John Metchie III, Alabama's second-leading receiver, will not play in the Cotton Bowl against Cincinnati because of an ACL injury, Nick Saban confirmed to reporters Sunday.
The junior left the second quarter of the SEC Championship after he went down with a non-contact injury. ESPN's Mark Schlabach was the first to report the injury.
Metchie stopped and turned while running a route and instantly went down after he made his move on Saturday. He clutched his left leg and walked off the field himself but was ruled out of the game with a leg injury.
This is a devastating loss for the Tide who depend on both Metchie and star wideout Jameson Williams to propel their aerial attack. Metchie has 96 receptions for 1,142 yards and eight touchdowns this season.
Alabama, which earned the top seed in the College Football Playoff, is set to begin its hunt for back-to-back national titles on Dec. 31, when it takes on the No. 4 Bearcats in the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas.
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