Reactions: UC Bearcats fail to score touchdown in College Football Playoff semifinal loss
The Cincinnati Bearcats' offense struggled against the Alabama Crimson Tide defense in Friday's Cotton Bowl, the College Football Playoff semifinal meeting between the two teams at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
UC finished with just 218 total yards in a 27-6 loss to Bama.
First-half highlights for the Bearcats included one of two Cole Smith field goals. But the Bearcats failed to get into the end zone on their first drive of the game after a 1st-and-goal at the Alabama 9 - settling instead for a Smith FG - and that was as close as they got to scoring a touchdown.
It's Alabama's sixth trip to the CFP championship game in the eight-year history of the playoff. It's the Crimson Tide's sixth consecutive semifinal win.
"This was a complete shutdown of a good Cincinnati football team," ESPN color analyst Todd Blackledge said after the game.
Social media reactions:
Thank you, Cincinnati, for a season we’ll remember 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿. ❤️#Bearcats | @desmondridder pic.twitter.com/ArJhivT0yW
— Cincinnati Football (@GoBearcatsFB) January 1, 2022
What a special season.
Thank you Cincinnati for having our back all year.
Thank you @GoBearcatsFB for making us believe. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/S5VTcfWdTz— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) December 31, 2021
My overwhelming emotion is gratitude.
To Luke Fickell and his staff for taking UC to places that didn’t seem possible.
To Desmond Ridder and every player on the roster for making history.
To #Bearcats fans for their incredible support.
It was the first time. It won’t be the last— Dan Hoard (@Dan_Hoard) January 1, 2022
Desmond Ridder, Coby Bryant and the rest of the players who led the Cincinnati #Bearcats to the College Football Playoff are now gone. I asked Luke Fickell how he thinks today's loss will motivate the next group of leaders (Evan Prater, Arquon Bush, etc.)
Fickell's response: pic.twitter.com/r2gQCRoEwz— Keith Jenkins (@MrKeithJenkins) January 1, 2022
All in all, it was still a remarkable season -- check that, back-to-back seasons -- for Cincinnati, and a heck of a career for Desmond Ridder and those seniors, who went 44-7 and made history for their school (and for all G5s).
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 31, 2021
The reason there are so many CFP semifinal blowouts is not because Oklahoma/ND/Cincy aren't deserving, it's because Alabama keeps playing in them.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 31, 2021
Cincinnati is a great team that deserved to be in the College Football Playoff. Alabama is just better. This loss will be fuel for all the Group of 5 doubters. It will also be fuel for the #Bearcats
— Keith Jenkins (@MrKeithJenkins) January 1, 2022
Teams that have lost a playoff game by at least 21 points, like Cincinnati just did:
Florida State
Michigan State
Ohio State
Notre Dame
Oklahoma
Clemson
Oregon
Alabama
Ohio State
They belonged in the game.— John Fisher (@JohnnyPhisher) January 1, 2022
Let’s be honest tho…. Bama didn’t impress anyone tonight. They played good enough….
— Travis Kelce (@tkelce) January 1, 2022
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: UC Bearcats fail to score touchdown in CFP semifinal loss to Alabama
