Cincinnati CB changing number for College Football Playoff to honor Kobe Bryant
Cincinnati cornerback Coby Bryant will honor late-NBA star Kobe Bryant in a special way during the Bearcats’ College Football Playoff semifinal game against Alabama on Friday.
Coby will be changing his jersey number from No. 7 to No. 8 for Cincinnati’s Cotton Bowl showdown against Alabama. Kobe wore Nos. 8 and 24 during his time in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The news about the decision came out on Tuesday. The Bearcats and Crimson Tide are scheduled to play on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET with a trip to the national championship on the line.
Cincinnati DB Coby Bryant will wear No. 8 in the Cotton Bowl vs. Alabama to honor Kobe Bryant.
He typically wears No. 7.
— Michael Casagrande (@ByCasagrande) December 28, 2021
Kobe and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, were killed in a helicopter accident after it crashed into a mountain in Calabasas. He was 41 years old.
Coby is a senior at Cincinnati and has been one of the Bearcats’ top defensive players all season. He enters the postseason with 32 tackles, 11 pass break-ups, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles.