COTTON BOWL GLANCE

RECORDS: No. 1Alabama (12-1, SEC) vs. No. 4Cincinnati (13-0, AAC)

TV: Friday, 3:30p.m., ESPN

LINE: Alabama by 13½, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

SERIES: Alabama. 5-0

WHAT’S AT STAKE: Cincinnati, nation’s only undefeated team, is first non-Power Five conference team to make the CFP. Defending champ Alabama is in its seventh semifinal in the eight seasons of the four-team format. The Crimson Tide have won their last five semifinals, with three national titles in that span.

KEY MATCHUP: Cincinnati All-American CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner vs. Alabama All-American WR Jameson Williams. Gardner has developed from a scrawny, 160-pound freshman into one of the nation’s most feared defensive backs who has never given up a TD in coverage.

Williams, a transfer from Ohio State, has 68catches and leads the SEC with 1,445yards receiving (21.2yards per catch) and 15 TDs. He has 11catches of at least 50yards, including TDs of 67and 50yards in the SEC title game. PLAYERS TO WATCH Cincinnati: RB Jerome Ford, transfer from Alabama who in his second season with the Bearcats has run for 1,242yard and 19TDs. ‘Bama has allowed only 82.8yards rushing per game.

Alabama: Bryce Young, first Alabama QB to win the Heisman Trophy and trying to become the school’s fifth first-year starter since 2009to win a national title, has 4,322yards passing. He has completed 314of 462passes (68%) with 43TDs and only four interceptions.

FACTS & FIGURES: Alabama is 5-0in games played at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys. That includes two CFP semifinals, 38-0over Michigan State in the Cotton Bowl six years ago, and 31-14over Notre Dame last New Year’s Day in a Rose Bowl relocated from Pasadena because of COVID. … Alabama sophomore LB Will Anderson leads the nation with 15½ sacks and 32½ tackles for the loss. … Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell was Ohio State defensive coordinator when the Buckeyes won the inaugural CFP title over Oregon at AT&T Stadium. Buckeyes won their semifinal that season over Alabama. … Cincy QB Desmond Ridder holds AAC and school career record with 12,280total yards. … Cincinnati is 22-1since the start of 2020. Only loss was 24-21 in the Peach Bowl last New Year’s Day when Georgia kicked a field goal with three seconds left.