The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Montana St
UAB Destroys Montana State In Season Opener, 41-13
8/30/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug 30, 2001
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - Willie Quinnie scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to help UAB beat Division I-AA Montana State 41-13 Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
It was Montana State's 18th straight loss. But the Bobcats, who went 0-11 last year, pressured UAB quarterback Jeff Aaron much of the game and kept the game close until Quinnie broke loose in the second half.
Quinnie caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Aaron to give UAB a 27-13 lead with 4:29 left in the third quarter. A 49-yard completion from Aaron to Quinnie set up the score.
With 1:25 left in the third quarter, cornerback Chris Brown intercepted a Montana State pass and returned it 26 yards to set up UAB's next score.
Quinnie ran 34 yards on an end-around to give UAB a 34-13 lead.
A 6-yard scoring pass from reserve quarterback Thomas Cox to Jason Southall helped UAB pull away in the fourth quarter.
Jegil Dugger ran for 122 yards on 25 carries for UAB. He scored the Blazers' first touchdown on a 4-yard run in the first quarter.
A 26-yard field goal by Rhett Gallego gave UAB a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.
But Montana State came back to tie it on a 32-yard field goal by E.J. Cochrane and a 30-yard interception return by Kane Ioane with 8:05 left in the second quarter.
A 29-yard punt return by Torre Hale set up a 1-yard scoring run by Aaron to give UAB a 17-10 halftime lead.
Montana State quarterback Tyler Thomas completed 19 of 41 passes for 156 yards.
Junior Adams and Pat Carahesen each caught five passes for the Bobcats.
