2021 Cotton Bowl Classic

[8] The Tide suffered their first and only regular season setback the following week, when they were upset by Texas A&M in College Station,[9] which gave the Aggies a three-point victory.

5 in the AP Poll,[11] though they were able to rebound with impressive wins over Mississippi State and Tennessee to put their record at 7–1 entering their bye week.

21 Arkansas;[16] Alabama won by only a touchdown despite quarterback Bryce Young's school-record 559 passing yards,[17] and the Tide dropped to No.

After a bye, the Bearcats traveled to South Bend to face Notre Dame defeating the 9th ranked Irish, leading all the way to a 24-13 win.

The Bearcats finished their regular season with a 12–0 record, 8–0 in AAC play, completing only their second 12-0 season in school history (2009) Facing 21st ranked Houston in the AAC Championship Game, the Bearcats broke open a tight 14-13 halftime with 21 3rd quarter points to claim a 35-20 and win their 2nd straight American Conference title.

After winning the coin toss and deferring, Cincinnati kicker Alex Bales began the game with a touchback, giving Alabama the ball on their own 25-yard-line to start their first drive.

Running back Brian Robinson Jr. earned each of the first four carries of the game, and the Tide capped the drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bryce Young to Slade Bolden.

However, Cincinnati stalled, as they were unable to gain yards on first and second down and lost yardage on third down, forcing a 33-yard field goal attempt that was successful.

The Bearcats punted the ball back rather quickly, as their offense gained six yards in their next drive's three plays and went three-and-out for a second time.

The ball was eventually recovered by Jameson Williams at the Alabama 6-yard-line, where the Crimson Tide started their final drive of the half.

Alabama drove to the Cincinnati 44-yard-line in seven plays before Bryce Young connected with Ja'Corey Brooks for a 44-yard touchdown pass, extending their lead to two scores.

An illegal shift penalty on Cincinnati's next play pushed the offense back to a 1st & 15, and a sack on third down forced a punt on fourth-and-long.

[23] The Crimson Tide offense reached the red zone within two additional plays, and the drive concluded with an Alabama touchdown by way of a nine-yard pass from Bryce Young to Cameron Latu, extending the lead to eighteen points.