2020 UAB Blazers football team

The 2020 UAB Blazers football team represented the University of Alabama at Birmingham in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Blazers played their final home games at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama, and competed in the West Division of Conference USA (C-USA). They were led by fifth-year head coach Bill Clark.

2020 UAB Blazers football
C-USA champion
C-USA West Division champion
ConferenceConference USA
DivisionWest Division
2020 record6–3 (3–1 C-USA)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorBryant Vincent (4th season)
Defensive coordinatorDavid Reeves (4th season)
Home stadiumLegion Field
(Capacity: 71,594)
2020 Conference USA football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
Marshall xy  4 –1     7 –3  
Florida Atlantic  4 –2     5 –4  
Western Kentucky  4 –3     5 –7  
Charlotte  2 –2     2 –4  
Middle Tennessee  2 –4     3 –6  
FIU  0 –3     0 –5  
Old Dominion†   –      –  
West Division
UAB xy$  3 –1     6 –3  
UTSA  5 –2     7 –5  
Louisiana Tech  4 –2     5 –4  
North Texas  3 –4     4 –6  
Rice  2 –3     2 –3  
Southern Miss  2 –4     3 –7  
UTEP  0 –4     3 –5  
Championship: UAB 22, Marshall 13
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
  • Note: † Due to COVID-19, Old Dominion has suspended the 2020 football season.
Rankings from AP Poll.

After compiling a 6–3 record (3–1 in conference play), the team accepted a bid to the Gasparilla Bowl. However, on December 22, the Blazers' bowl opponent, South Carolina, had to withdraw from the bowl due to COVID-19 issues within their program.[1] As no replacement team was available, the bowl was subsequently canceled.[1]

Previous season

The Blazers finished the 2019 regular season 9–5, 6–2 in CUSA play which they tied for first in the West Division with Louisiana Tech. Due to defeating the Bulldogs in the head to head matchup, UAB played against Florida Atlantic in the conference championship game. The Blazers played in the game for the second consecutive year, which they lost in the game for the first time.[2] The team was invited to play in the New Orleans Bowl against Appalachian State, where the Blazers took their fifth loss of the season.[3]

Preseason

Death of Jamari Smith

On May 28, 2020, it was announced that incoming freshman Jamari Smith, from Robert E. Lee High School in Montgomery, Alabama, had drowned while swimming with friends.[4]

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
TBD

CUSA media days

The CUSA Media Days will be held virtually for the first time in conference history.[5]

Preseason All-CUSA teams

To be released

Schedule

UAB announced its 2020 football schedule on January 8, 2020.[6] The 2020 schedule was originally planned to consist of 6 home and 6 away games in the regular season.

The Blazers had games scheduled against Alabama A&M, New Mexico State, Old Dominion, UTEP, and Middle Tennessee but were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[7][8][9]

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 3 7:00 p.m. Central Arkansas*
ESPN3 W 45–35 12,716
September 10 8:00 p.m. at Miami (FL)*
ACCN L 14–31 8,153
September 24 6:30 p.m. at South Alabama*
ESPN W 42–10 5,766
October 3 11:30 a.m. UTSA
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
Stadium W 21–13 12,547
October 17 12:30 p.m. Western Kentucky
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
Stadium W 37–14 11,098
October 23 7:00 p.m. Louisiana*
  • Legion Field
  • Birmingham, AL
CBSSN L 20–24 11,610
October 31 2:30 p.m. at Louisiana Tech
Stadium L 34–37 2OT 7,140
December 12 11:00 a.m. at Rice
ESPN3 W 21–16 2,000
December 18 6:00 p.m. at Marshall
CBSSN W 22–13
December 26 11:00 a.m. vs. South Carolina*
ABC CANCELLED

[10]

Rankings
Further information: 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football rankings
Ranking movements
Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
Week
Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Final 
AP RV RV* RV  
Coaches NR NR* NR  
CFP Not released Not released

Game summaries

Central Arkansas
See also: 2020 Central Arkansas Bears football team
Game One – Central Arkansas Bears (0-1) at No. 24 UAB Blazers (1-0)
1 2 34Total
Bears 7 14 01435
#24 Blazers 14 14 31445

at Legion Field • Birmingham, Alabama

  • Date: Thursday, September 3, 2020
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 84 °F (29 °C) • Wind: SSW 5 mph
  • TV announcers (ESPN3): Curt Bloom (play-by-play), Chad Pilcher (analyst)
  • Pregame line: UAB –21.5 • Odds to win: UAB 93.1% • Game summary: ESPN NCAA
Game information
First quarter
  • (7:03) UAB – Gerrit Prince 6 yard pass from Tyler Johnston III, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 12 plays, 73 yards, 5:15; UAB 7–0)
  • (2:46) UAB – Spencer Brown 5 yard rush, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 9 plays, 55 yards, 3:24; UAB 14–0)
  • (0:03) UCA – Cameron Myers 4 yard rush, Hayden Ray kick (Drive: 2 plays, 4 yards, 0:13; UAB 14–7)
Second quarter
  • (10:50) UAB – Myron Mitchell 18 yard pass from Bryson Lucero, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 5 plays, 55 yards, 2:03; UAB 21–7)
  • (5:31) UAB – Gerrit Prince 10 yard pass from Tyler Johnson III, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 7 plays, 63 yards, 2:56; UAB 28–7)
  • (2:33) UCA – Lujuan Winningham 15 yard pass from Breylin Smith, Chandler Caughron kick (Drive: 1 play, 15 yards, 0:05; UAB 28–14)
  • (1:21) UCA – Robert Rochell 35 yard fumble return, Chandler Caughron kick (UAB 28–21)
Third quarter
  • (3:07) UAB – Matthew Quinn 23 yard field goal (Drive: 12 plays, 48 yards, 6:51; UAB 31–21)
Fourth quarter
  • (12:41) UAB – Lucious Stanley 8 yard rush, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 4 plays, 30 yards, 2:10; UAB 38–21)
  • (8:12) UAB – Jermaine Brown Jr. 30 yard rush, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 4 plays, 43 yards, 2:00; UAB 45–21)
  • (5:43) UCA – LuJuan Winningham 8 yard pass from Breylin Smith, Chandler Caughron kick (Drive: 7 plays, 65 yards, 2:29; UAB 45–28)
  • (0:32) UCA – Sam Camargo 6 yard pass from Breylin Smith, Chandler Caughron kick (Drive: 10 plays, 83 yards, 2:40; UAB 45–35)
StatisticsUCAUAB
First downs2029
Plays–yards66–29383–459
Rushes–yards21–10049–233
Passing yards193226
Passing: Comp–Att–Int25–46–124–34–1
Time of possession22:5537:05
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Central ArkansasPassingBreylin Smith25/46, 193 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
RushingKierre Crossley10 carries, 59 yards
ReceivingLujuan Winningham6 receptions, 53 yards, 2 TD
UABPassingTyler Johnston III17/25, 143 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT
RushingSpencer Brown24 carries, 127 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingAustin Watkins7 receptions, 72 yards

at Miami
See also: 2020 Miami Hurricanes football team
Game Two – UAB Blazers (1–0) at Miami Hurricanes (0–0)
1 2 34Total
Blazers 7 0 7014
Hurricanes 7 7 17031

at Hard Rock Stadium • Miami Gardens, Florida

  • Date: Thursday, September 10, 2020
  • Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
  • Game weather: Clear • Temperature: 82 °F (28 °C) • Wind: ENE 5 mph
  • TV announcers (ACC Network): Dave O'Brien (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), Katie George (sideline)
  • Pregame line: Miami –14
Game information
First quarter
  • (2:40) UAB – Austin Watkins 16 yard pass from Tyler Johnston III, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 2 plays, 17 yards, 0:44; UAB 7–0)
  • (1:04) MIA – Cam'Ron Harris 66 yard rush, Jose Borregales kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:36; Tied 7–7)
Second quarter
  • (10:04) MIA – D'Eriq King 12 yard rush, Jose Borregales kick (Drive: 6 plays, 64 yards, 2:16; Miami 14–7)
Third quarter
  • (10:15) MIA – Jose Borregales 25 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 66 yards, 4:45; Miami 17–7)
  • (6:19) UAB – Spencer Brown 6 yard rush, Matthew Quinn kick (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 3:56; Miami 17–14)
  • (4:02) MIA – Cam'Ron Harris 4 yard rush, Jose Borregales kick (Drive: 7 plays, 71 yards, 2:17; Miami 24–14)
  • (0:00) MIA – Brevin Jordan 4 yard pass from D'Eriq King, Jose Borregales kick (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 2:42; Miami 31–14)
Fourth quarter
No scoring
StatisticsUABMIA
First downs1425
Plays–yards61–28578–495
Rushes–yards26–8052–337
Passing yards205158
Passing: Comp–Att–Int19–35–018–27–0
Time of possession29:0430:56
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
UABPassingTyler Johnston III15/23, 150 yards, 1 TD
RushingSpencer Brown16 carries, 74 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingMyron Mitchell8 receptions, 117 yards
MiamiPassingD'Eriq King16/24, 144 yards, 1 TD
RushingCam'Ron Harris17 carries, 134 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingBrevin Jordan3 receptions, 51 yards, 1 TD

at South Alabama
1 2 3 4 Total
Blazers 14 14 0 14 42
Jaguars 0 10 0 0 10
See also: 2020 South Alabama Jaguars football team

UTSA
1 2 3 4 Total
Roadrunners 3 3 0 7 13
Blazers 7 7 7 0 21
See also: 2020 UTSA Roadrunners football team

Western Kentucky
1 2 3 4 Total
Hilltoppers 7 7 0 0 14
Blazers 10 14 10 3 37
See also: 2020 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers football team

Louisiana
1 2 3 4 Total
Ragin' Cajuns 0 10 7 7 24
Blazers 3 10 7 0 20
See also: 2020 Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns football team

at Louisiana Tech
1 2 3 4OT2OT Total
Blazers 0 14 17 030 34
Bulldogs 3 14 0 1433 37
See also: 2020 Louisiana Tech Bulldogs football team

at Middle Tennessee
1 2 3 4 Total
Blazers 0 0 0 0 0
Blue Raiders 0 0 0 0 0
See also: 2020 Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football team

at Rice
1 2 3 4 Total
Blazers 0 0 0 0 0
Owls 0 0 0 0 0
See also: 2020 Rice Owls football team

References
  1. "Tampa's Gasparilla Bowl canceled after South Carolina bails". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  2. "UAB vs. Florida Atlantic - Game Summary - December 7, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  3. "Appalachian State vs. UAB - Game Summary - December 21, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  4. Scarborough, Alex (May 28, 2020). "UAB incoming freshman Smith drowns at age 18". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 28, 2020.
  5. "Conference USA to hold virtual football media days due to COVID-19". ktsm.com. May 5, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. "UAB Football Releases Complete 2020 Schedule". University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Athletics. January 8, 2020. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  7. Visser, David (July 21, 2020). "SWAC Suspends Fall Football Season". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved July 20, 2020.
  8. "ACC Announces Plans for Football and Fall Olympic Sports". TheACC.com. July 29, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2020.
  9. "Old Dominion postponing football and fall sports". The Virginian Pilot. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
  10. "2020 UAB Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
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