UAB and Ohio University Meet in 2017 Bahamas Bowl

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Looking to cap off its historic 2017 season with the program's first postseason victory, the UAB football team plays Ohio University in the Bahamas Bowl on Friday, Dec. 22 at 11:30 a.m. CST on ESPN.

The Blazers are playing in just their second bowl game in program history with the other coming in the 2004 Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl. Led by National Coach of the Year Bill Clark, UAB can add to its best season in program history with a ninth victory in the bowl.

GAME INFORMATION:
UAB (8-4) vs. Ohio (8-4)
Where: Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium – Nassau, Bahamas
When: Friday, Dec. 22 – 11:30 a.m. CST/12:30 p.m. EST
Watch: ESPN
On the Call: Steve Levy (PxP), Desmond Howard (Analyst), Laura Rutledge (Sideline)
Listen: 100.5 FM JOX2 – David Crane (PxP), Steve Irvine (Analyst), Trey Ragland (Sideline)
SiriusXM: Channel 84
Twitter/Instagram: @UAB_FB
IMG Guide: Click Here

NOTES:

At 8-4, the Blazers have set the program record for FBS wins in a single season and look to cap off their historic return with their first-ever bowl victory.
This is the fourth annual Bahamas Bowl and Conference USA holds a 2-1 advantage over the MAC in the young series. WKU and Old Dominion from C-USA have been victorious while Western Michigan has the lone win for the MAC.
Conference USA Freshman of the Year Spencer Brown enters the game 97 yards shy of the C-USA freshman rushing record. Brown has compiled the third most rushing yards in a single season at UAB with 1,292, and is chasing Damion Fletcher of Southern Miss who holds the freshman league record with 1,388 rushing yards in 2006.
Brown and the offensive line will have their work cut out for them as Ohio boasts the nation's 11th ranked rushing defense and allows just 111.4 yards per game. The Blazers are C-USA's second ranked rushing offense at 190.3 yards per game which ranks them 37th nationally.
UAB quarterback A.J. Erdely accounted for 29 total touchdowns in the regular season and needs four more in the bowl game to set the single season record for touchdowns accounted for which is held by Joe Webb with 32 in 2009.
Erdely threw for 16 touchdowns and rushed for 13 more which tied the school record for rushing touchdowns in a season with Jordan Howard (2014) and Darrin Reaves (2013). One more rushing TD for Erdely would have him alone at the top.
Ohio is also very dynamic running ball, led by sophomore quarterback Nathan Rourke who ranks second nationally with 21 rushing touchdowns. Overall, Ohio averages 244.2 rushing yards per game and has three players who have gained over 600 yards on the ground (A.J. Ouellette – 980, Nathan Rourke – 882, Dorian Brown – 605).
Senior Darious Williams looks to cap off his All-American season with another strong performance in the Bahamas. Williams is tied for second nationally in passes defended and led Conference USA in that category (20) along with a league-high five interceptions and 15 pass breakups. He was named a First Team All-American by Pro Football Focus.
This is the first meeting between the two schools and just the second time ever UAB is playing a MAC opponent, with the other game coming at Ball State earlier this season.

The Blazers are set to arrive in the Bahamas on Monday afternoon. Continue to check back with uabsports.com throughout the week for daily coverage of the team's activities as UAB looks to cap off the greatest comeback in college football history with a bowl victory.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

UAB and Ohio University Meet in 2017 Bahamas Bowl

Players Mentioned

Spencer Brown

A.J. Erdely

Darious Williams

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