Way Back Wednesday: The History Between Alabama and Cincinnati
The Alabama Crimson Tide is seeking another national championship to start the new year. However, the road to No. 19 not only goes through Dallas but also means the Tide needs to secure a win against the undefeated Cincinnati Bearcats. The history between the two is very one-sided.
October 17, 1908: Alabama 16, Cincinnati 0. Not much is known about the details of this game; however, the Crimson Tide shut out the Bearcats in their first matchup at the Birmingham Fairgrounds in Birmingham, Ala.
October 23, 1982: Alabama 21, Cincinnati 3. The No. 7 overall team beat down the Bearcats on this Tuscaloosa game day. The Crimson Tide exploded offensively with 513 yards, and the dual-threat Tide quarterback, Walter Lewis, led in rushing yards, carrying the ball 21 times and picking up 156 yards on the ground. Lewis, also, had nearly perfect passing stats as well, going 6-of-7 for 61 yards.
November 17, 1984: Alabama 29, Cincinnati 7. Alabama relied on its run game to get its fourth win of the season, rushing 334 of the 384 total yards. The Tide finished with two hat tricks, scoring three touchdowns and three field goals to secure the win in Ohio.
September 21, 1985: Alabama 45, Cincinnati 10. Alabama annihilated the Bearcats, helping the No. 16 team stay undefeated. The Crimson Tide offense went off, using its fast, explosive nature to score quickly and put up the yards. The Tide finished with 534 yards, 29 first downs, and only had two penalties.
November 17, 1990: Alabama 45, Cincinnati 7. The Crimson Tide dominated the Bearcats, snapping 71 offensive plays, receiving 514 yards and getting help from special teams: 2 kickoff returns for 116 yards, 1 TD, and one punt return for 35 yards.
Through five games, Alabama has outscored Cincinnati 156-20. Friday's contest sees the Crimson Tide as a 13.5-point favorite with an over/under line at 57.5.
The College Football Playoff Goodyear Cotton Bowl will be Friday, December 31, 2021, at 2:30 PM CST in Dallas, TX, aired on ESPN.