By BJ Bennett
SouthernPigskin.com

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The fact that this program continues to make this look so easy is what makes this so remarkable.

Alabama just won another College Football Playoff game in the national spotlight against one of the best teams in the country. Give the Crimson Tide the credit they deserve. Alabama continues to earn it.

The Crimson Tide, in some ways, entered the College Football Playoff facing a semifinal matchup with Cincinnati where praise and acclaim was going to be hard to come by. Most, around the country, casually projected a lopsided Alabama win, with anything short of that awaiting as a potential letdown. Even a comfortable and convincing victory, as we are now seeing to some extent, was largely the most basic expectation from the outside-looking-in and likely wouldn’t be fully celebrated or valued.

This impressive performance, from the Crimson Tide, seemingly isn’t coming with much national credence as so many simply saw it coming. It should.

Given that the Bearcats kicked off the Cotton Bowl as the game’s only undefeated team, and boasted a resume that included a multi-score win at top five Notre Dame, that standard, for Alabama, never was and still isn’t fair.

Nick Saban’s Crimson Tide have made the remarkable seem regular and perhaps that is his greatest achievement. Alabama has been so good that college football, at-large, doesn’t fully appreciate the history that continues to be made and maybe even taken for granted. Even for the Crimson Tide, though, a final four win is still special. And, though some won’t acknowledge it, Alabama just beat a great team. Cincinnati took the field in Dallas having won 24 of 25 games, the lone loss in that span coming to Georgia on a last-second field goal.

The Bearcats are a legitimate leading contender who earned their historic opportunity to compete. Cincinnati has the resume to prove it. Against this ultimate x-factor squad, the hottest team in the country in a contest where the burdern of near-perfect play was seemingly placed right on them, the Crimson Tide promptly won by 21 points, covered the spread and never once trailed. They controlled the entire game.

On the big stage, facing a capable opponent, the Alabama brand was affirmed once again. It’s a performance, even if expected, still worthy of applause. The fact that this program continues to make this look so easy is what makes this so remarkable.

Simply put, the Crimson Tide both looked and played the part of the nation’s top-ranked team. Brian Robinson starred in running 26 times for a career-high 204 yards as Alabama outrushed Cincinnati 302 yards to 74. Quarterback Bryce Young threw three touchdown passes. Defensively, the Crimson Tide held the Bearcats without a single touchdown and completely slowed future NFL Draft pick Desmond Ridder at quarterback, who finished with just 144 yards

Overall, Alabama more than doubled Cincinnati in total yards, 483 to 218.

It goes without saying that the Crimson Tide obviously weren’t perfect on Friday evening. They can play better than they did and that unrelenting internal evaluation is part of what makes Alabama what it is. The Crimson Tide, after the win, will only further work to correct and improve. Alabama will be in yet another national championship game as that process continues.

It was a strong, successful showing for the Crimson Tide in a fascinating showdown where all of the pressure was on them. It needs to be appreciated and treated as such.