson Jr. down to the Cincinnati 37. 

• Third-and-nine becomes third-and-five for Alabama after a Cincinnati defender lines up in the neutral zone. Second offsides infraction for the Bearcats in the first quarter.

• Alabama begins its second drive from the 25 after a Cincinnati touchback. 

• Cole Smith's 33-yard field goal for Cincinnati is good.  Alabama 7, Cincinnati 3, 4:52 1Q
• The field goal caps a 13-play, 60-yard 4:59 drive for the Bearcats.

• The Bearcats run a screen on third-and-goal that is sniffed out by Daniel Wright on the Alabama defense. Cincinnati will have to settle for a field goal attempt.

• Henry To'oTo'o deflects the ball on first-and-goal. It is already the second pass deflection for the Alabama defense. 

• On second down, Armour-Davis whiffs on the Cincinnati receiver and the Bearcats are down inside the red zone to the Alabama nine.

• Desmond Ridder with a 19-yard screen to Michael Young down to the Alabama 31.

• Cincinnati comes out with a much more balanced attack. Former Alabama running back Jerome Ford with touches on three of the first four plays for the Bearcats. Cincinnati with two first downs already out to midfield.

• On the first pass attempt of the game, Bryce Young connects with Slade Bolden for an eight-yard score. Young breaks the Alabama single-season touchdown record with the throw. Alabama 7, Cincinnati 0, 9:51 1Q
• The drive was almost too easy for the Alabama offense. The Crimson Tide opened the drive with 10 straight rushes before the TD pass to Bolden. 
• It was an 11-play, 75-yard, 5:09 drive. 

• Make it 10 straight rushes to open the game as Trey Sanders carries it inside the Cincinnati 10.

• Jameson Williams with an 18-yard sweep to the outside for a first down into Cincinnati territory. Alabama has yet to attempt a pass. Bryce Young lined up to pass on second down, but ended up having to scramble for no gain.

• Alabama opens the game with three straight rushes from Brian Robinson Jr. It results in a first down out to the 39.

• The opening kick is a touchback, and Alabama will get things started from the 25.

Pregame

• Cincinnati wins the toss and defers to the second half. Alabama will receive to open the game. 

• Kool-Aid McKinstry will be starting in place of Josh Jobe, and Jalyn Armour-Davis will also start at cornerback. Khyree Jackson will back up both according to PA announcements in the press box.

• Minutes before kickoff, the crowd is split pretty evenly 50/50 between Alabama and Cincinnati fans. 

• The Million Dollar Band conducts the big BAMA spell out in AT&T stadium. 

BamaCentral

• Earle was back to receive the final punt return as the Crimson Tide ran into the tunnel to end pregame warmups. In-stadium clock has 28 minutes until kickoff. Game will kick off at approximately 2:40. 

• Armour-Davis, Kool-Aid McKinstry and Khyree Jackson all took reps with the first team at defensive back during warmups.

• JoJo Earle and Jayln Armour-Davis have both been fully going through warmups with their respective position groups. 

• From left to right, the starters for the offensive line in warmups are Evan Neal, Javion Cohen, Seth McLaughlin, Emil Ekiyor Jr. and Chris Owens.

• The team's permanent captains, Will Anderson Jr, Phidarian Mathis, Evan Neal and Bryce Young, are serving as the captains for today's game. 

• Christopher Allen is not dressed out for warmups. He is in his jersey with sweatpants along with players like John Metchie III and Jase McClellan.

• It's 71 degrees and cloudy outside of AT&T Stadium and a perfect 72 degrees inside according to the weather report on the big screen inside the stadium. 

• Freshman WR JoJo Earle has missed the last few games with injury, and he is taking the first snaps at punt returner ahead of Slade Bolden. He did so during pregame warmups of the SEC Championship game, but has not played since the New Mexico State game.

• Seth McLaughlin is taking the snaps at center with Bryce Young in warmups indicating that he will likely be the starter at center for the second game in a row.

• The specialists and quarterbacks are out on the field fully dressed out for early warmups. 

It’s go time. #CFBPlayoff  | #RollTide pic.twitter.com/0VVT01GjEU

— Alabama Football (@AlabamaFTBL) December 31, 2021

• Outside linebacker Christopher Allen is participating in preliminary warmups without a boot. He has not played since the season opener against Miami when he suffered a foot injury. His status for the game is unclear.

Outside linebacker Chris Allen is running around without a boot in preliminary warmups. He has been out since the Miami game with a foot injury pic.twitter.com/zuDnBx64CR

— Katie Windham (@katiewindham_) December 31, 2021

• Specialists, receivers and quarterbacks are out on the field for early warmups and stretches. John Metchie III is walking around the field in his jersey and sweats. Metchie suffered an ACL injury in the SEC Championship against Georgia.

• Nick Saban has conducted his pregame stroll around AT&T Stadium.

The Saban has arrived … had to divert where he was going a little as Cincinnati was gathering at midfield pic.twitter.com/aAwb4576SX

— BamaCentral (@BamaCentral) December 31, 2021

• The Tide is here.

The Crimson Tide has arrived!#RollTide #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/k7e3X1ezd5

— Alabama Athletics (@UA_Athletics) December 31, 2021