Alabama vs. Cincinnati Updated Odds
| Alabama Odds | -14 |
| Cincinnati Odds | +14 |
| Over/Under | 57.5 |
| Date | Dec. 31 |
| Location | AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas |
The Alabama Crimson Tide are set to take on the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 31 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
FanDuel Sportsbook opened Alabama at -16.5 on Saturday night, and the spread has dropped to -14 as of Sunday afternoon when the game was announced as official.
DraftKings Sportsbook is even lower at Alabama -13.5, and higher on the total at 59. The Tide are -575 on the moneyline, meaning a $57.50 bet on Alabama to just win the game would pay $10.
Find our expert's projected odds, a recap of each team's seasons, plus more information on the Cotton Bowl Classic below.
Our Alabama vs. Cincinnati Projected Odds
| Alabama Spread | -12.5 |
| Cincinnati Spread | +12.5 |
| Over/Under | 64.1 |
These Alabama vs. Cincinnati projections are based on Collin Wilson's college football power ratings, which help power our PRO Projections — they compare all of his projections to real-time college football odds in order to easily identify betting edges.
How Alabama Reached the Cotton Bowl Classic
It didn't feel like a typical Alabama season at times, but the Tide ended up right where they usually are anyway — as SEC Champions and College Football Playoff participants.
Bama nearly lost to Auburn in the Iron Bowl during the final week of the regular season, getting shut out in the first half before a last-minute touchdown drive by Bryce Young and Co. propelled them to an overtime victory. They followed it up by blowing out Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, as Young threw for a ridiculous 421 yards and three touchdowns to all but lock up his Heisman Trophy.
Still, Alabama is not without flaws. The Tide played one-score games against Florida, LSU, Auburn, Arkansas and Texas A&M. The defense took too many penalties and gave up too many yards at times. Now, they'll be missing star wide receiver John Metchie after a torn ACL in the SEC Championship Game.
How Cincinnati Reached the Cotton Bowl Classic
Head coach Luke Fickell has been one of the best in all of college football this season, no matter the level of competition.
The Bearcats ripped off a 12-0 regular season, giving Fickell and the program a sizzling-hot 43-6 record over the last four years. That’s pure dominance, especially considering fellow AAC affiliate UCF just a few years ago resembled the closest thing to a Power 5 factory.
Fickell’s defense barely budged this season, allowing just 16.5 points per contest. The Bearcats didn’t give up more than 28 points in a single game.
Offensively, quarterback Desmond Ridder has played well for the most part this year, but he did throw an interception in five of his final six games. The Bearcats outscored opponents by 22.8 points per game in 2021, which trailed only Georgia and Ohio State nationally.
Alabama vs. Cincinnati Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Alabama and Cincinnati match up statistically:
Alabama Offense vs. Cincinnati Defense
 |  Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 71 | 30 | |
| Line Yards | 76 | 27 | |
| Pass Success | 6 | 7 |  |
| Pass Blocking** | 51 | 4 | |
| Big Play | 6 | 14 | |
| Havoc | 61 | 19 | |
| Finishing Drives | 10 | 5 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Cincinnati Offense vs. Alabama Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 19 | 7 | |
| Line Yards | 46 | 3 | |
| Pass Success | 45 | 41 | |
| Pass Blocking** | 82 | 50 | |
| Big Play | 61 | 46 | |
| Havoc | 13 | 12 | |
| Finishing Drives | 12 | 89 | |
| ** Pass Blocking (Off.) vs. Pass Rush (Def.) | |||
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 3 | 7 |
| Coverage | 21 | 2 |
| Middle 8 | 3 | 11 |
| SP+ Special Teams | 26 | 78 |
| Plays per Minute | 59 | — |
| Rush Rate | 49.3% (101) | 54.3% (71) |
Cotton Bowl Classic Date, Time, TV, More Info
- Date: Dec. 31
- Time: 3:30 or 7:30 p.m. ET
- Location: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
- TV Info: ESPN
