UAB Drops Heartbreaker at North Texas, 46-43

Saturday, September 23

Denton, Texas

5:30 PM

UAB

2-2 , 0-1

North Texas

2-2 , 1-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UAB

North Texas

UAB Drops Heartbreaker at North Texas, 46-43

9/23/2017 10:07:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Season Statistics Postgame Notes

DENTON, Texas – A.J. Erdely threw for a career high 321 yards and four touchdowns to pace the UAB football team's offense but the Blazers fell to North Texas 46-43 at Apogee Stadium on Saturday night.

Erdely is now the first Blazer quarterback to throw for over 300 yards in a Conference USA matchup since Cody Clements threw for 320 yards against North Texas on October 11, 2014 and the first with four touchdowns since Jonathan Perry tossed for four scores on Nov. 12, 2011.

UAB (2-2, 0-1 C-USA) was unable to slow down C-USA's leading offense on Saturday as North Texas compiled 548 total yards. The Blazers posted 395 yards of total offense, with 321 yards coming through the air.

Two Blazer receivers played a major role in the success of the passing game on Saturday. Andre Wilson had a career game, hauling in a career-best 150 yards with two touchdowns to lead the receiving corps. Fellow receiver Collin Lisa also eclipsed the 100-yard mark after totaling 105 yards on four receptions.

Freshman Spencer Brown rushed for 50 yards on 17 attempts and tallied his fourth rushing touchdown of the season, while fellow running back Lucious Stanley recorded his first rushing touchdown in the Green and Gold and added a receiving touchdown with 27 second to go in the fourth quarter to tie the game.

On the defensive side of the ball, Broderick Thomas led the way for the Blazers in tackles for the second straight game with eight against the Mean Green, one shy of matching his career high. Four other defenders added six tackles.

North Texas (2-2, 1-0 C-USA) was led by quarterback Mason Fine, who posted 261 yards through the air and three touchdowns. Running back Jeffery Wilson rushed for 211 yards and added a score of his own.

UAB got off to a hot start, scoring on its opening possession for the third time these season as the Blazers took the ball 66-yards in 12 plays to set up a one-yard rush by Brown to take a 7-0 lead.

The Mean Green marched the ball to UAB's one-yard-line on its first possession, but a strong defensive stand after a Tevin Crews sack and a Shaq Jones pass breakup forced a 29-yard field goal from Trevor Moore to cut the lead to 7-3 in the opening period.

UNT then rattled off three unanswered touchdowns, including two rushing touchdowns and a 47-yard touchdown pass from Fine to Jalen Guyton, to open a 23-7 lead with 4:03 to play in the first half.

UAB cut into that lead as Erdely hit Wilson for a 48-yard pass to pull within 23-14 with 2:25 left on the clock to cap off a four-play, 75-yard drive.

However, UNT put together a four-play drivej on its next possession as Fine hit Michael Lawrence on a 40-yard strike to put the Mean Green up 30-14 at the break.

The Blazer defense made the first big play of the second half as Darious Williams recovered a Mean Green fumble deep in UAB territory. The turnover eventually set up a four-yard touchdown run by Stanley to cut the lead to 30-21.

Wilson continued his dominant effort in the game, hauling in a 58-yard pass from Erdely for his second score of the game. The Blazers' two-point conversion was good to cut the lead to 37-29.

Erdely recorded his third passing touchdown of the day with 5:51 remaining in the game as he hit Sederian Copeland from four yards out to cut the lead to 43-36.

After a big defensive stop, UAB tied the ballgame at 43 with 27 seconds remaining as Erdely threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game to Stanley to close out a 13-play drive.

The ensuing kickoff was returned 48 yards, and that was followed by a 34-yard rush by Wilson to set up a game-winning 22-yard field goal by Trevor Moore with seven seconds remaining to seal the 46-43 win for the Mean Green.

UAB returns to action on October 7 when the Blazers host Louisiana Tech at historic Legion Field for Homecoming.