The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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Florida
UAB Falls to No. 18 Florida in Season Opener, 39-0
9/10/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 10, 2011
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - Chris Rainey ran for 119 yards and a touchdown, Caleb Sturgis kicked three field goals after the offense bogged down, and No. 18 Florida beat UAB 39-0 Saturday night.
UAB had a few highlights. The team that managed 500 yards in five games last season, including at Tennessee, finished with 212 yards. Bryan Ellis completed 15 of 28 passes for 141 yards. Dontavius Jackson ran five times for 31 yards.
"Obviously, I'm disappointed in the outcome for us," UAB coach Neil Callaway said.
A week after becoming the first player in Florida history to score touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a return, Rainey was even better against the Blazers (0-1).
He had a 32-yard touchdown run negated by a holding penalty in the first quarter. He found the end zone again early in the third quarter, and this one stood. He scored from 19 yards out, capping the run with a backward dive across the goal line."The guy is very explosive," UAB linebacker Marvin Burdette said. "He takes his running and his angles to perfection. ... For a guy with his speed, you have to surround him with several guys so if you miss him someone else is right there to get him."
UAB had a touchdown of its own called back. On the first play of the second quarter, Ellis found running back Greg Franklin deep down the sideline on what would have been a 38-yard scoring play. But it was called back for a pre-snap illegal shift.
Five of Ellis' completions on the night went to sophomore wideout Jackie Williams, who finished one shy of his career-high for catches. Williams caught a pass in every game of his rookie campaign a season ago and now owns a grab in all 13 games of his collegiate career. A total of eight Blazers caught a pass Saturday, including Patrick Hearn with four receptions.
Jackson, a Georgia transfer who led UAB in rushing for the night and broke off a 22-yard run in the second half, was one of 19 UAB players to see their first game action as Blazers. Included in that number were seven true freshmen.
UAB suffered its first shutout since a 2006 contest at Georgia. It was the first time in 58 games the Blazers had been held scoreless. For Florida, it was the first shutout it had recorded since the 2006 season.
The only problem for Florida (2-0) was red-zone efficiency.
UF offensive coordinator Charlie Weis said last week that settling for field goals in the red zone is a victory for the defense. If so, the Blazers won three possessions.
Sturgis hit from 24, 35 and 28 yards in the first half. He improved to 5 for 5 on the season, but all five could have been touchdowns. The Gators struggled inside the 20-yard line in 2010 and wanted to improve in that area this season.
Brantley completed 12 of 19 passes for 195 yards. He had a mix of good and bad. He underthrew a flea-flicker on the opening play of the game and misfired on a few passes. Rainey and Deonte Thompson also dropped passes. But Brantley also had a perfectly thrown ball to Andre Debose over the middle that set up Trey Burton's 5-yard touchdown that made it 25-0 late in the first half.
Burton ran six times for 46 yards. Mike Gillislee replaced Burton in the second half and finished with 79 yards and a touchdown. Highly touted freshman Mack Brown added 36 yards rushing.
UAB returns to action next Saturday with its first home game and first conference game of the season. The Blazers host Tulane at 3 p.m. CT at Legion Field in Birmingham.
