College Football Playoff: 5 bold predictions for Alabama vs. Cincinnati in Cotton Bowl
By John Buhler
4. Jameson Williams repeatedly turns Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner into burnt toast
Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner may have the best nickname in college football this side of Smoke Monday and Kool-Aid McKinstry, but the talented Cincinnati defensive back is about to become burn toast after what Jameson Williams does to him on Friday. To think Williams was not good enough to start at Ohio State is unfathomable at this point. He is WR1 in the 2022 NFL Draft.
While this is not to say that Williams will have a repeat showing of what he did to the Georgia secondary vs. Cincinnati, he will make Gardner and company look stupid on multiple occasions with his brilliant route-running and blazing speed. Look for him to be on the receiving end of at least one 50-yard pass rifled out of Young’s right hand as he scampers his way to sweet pay dirt.
3. Jerome Ford, Coby Bryant, Desmond Ridder create great tape for NFL Draft
While Sauce resembles toast, three of his Bearcats teammates will put plenty of good stuff on tape in what will almost certainly be their final college football game. Jerome Ford will have a few great runs to ensure himself of a top-100 selection at running back. Thorpe winner Coby Bryant will make a few key plays to do the same. Quarterback Desmond Ridder will push for top-32.
Ultimately, this game will do as much, if not more, for their respective draft stocks as the Notre Dame game earlier in the year and the Peach Bowl loss to Georgia last holiday season. No matter how this season ends, NFL fans will recognize that Luke Fickell had an incredibly talented Bearcats team, which is why they won the Group of Five in back-to-back seasons and made playoff history.
Cincinnati might be able to keep it close for a while, thanks to great play from these three big contributors on both sides of the ball.