The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tulane
Blazers Handle Green Wave, 34-27
10/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 20, 2001
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Backup quarterback Thomas Cox ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns to lead UAB to a 34-27 victory over Tulane on Saturday.
Cox started in place of senior Jeff Aaron, who was out with a sprained ankle.
Tulane (2-6, 1-3 Conference USA) took advantage of four UAB turnovers to come back from a 17-0 deficit, tying the game at 24 late in the third quarter.
But Kendal Gibson scored on a 1-yard run to give UAB (3-4, 2-3) a 31-24 lead with 13:57 left in the game. A 37-yard run by Cox set up the score.
Nick Hayes kicked a 47-yard field goal with 9:17 remaining to extend the Blazers' lead to 34-24.
Tulane pulled to 34-27 on a 33-yard field goal by Seth Marler. But Nick Stewart's interception at the Tulane 20 sealed the victory for UAB.
Jegil Dugger ran for 109 yards on 28 carries and scored a touchdown for UAB.
Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey completed 22 of 39 passes for 177 yards. Roydell Williams caught touchdown passes of 2 and 20 yards, both in the third quarter, to lead Tulane's comeback.
Tulane entered the game averaging 462 yards in total offense, ninth in NCAA Division I-A. But UAB, ranked fifth in total defense, held the Green Wave to 205 yards.
UAB jumped out to a 17-0 lead. However, a pair of interceptions in the last three minutes of the first half helped Tulane close the gap.
A 46-yard field goal by Hayes gave UAB a 3-0 lead with 5:48 left in the first quarter.
Cox broke free for a 45-yard touchdown run on an option play to give UAB a 10-0 lead. With 9:38 left in the first half, Dugger scored on a 1-yard run to put UAB in front 17-0.
Tulane's comeback started when Quentin Brown intercepted Cox's pass and returned it 16 yards to the UAB. Marler kicked a 38-yard field goal to make it 17-3.
On the last play of the first half, Jeff Sanchez intercepted Cox's pass and returned it 79 yards for a touchdown to make it 17-10 at halftime.
