The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Saturday, December 21
New Orleans, La.
8 p.m. CST
UAB
9-5
17
vs
31
Appalachian State
13-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Appalachian State
0
10
21
0
31
UAB
14
0
3
0
17
No. 20 Appalachian State Defeats UAB Football 31-17
12/22/2019 12:40:00 AM | Football
NEW ORLEANS – The UAB football team fell to No. 20 Appalachian State 31-17 on Saturday night in the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
The Blazers finished the season at 9-5 overall and recorded the second most amount of wins in program history, along with winning its second straight C-USA West Division title.
Austin Watkins Jr. had a career-high 10 catches for 159 yards a touchdown to lead the offensive efforts. In the process, he became the third player at UAB to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. The junior finished the 2019 season with 57 catches for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns.
Kristopher Moll led the defensive efforts with eight tackles and finished the 2019 campaign with 104 total tackles. Both Grayson Cash and Dy'jonn Turner added six stops tonight.
It was a big third quarter for Appalachian State (13-1) that ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in the game as the Mountaineers outscored UAB 21-3 in that stanza to erase a 14-10 halftime deficit.
The Blazers stormed out of the gates, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead with 10:48 left in the opening quarter.
Both were passing touchdowns as Hayden Pittman had a spectacular 25-yard diving catch just 1:14 into the game, followed by a another 25-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III to Watkins Jr., who had five catches for 124 yards and that touchdown in the first quarter.
The Mountaineers however, battled back and scored the next 10 points to end the half as UAB took a 14-10 lead into the locker room. With UAB leading 14-3, the Blazers were flagged on a missed field goal that extended Appalachian State's drive, and the Mountaineers turned that into seven points two plays later on a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Appalachian State had the ball to start the second half and took their first lead of the game on a 4th-and-1 that Mountaineer quarterback Zac Thomas fumbled which Darrynton Evans recovered and rushed 31 yards for a touchdown.
Nick Vogel then tied the game at 17-17 when he connected on a season-long 49-yard field goal at the 8:19 mark of the third quarter.
App State regained the lead on a defensive touchdown as the Mountaineers had a sack-fumble that they took 24 yards to the house which gave them a 24-17 lead with 6:16 remining in the third.
Their third touchdown of the third quarter came on another fourth down as Thomas connected with Thomas Hennigan on a 27-yard pass with :44 left in the quarter. Those would be the final points of the game as App State hung on for the 31-17 victory.
The Blazers return 18 starters for the 2020 season.
The Blazers finished the season at 9-5 overall and recorded the second most amount of wins in program history, along with winning its second straight C-USA West Division title.
Austin Watkins Jr. had a career-high 10 catches for 159 yards a touchdown to lead the offensive efforts. In the process, he became the third player at UAB to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. The junior finished the 2019 season with 57 catches for 1,092 yards and six touchdowns.
Kristopher Moll led the defensive efforts with eight tackles and finished the 2019 campaign with 104 total tackles. Both Grayson Cash and Dy'jonn Turner added six stops tonight.
It was a big third quarter for Appalachian State (13-1) that ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in the game as the Mountaineers outscored UAB 21-3 in that stanza to erase a 14-10 halftime deficit.
The Blazers stormed out of the gates, scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions to take a 14-0 lead with 10:48 left in the opening quarter.
Both were passing touchdowns as Hayden Pittman had a spectacular 25-yard diving catch just 1:14 into the game, followed by a another 25-yard pass from Tyler Johnston III to Watkins Jr., who had five catches for 124 yards and that touchdown in the first quarter.
The Mountaineers however, battled back and scored the next 10 points to end the half as UAB took a 14-10 lead into the locker room. With UAB leading 14-3, the Blazers were flagged on a missed field goal that extended Appalachian State's drive, and the Mountaineers turned that into seven points two plays later on a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Appalachian State had the ball to start the second half and took their first lead of the game on a 4th-and-1 that Mountaineer quarterback Zac Thomas fumbled which Darrynton Evans recovered and rushed 31 yards for a touchdown.
Nick Vogel then tied the game at 17-17 when he connected on a season-long 49-yard field goal at the 8:19 mark of the third quarter.
App State regained the lead on a defensive touchdown as the Mountaineers had a sack-fumble that they took 24 yards to the house which gave them a 24-17 lead with 6:16 remining in the third.
Their third touchdown of the third quarter came on another fourth down as Thomas connected with Thomas Hennigan on a 27-yard pass with :44 left in the quarter. Those would be the final points of the game as App State hung on for the 31-17 victory.
The Blazers return 18 starters for the 2020 season.
Team Stats
APP
UAB
Total Yards
403
338
Pass Yards
142
298
Rushing Yards
261
40
Penalty Yards
130
76
1st Downs
20
20
3rd Downs
3
3
4th Downs
2
2
TOP
32:57
27:03
1st Quarter
APP 0, UAB 7
UAB - PITTMAN, Hayden 25 yd pass from JOHNSTON III, T (VOGEL, Nick kick) 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:14
APP 0, UAB 14
UAB - WATKINS, Austin 25 yd pass from JOHNSTON III, T (VOGEL, Nick kick) 4 plays, 79 yards, TOP 1:23
2nd Quarter
APP 3, UAB 14
APP - Staton, C. 34 yd field goal 7 plays, 58 yards, TOP 3:21
APP 10, UAB 14
APP - Hennigan, T. 17 yd pass from Thomas, Zac (Staton, C. kick) 7 plays, 81 yards, TOP 4:24
3rd Quarter
APP 17, UAB 14
APP - Evans, D. 31 yd run (Staton, C. kick), 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:46
APP 17, UAB 17
UAB - VOGEL, Nick 49 yd field goal 7 plays, 44 yards, TOP 3:55
APP 24, UAB 17
APP - Cobb, Trey 24 yd fumble recovery (Staton, C. kick)
APP 31, UAB 17
APP - Hennigan, T. 27 yd pass from Thomas, Zac (Staton, C. kick) 9 plays, 85 yards, TOP 3:56
Players Mentioned
S
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
S
/ Football
PK
/ Football
WR
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