Final Huddle: Bearcats Fall to Alabama 27-6 Ending a Magical Season

The win marked the sixth semifinal victory in a row for the Crimson Tide.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Updated:
Dec 31, 2021 8:02 PM EST

CINCINNATI — The Bearcats defense held on as long as it could, but the Alabama Crimson Tide proved too much for Cincinnati in a 27-6 loss.

Nick Saban's team imposed its will all afternoon on a Cincinnati defensive unit that weathered the storm on its side and got complimented with self-sabotage on the other.

"Obviously that's not how we, or anyone, want a game to end is with a loss," Desmond Ridder said postgame. "So you know it hurts for us seniors because you know, we can't come back here and do anything, and grind with our brothers, and try to get after them next year. We know that at the end of our seasons the only thing we can do is learn. So these young guys are going to take it in, you know watch the film and continue to get better and continue to grow, and continue to be a greater Cincinnati team for years to come."

Here's the Final Huddle from the last time we'll see this legendary senior class play together.

Brian Robinson Runs Angry

Alabama running back Brian Robinson has been waiting for his turn his entire career in Tuscaloosa. He took full advantage on New Year's Eve, rushing 26 times for 204 yards on 7.8 yards per carry.

The Tide started with ten straight runs and never fully cracked the Bearcats elite secondary. A significant size advantage mixed with great blocking schemes put the passing game in the backseat. Alabama's fifth-year running back cashed in his decision to stay in Tuscaloosa for another season.

The senior worked for every extra yard in a historic performance. According to Stathead, He is the first Alabama running back to rush for 200-plus yards in a major bowl game. The rushing total tied for seventh in Alabama history with Derrick Henry.

Alabama has dominated with its Heisman Trophy-winning QB all season, but the dynamic strengths of college football's premier program paired well for its offense in Texas.

Ridder Can't Muster Anymore Magic

UC needed two things to beat Alabama: Control the Tide's passing attack and stellar QB play.

The former worked out nicely thanks to Myjai Sanders and company's havoc, but the Bearcats couldn't find any rhythm passing the ball. Alabama had a great sense of Ridder's drop-back timing and batted down four passes at the line of scrimmage in huge moments.

The senior finished 17-for-32 passing in the game for 144 yards on a day where UC had to stay on schedule offensively. An encouraging opening drive sparked hope, but the best team in the country quickly adjusted.

Ridder finished with a 90.9 passer rating, his lowest since the 2019 AAC Championship game loss to Memphis. It was his seventh-worst career game at UC in terms of passer rating. He hadn't posted a mark below 110 in any contest since the 2020 Birmingham Bowl.

The Tide's front seven was a beast no UC lineman had ever dealt with. Alabama totaled six sacks and constant pressure from the likes of linebacker Will Anderson and defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis.

Cincinnati gave up on the run game and got conservative in spots they couldn't afford to. Jerome Ford averaged 5.1 YPC and Ridder looked spry on the few designed runs they did call. Yet, the inconsistent execution led to an ugly result.

According to Stathead, UC had gone 35 straight games scoring six-plus points, a streak that began in September 2019. They were 32-3 in that stretch.

Myjai Sanders Empties The Tank

Cincinnati needed a huge day from their best edge rusher and they got it. Sanders didn't have the flashy sack total (2.5 sacks) heading into today but he has gotten pressure all season. That continued against Alabama with seven tackles and five QB hits.

The senior boosted his draft stock by showing off a strong mix of pass rush moves. He didn't notch a sack but played a large role in UC's six tackles for loss and two sacks overall.

Bryce Young had thrown one interception since Oct. 16 but Cincinnati got him on a great centerfield snag by safety Bryan Cook. Young's ball fluttered thanks to the pressure from one of the many inventive pass rush schemes Mike Tressel called against Alabama.

UC finished with six QB hits, but as dominant as they were at times rushing the passer, they were equally dominated by Robinson and the run game.

"This is really, really difficult for everybody, but most importantly for the 30 or so seniors that had brought this program and this team so far," Fickell said. "Those guys have done everything. They've sacrificed. They've committed. You know it's really tough and we didn't get it done tonight, and we didn't play complimentary football. We knew the battle in the trenches was going to a big deal...I think that's kind of where the game was won."

Sanders and the rest of this exiting Bearcats class won't get another chance to play with the C-paw on their helmets but they exit as legends. A loss to Alabama doesn't diminish the history Cincinnati made this season. Nick Saban may add a fourth CFP title since 2014 in a few days, but 2021 was the year of the underdog in college football.

Cincinnati embodied that in the best way all season long. Final Huddle's and a fresh version of Luke Fickell's vision start back up in 2022.

Make sure you bookmark All Bearcats for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

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