No. 1 Alabama and No. 4 Cincinnati set to square-off in CFB Semifinal

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (Alabama Athletics)  – The top-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will face off with the No. 4 Cincinnati Bearcats in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Crimson Tide and Bearcats will meet for the sixth time in the history of the series that dates back to 1908. Alabama has won all five previous meetings, the last of which was played on Nov. 17, 1990 (45-7).

The winner of the Semifinal between Alabama and Cincinnati will meet the winner of the contest between the No. 2 Michigan Wolverines and the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs, who will play in the CFP Semifinal Game at the Capital One Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla, on Friday, Dec. 31, 2021. The 2022 CFP National Championship Game is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Head coach Nick Saban is 14-5 in postseason games at Alabama, earning wins over Ohio State (2021 CFP National Championship Game), Notre Dame (2021 CFP Semifinal Game at the Rose Bowl), Michigan (2019 Citrus Bowl), Oklahoma (2018 CFP Semifinal Game at the Orange Bowl), Georgia (2018 CFP National Championship Game), Clemson (2017 CFP Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl and the 2016 CFP National Championship Game), Washington (2016 CFP Semifinal Game at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl), Michigan State (2015 CFP Semifinal Game at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic).

Prior to the CFP, the Tide defeated the Fighting Irish (2013 BCS National Championship Game at the Orange Bowl), LSU (2012 BCS National Championship Game at the Allstate Sugar Bowl), Michigan State (2011 Capital One Bowl), Texas (2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl) and Colorado (2007 Independence Bowl).