Will Anderson isn’t paying attention to the betting odds. No. 1 Alabama is currently a 13.5-point favorite heading into its Cotton Bowl semifinal matchup against No. 4 Cincinnati on Friday. The nearly two-touchdown spread is the second biggest among the remaining bowl matchup. However, that’s not how the Crimson Tide’s leading pass rusher sees it.
“To me, I still feel like we’re the underdog in this game,” Anderson said. “All year we have been disrespected. I’m pretty sure we’re still probably getting disrespected out there.”
Wait, what?
The majority of questions doled out during Monday’s media session revolved around the challenge playoff debutant Cincinnati is facing as it goes up against the defending national champions in Alabama.
Perhaps Anderson is hearing something else. Either way, it seems to be working in the Tide's favor.
“We channel it as positive energy,” Anderson said. “We love it, it just fuels us up even more. We know what type of team we have. We don’t really work what other people have to say about us. We can use it as fuel because we just have to keep proving people that they’re wrong and that we are an elite team and we can play very well.”
The chip on Anderson’s shoulder is likely leftover from the doubt Alabama received heading into its SEC Championship Game against Georgia earlier this month. That matchup marked the first time the Tide wasn’t favored heading into a game since 2015. Alabama responded by blowing out Georgia, 41-24, repeating as SEC champions while earning the top spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.
Following that win, Anderson provided a spirited postgame speech where he reminded reporters, “We Alabama, man. We ain’t no D-III team.” Monday, Anderson said he and his Alabama teammates have kept that same fire burning throughout the winter break.
“Since the Georgia game, I’ve been so proud of the guys because that intensity, the energy, it hasn’t dropped off one bit,” Anderson said. “Practices have been really well, meetings have been really well, walkthroughs have been really well. And the way that we have taken that energy from that game and had a break as long as we’ve had and the energy is still rolling, everybody’s still ready to play, everybody still has that same mindset. It’s been great. I’m so proud of those guys, and we just have to keep it rolling into the game this weekend.”
Alabama (12-1) will play Cincinnati (13-0) on Friday at 2:30 p.m. CT inside of AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game will serve as a semifinal in the College Football Player with the winner advancing to play in the national championship game on Jan. 10 against either No. 2 Michigan (12-1) or No. 3 Georgia (12-1).
