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MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Two high-profile matchups kick off the 2021-22 College Football Playoff on New Year's Eve: Alabama vs. Cincinnati and Georgia vs. Michigan. No. 1 Alabama (12-1) takes on No. 4 Cincinnati (13-0) in the Cotton Bowl, the first of the two national semifinal games, at 3:30 p.m. EST Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
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"I think it's close to the talk being over and about time for us to go back out there and do what it is that we love to do," Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell told reporters Thursday.
"I think everybody in this program is really excited about what's to come."
No. 2 Michigan (12-1) battles No. 3 Georgia (12-1) in the Orange Bowl, the other semifinal, at 7:30 p.m. EST Monday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Both semifinal games will air on ESPN.
"Our togetherness is really a big factor," Michigan senior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson told reporters Wednesday. "Just going against that Georgia offense, we're going to have to really execute and play our game if we want to have a lot of success."
Despite another surge in COVID-19 cases across the United States, each game will draw sellout crowds. More than 70,000 are expected to attend the Cotton Bowl, compared to the reduced allowed attendance of 17,300 in 2020.
About 65,000 fans are expected to attend the Orange Bowl, up from just over 13,700 who attended last postseason.
On Thursday afternoon, Cotton Bowl ticket costs ranged from $60 to $27,500 on the secondary market. Orange Bowl tickets ranged from $140 to $77,777.
The winners of the semifinal matchups will meet in the College Football Playoff National Championship game Jan. 10 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Matchups
Alabama, the reigning national champion, is a 13.5-point favorite to beat Cincinnati. Georgia is a 7.5-point favorite to beat Michigan.
Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young leads the top-ranked Crimson Tide. The sophomore quarterback threw the second-most passing touchdowns (43) and for the fourth-most yards (4,322) and totaled just four interceptions this season.
The Tide offense ranks sixth with 495.5 yards per game. The Tide defense ranks ninth, allowing 306.1 yards per game and 31 total offensive touchdowns. Alabama allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game and totaled the third-most sacks.
Cincinnati's defense ranks eighth, allowing 305.8 yards per game and 24 offensive scores. The Bearcats have one of the best secondaries in the country. They allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game so far this season.
Cincinnati's offense ranks 43rd. The Bearcats rushing offense ranks 48th.
Georgia boasts one of the nation's top defenses. The Bulldogs allowed the second-fewest yards per game and just 11 offensive scores, the fewest in college football.
The team also allowed the third-fewest passing yards per game and the third-fewest rushing yards per game. The Bulldogs allowed just three rushing touchdowns through 13 games.
Michigan has the No. 18 offense, with an average of 451.9 yards per game. The Wolverines rushing offense ranks 10th. Michigan's defense ranks 12th.
"We've got a lot of respect for [Michigan coach] Jim Harbaugh and his team," Georgia coach Kirby Smart told reporters Thursday. "They've always played a physical brand of football, and our guys are looking forward to that opportunity to go out and play.
"It's really what you work all year for is to get this opportunity on this grand stage, and our guys are excited for this opportunity."
Who to watch
Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson is one of the top players to watch Friday and is expected to be one of the first picks of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Junior linebacker David Ojabo is another Michigan player expected to be picked early in the draft.
On offense, the Wolverines will count on quarterback Cade McNamara and running backs Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins.
Defensive tackle Jordan Davis and linebacker Nakobe Dean are among Georgia's top draft prospects. Quarterback Stetson Bennett, running backs Zamir White and James Cook, wide receiver George Pickens and tight end Brock Bowers lead the offense.
Offensive lineman Evan Neal and wide receiver Jameson Williams are among the Alabama players expected to go early in the draft.
Young most likely will lean more on Williams in the Cotton Bowl due to the recent season-ending injury to top wide receiver John Metchie.
Young also will hand off to running back Brian Robinson Jr, who leads the team with 1,064 rushing yards and 14 scores this season.
Quarterback Desmond Ridder, Cornerbacks Ahmad Gardner and Coby Bryant and defensive end Myjai Sanders are among Cincinnati's top prospects.
Ridder completed 65.9% of his throws so far this season for 3,190 yards, 30 scores and eight interceptions.
Junior running back Jerome Ford, an Alabama transfer, leads the Bearcats with 1,238 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns this season.
Senior wide receiver Alec Pierce leads the Beacats with 867 receiving yards and eight scores.
COVID-19
Cancelations and withdrawals continue to impact the 2021-22 college football bowl schedule, but none of the four teams involved in the College Football Playoff has indicated it won't be able to compete.
College Football Playoff officials announced Dec. 22 that if a team can't compete in its respective game due to COVID-19 issues, that team must forfeit, giving their foe a free pass to the title game.
If both teams can't play in a semifinal, the winner of the other semifinal will be declared the national champion.
If a team can't play after the semifinals, the National Championship game could be rescheduled, but won't be played later than Jan. 14.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and offensive line coach Doug Marrone tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but cleared the protocol and rejoined the team. Head coach Nick Saban told reporters earlier this week that no Alabama players were in the protocol.
Neither Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell, Michigan coach John Harbaugh, nor Georgia coach Kirby Smart said if any players will be unavailable for the Orange Bowl when asked by reporters this week in virtual news conferences.
Georgia backup quarterback J.T. Daniels and wide receiver George Pickens tested positive for COVID-19 last week, but cleared the protocol and arrived for the game this week in Miami.
Each team has said that at least 90% of its players are vaccinated.
College Football Playoff semifinals
Cotton Bowl
Who: No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 4 Cincinnati
When: 3:30 p.m. EST Friday
Where: AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas
TV: ESPN
Orange Bowl
Who: No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Georiga
When: 7:30 p.m. EST Friday
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
TV: ESPN
