No. 4 Cincinnati will play in the CFP Semifinals at the Cotton Bowl on Friday at 2:30 CT

Zach Stipe Associate AD / Communications for UC Football

Arlington, Texas – The No. 4-ranked Cincinnati football team has made history all season, advancing to the College Football Playoff, while breaking countless records. 

Desmond Ridder

The Bearcats will look to make more history inside AT&T Stadium on Friday when they meet No. 1 Alabama in the 86th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic at 2:30 p.m. CT in Arlington, Texas.

On Thursday, UC wrapped up its final practice at the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium before returning to the team hotel for final preparations. 

The Bearcats (13-0) will face an Alabama team (12-1) that is in its seventh CFP appearance and coming off a dominant win over No. 3 Georgia in the SEC Championship. 

Cincinnati will look to improve to 14-0 for the first time in school history and advance to the national championship game in Indianapolis on Jan. 10. 

UC is coming off a convincing win over No. 20 Houston in the American Athletic Conference championship game, 35-20, on Dec. 4.

“This isn’t a team that wants to ‘shock the world’ or anything like that,” said UC head coach Luke Fickell. “It’s a team that really believes in what it is that they’ve done and loves challenges. I think so far, that’s been the message for us. We understand that it’s a larger challenge than maybe anything we’ve faced in the past. The team (Alabama) has obviously been in the playoffs seven times and are, as we refer to them, the champs. I think the messaging is kind of specific to who our guys are and what they’ve been through. It’s definitely about, ‘these are the champs, and to be the champs, you’re going to have to be at your best.'” 

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