Historic Night Sees UAB Defeat NIU 37-13 in Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

Tuesday, December 18

Boca Raton, Fla.

6 p.m. CST

UAB

11-3 , 7-1

Northern Illinois

8-6 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

UAB

NIU

Historic Night Sees UAB Defeat NIU 37-13 in Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl

12/18/2018 10:56:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)2018 Season Statistics Postgame Notes

BOCA RATON, Fla. – In record-setting fashion, the UAB football team won its first bowl game in school history with a resounding 37-13 victory over Northern Illinois to cap its best season in program history on Tuesday night at FAU Stadium.

The Blazers finish the season at 11-3 overall, marking their first 11-win season in program history just two years removed from being reinstated. UAB is now 19-8 since the return.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Tyler Johnston III threw for 373 yards and four touchdowns, both career-highs, while offensive MVP Xavier Ubosi set the Boca Bowl record with 227 yards receiving yards on seven receptions, three of which were touchdowns, also all career highs. His 227 receiving yards were the third most in school history.

Defensive MVP Anthony Rush anchored the line with five tackles, a sack and 1.5 TFL, while Mar'Sean Diggs had a team-high 10 tackles, followed by Chris Woolbirght with nine.

NIU (8-6), who entered the game leading the nation in sacks, didn't record any tonight thanks in part to the tremendous offensive line protection.

The Blazers wasted no time as Johnston III found Ubois for a 70-yard touchdown on the game's first play to give the Blazers a 7-0 lead 18 seconds in.

After UAB forced a defensive three-and-out on NIU's first possession, the Blazers marched down the field but stalled out as Nick Vogel converted a 25-yard field goal, giving UAB a 10-0 lead at the 8:08 mark of the first quarter.

NIU capped a 9-play, 59-yard yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by Tre Harbison to make the score 10-7 with 30 seconds remaining as the first quarter came to a close.

The Blazers kept rolling on offense though and increased their lead to 17-7 on the next possession early in the second as Johnston III connected with Spencer Brown on a 2-yard touchdown reception, Brown's first career receiving touchdowns and his 17th total TD of the season.

A 27-yard field goal from NIU's Andrew Gantz brought the score to 17-10, but the momentum changed for the remainder of the game when Kyle Greenwell was run into on a punt, making it fourth-and-two at the NIU 48. UAB went for it, got it, and on the next play Johnston III found Ubosi from 46 yards out, making it 24-10 with 5:11 in the half.

The defense came up big again with time winding down in the half and recovered a fumble which Nick Vogel cashed in from 35 as time expired to make the score 27-10 at halftime.

Ubosi's third touchdown came with 5:15 to go in the third on a 66-yard reception, putting the game out of reach at 34-13. Vogel tacked on a Boca Bowl record 42-yarder late in the third for the game's final points.

UAB compiled 476 yards of total offense and held NIU to just 287.

This senior class of 35 goes out as bowl champions and has helped bring UAB to national prominence for resurrecting the greatest comeback in college football history.