Oct. 20, 2001
Recap?|?
Box Score
Oct. 20, 2001
Box Score
FINAL SCORE: UAB 34, TULANE 27
(Records: UAB 3-4, 2-2 C-USA, Tulane 2-6, 1-3 C-USA)
UAB's Thomas Cox started at quarterback in place of the injured Jeff Aaron
(ankle sprain). Cox is now 3-0 as a starting quarterback, the Blazers have
wins vs. #17 East Carolina (1999), at LSU (2000) and vs. Tulane (2001) with
Cox as the starter.
Cox's 177 rushing yards is a new UAB single-game record for quarterbacks,
as is his 26 carries. The previous marks were 154 yards by Daniel Dixon at
Southwestern Louisiana (1997) and 24 carries by Dixon at Louisville (1999).
Cox equaled his own personal best of two rushing touchdowns in the Tulane
game, he also had two vs. East Carolina in 1999. Cox's 45-yard touchdown
run in the first quarter was also his longest ever (scoring or
non-scoring).
The UAB held Tulane to eight (8) net rushing yards, that's the second
lowest total of the 2001 season -- the Blazers held Montana State to minus
one (-1) net rushing yards in the season-opener on Aug. 30.
UAB has held its opponents under 100 net rushing yards in six of seven
games this season, the exception was Florida State (Sept. 8), which finished
with 135 net yards. The Blazers have held opponents under 100 net rushing
yards in eight of their last nine games, dating back to the 2000 season.
UAB has not allowed an opposing player to rush for 100 or more yards in a
game in 20 straight games, the last player to do so was Louisville's Frank
Moreau on Oct. 30, 1999.
Tulane's Mewelde Moore came into the game ranked fourth in the nation in
rushing, averaging 145.7 yards per game, against UAB, he got 35 net yards on
15 carries.
Tulane quarterback Patrick Ramsey came into the game averaging 275.3 yards
per game (ranked 14th in Division I-A), he finished the game with 177 yards
and a touchdown.
UAB's Cox and running back Jegil Dugger (109 yards on 28 carries, one
touchdown) became the first two Blazer players to rush for 100+ yards in the
same game since Robert Davis and Carl Sanders did so vs. Charleston-Southern
in 1996.
Redshirt freshman placekicker Nick Hayes tied the UAB Division I-A era
record with a 47-yard field goal in the fourth quarter. Hayes, who also
connected on a 46-yarder in the game (the 47-yarder is his career long), was
4-4 on PATs, finishing the game with 10 points (also a career high).
Linebacker Nick Stewart clinched the win with an interception of a Ramsey
pass in the game's final minute. It was Stewart's first interception of the
2001 season, but not the first time he has made a big play to seal a
victory. In the final minute of last season's game vs. Chattanooga at
Legion Field (Sept. 7, 2000), Stewart tipped a pass by Mocs quarterback
Chris Sanders that was intercepted by Wes Foss, ending the Chattanooga
threat.
UAB is now 3-1 this season and 41-17-1 (.703) all-time at Legion Field
(1991- ).
Saturday's win sets up a big showdown with Memphis (4-3, 2-2 C-USA) at the
Liberty Bowl next Saturday. The game will kick off at 1:00 pm CDT, and can
be seen live in the Birmingham area on WABM-TV 68.
