No. 4 Cincinnati entered the College Rugby Round with a 13-0 record in the American Athletics Conference.
The Bearcats were the first Team of 5 program to run the College Football Qualifiers. That is a good news. Cincinnati is underrated by the defending national champion Alabama. The teams play on December 31 in the Cotton Bowl Classic game at AT&T Stadium.
Here’s a closer look at Cincinnati’s poor history and why the Bearcats will (or won’t) win the national championship in 2021:
SEX: Expansion? For 2021, a four-team field is enough
Cincinnati’s College Football Playoff History
Cincinnati is making history as the first G5 school to implement CFP.
The Bearcats have appeared three times in the BCS or Six Bowl New Year’s Day. Here’s how those games go.
| Year | Places | Result |
| 2008 | twelfth | Loss to No. 21 Virginia Tech 20-7 (Orange) |
| 2009 | 4 | Losing No. 5 Florida 51-24 (Road) |
| Year 2020 | 6 | Lose No. 11 Georgia 24-21 (Peach) |
CFP Championship Odds
According to Fanduel.com, The Bearcats have the worst odds to win the national championship.
| SCHOOLS | ODDS |
| Alabama | +120 |
| Georgia | +135 |
| Michigan | +750 |
| Cincinnati | +1800 |
Odds between Alabama vs. Cincinnati
According to FanDuel.com, Alabama is a 14-point favorite ahead of Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl. Cincinnati is 8-5 ATS this season. Crimson Tide is 7-6 ATS.
Why Cincinnati will win the national title
Remember when Villanova won the 1985 NCAA men’s basketball tournament (look up)? This would be an annoyance on an infinitely larger scale. Luke Fickell has stayed with the Bearcats instead of entertaining other jobs, and that shows confidence in this team.
Cincinnati have proven that they can play against great opponents for a long time. The key to finishing with Georgia last year was limiting the Bulldogs to 45 yards. Alabama is 80th in the FBS for slam dunk (147.6 ypg.), and if they can stop that, it’s going to be a battle of power over strength.
Cincinnati has two of the best full-backs in FBS, Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant. Can they slow Jameson Williams, who averages 21.3 yards per catch? Alabama will likely be short of their second 1,000-yard receiver at John Metchie.
Desmond Ridder and Jerome Ford, an Alabama transfer player, are a prolific backyard pair, and Ridder will have a couple of chances against an occasional troubled sub. Cincinnati will need everything on track and then some, but much of the country will be behind the Bearcats. Maybe Ridder and Ford have the game of their lives and Cincinnati tie four or more. That’s probably what it will take.
If they win Bama, it’s house money against Georgia or Michigan.
THAN: Why Alabama Will Win It All | Georgia | Michigan
Why Cincinnati didn’t win the national title
Does Cincinnati have defenses that can hold this Alabama machine? The Crimson Tide have won their last five CFP semifinals by averaging 20.2 points per game, and that came with a big early punch.
The Bearcats thrive when it comes to generating revenue, but the Crimson Tide only committed 10 sales for the entire season. If Alabama defends football, then Cincinnati will be in trouble because Young will be taking the plays using his receiver and the ongoing game will have its moments.
The Bearcats have to win against both sides, and that’s the biggest challenge. If Cincinnati can’t stand after the game, it will be the next team to lose to Alabama by double digits.
