Cincy Alum Travis Kelce After Cotton Bowl: ‘Bama Didn’t Impress Anyone Tonight’

The Bearcats great wasn’t blown away by Bama’s Cotton Bowl-winning performance.

Cincinnati great Travis Kelce was on hand for the program’s 27–6 defeat at the hands of Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Cotton Bowl. Even with that blowout loss, he did not come away blown away by the reigning national champs.

Kelce, a five-time All-Pro tight end and Super Bowl champion with the Chiefs, wasted little time in throwing shade at the Crimson Tide after their win.

Let’s be honest tho…. Bama didn’t impress anyone tonight. They played good enough….

— Travis Kelce (@tkelce) January 1, 2022

Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell may not agree with that takeaway from Friday's blowout. Alabama held Desmond Ridder and the Bearcats’ offense to just 218 total yards, a number almost matched by Crimson Tide running back Brian Robinson, who had 204 yards in a stellar performance. 

Kelce was a 2013 third-round pick after his solid Cincinnati career, during which he earned first-team All-Big East honors as a senior.

With the win, Alabama will face the winner of the Orange Bowl between Georgia and Michigan in the Jan. 10 national championship game.