Luke Fickell: Bearcats not thinking 'shock the world,' just embracing Alabama challenge

DALLAS – It’s been nearly four weeks since the Cincinnati Bearcats topped Houston in the AAC Championship Game and 26 days since they learned they’d be playing top-ranked Alabama in the Cotton Bowl.

On the eve of kickoff (3:30 p.m., ESPN), the Bearcats know what they’re up against. They’re a two-touchdown underdog and they’ve spent weeks studying the defending national champions, devising ways to try to stop Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young, speedy receiver Jameson Williams and star linebacker Will Anderson Jr.

Doc: Savor every moment of the Cotton Bowl and its extraordinary hope

College Football Playoff: Cincinnati Bearcats feel prepared for big stage – and confident they're here to stay

Three keys, prediction: Cincinnati looks to topple top-ranked Alabama in CFP semifinal

“This isn't a team that wants to ride the, ‘hey, let's shock the world’ or anything like that,” Coach Luke Fickell said. “It's a team that really believes in what it is they've done, loves challenges.”

The Bearcats know what it took to reach this point, undefeated in their 13 games. They stepped up in their non-conference road games at Notre Dame and Indiana. They battled the outsized expectations where they were judged on “style points” beyond their wins and became the first Group of Five team to earn entry into the College Football Playoff.

Now they’re finally where they wanted to be. Reaching this stage is a big reason why several players returned for a fifth or sixth season in the program.

“Knocking off Alabama, oh, man, talk about a dream come true,” sixth-year senior defensive tackle Curtis Brooks said. “As a kid, watching football, Alabama, Nick Saban, that's who was on TV all the time. Now we get the opportunity to go play them. It's everything you ask for as a football player.