Keys for Alabama to Cover vs. Cincinnati in College Football Playoff Semifinal

No. 1 Alabama enters the College Football Playoff once again with their eyes on another National Championship, a fourth in the CFP era.

They will be matched up against Cincinnati, who enters as the first Group of Five team to enter the four team playoff.

Alabama is prohibitive favorites, laying 13.5 points at WynnBET Sportsbook as of this writing with a total of 57.5 (Over -110/Under -110).

Nick Saban is historically great with extra prep, so will the Crimson Tide maintain the status quo on New Year's Eve in the Cotton Bowl? Here are some keys to the game and what I'll be watching for.

Get Reed's Keys For Every Team in the College Football Playoff:

• Cincinnati (Monday, 12/27)
• Alabama (Tuesday, 12/28)
• Michigan (Wednesday, 12/29)
• Georgia (Thursday, 12/30)

Experience is a Factor for Tide

It sounds like an overblown narrative but the Crimson Tide have been here before. Even if Bryce Young is a freshman, this is the defending National Champions and have the best coach in the country in Nick Saban.

Saban and the Crimson Tide have dominated in the CFP semifinals, going 5-1 straight up and covering in four of six, winning all by double digits. Since taking over at Alabama, he is 14-5 straight up in bowl games.

On the other side, they will face Cincinnati, who stood up to another SEC foe in the Citrus Bowl last season, nearly upsetting Georgia, but this team is in foreign territory in the CFP.

While Cincy has been one of the most impressive stories in College Football history, breaking ground into the College Football Playoff, if the Bearcats get punched in the mouth early, it will be interesting to see how they respond against the dominant Alabama pass rush.

The numbers don't lie. Saban will have this team ready to go. They have faced an SEC schedule all year as Cincy had some close calls against middling AAC teams. This is a jump in class that may be too much for them to overcome.

Put Cincinnati Behind the Sticks

Alabama has a massive speed and size advantage on the Bearcats, and that will be most apparent in the trenches, where the Tide have arguably the best defensive player in the country in Will Anderson.

Anderson has 91 tackles on the season and a national best 15.5 sacks as well as 31.5 tackles for loss.

The goal will be to put Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder behind the sticks and force him into mistakes. Ridder has been prone to interceptions in the past, tossing eight this season.

If Anderson and the Crimson Tide defensive line can put Ridder and Cincy behind schedule and into third and long, it can lead to mistakes and short fields for Bryce Young and co. Speaking of...

Give Young Time

Young is the Heisman winner, and had little issue disposing of the Georgia defense, the consensus top defensive unit in the country, but his numbers drop off under pressure.

Young's completion percentage is 47% under pressure this season, per Pro Football Focus, and the Alabama offensive line is just 51st in pass blocking this season.

The Crimson Tide offense will not have star wide out John Metchie in this game, he tore his ACL in the SEC Championship game, but if the offensive line can hold up against a formidable Cincy pass rush, Young will be able to find his weapons down field.

Expect Young to take what the defense gives him and play close to the vest, especially early on.

He has only thrown four interceptions on the year, so this game may be a little slow to start as Young eases into the game and the offensive line acclimates to their opponent. The Heisman winner's decision making will be put to the test in this one, but I expect sound decision making after gashing Georgia to the tune of 421 yards and three passing touchdowns.