College football: 10 best dynamic duos to watch in 2021

9. Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant (Cincinnati)

Under head coach Luke Fickell, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that a big reason for the rise of Cincinnati as one of the premier Group of 5 programs right now is the defense. And while the Bearcats suffered some key losses from last year’s defense, they are expected to remain a top-tier defensive team largely due to the defensive back duo of Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant.

At 6-foot-2, 188 pounds, Gardner has established himself as one of the best non-Power 5 cornerbacks in college football over the past two seasons. He has six interceptions, three in each year, to his credit thus far, including two that he took back for touchdowns as a freshman. His combination of length and range makes him a nightmare for quarterbacks to throw against.

The same can be said of Bryant, who lines up at the opposite cornerback spot for the Bearcats. Bryant returns for his super senior season with the program already having an established pedigree. He has seven career interceptions from his three seasons as a starter, including the four he nabbed last year, along with 24 pass defenses.

Cincinnati has talent on all three levels of the defense but the duo of Gardner and Bryant on the outside in the secondary helps to anchor them. They figure to be a top-10 team in the country once again and the cornerback tandem will play a pivotal role in any success they enjoy.