The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
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UTSA
UAB Hosts UTSA for Homecoming and Children’s Harbor
10/1/2020 2:41:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – Looking to extend its home winning streak to 20 straight games, the UAB football team hosts Conference USA West leader UTSA on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. CST. The game doubles as UAB's Homecoming and fourth annual Children's Harbor game.
The game will be aired by Stadium and can be seen on the Fox Sports GO app, Fox College Sports on YouTube tv and Stadium Plus on YouTube tv. Fans can also check their local listings by clicking here.
Who: UTSA (3-0, 1-0 C-USA) at UAB (2-1, 0-0 C-USA)
Where: Legion Field - Birmingham, Ala.
When: Saturday, Oct. 3 – 11:30 a.m. CST
Watch: Stadium
On The Call: Chris Vosters (pxp), Max Starks (color)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM (pregame starting at 10:30 a.m.)
On The Call: David Crane (pxp), Steve Irvine (color), Landrum Roberts (sideline)
Series: UAB leads, 3-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 12, 2019: UAB 33-14
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
- UAB is playing its fourth annual Children's Harbor game in which the Blazers play for the name on the back of the jersey. UAB has 72 players matched with a patient from Children's Harbor and the patient's name will be represented on the back of UAB's gray and lime alternate jersey.
- Looking to build off his first career start at South Alabama in which he threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback Bryson Lucero makes the second start of his career on Saturday. Lucero was named a Manning Award Star of the Week for his performance against the Jaguars.
- UAB's all-time leading rusher Spencer Brown added three rushing touchdowns in Mobile, a number that pushed him above Pat Green (1991-94) as the UAB leader in career rushing touchdowns with 36. Brown is the nation's fifth-leading rusher this season with 306 yards through three games.
- Wide receiver Austin Watkins Jr. had a career night against the Jaguars, compiling seven catches for a career-best 183 yards and one touchdown. The Fort Myers, Fla. native ranks fifth nationally in receiving yards with 287 yards on the season.
- Watkins Jr. and senior tight end Hayden Pittman carry reception streaks into the game against UTSA as Watkins Jr. has had a catch in every game of his career (21-straight) while Pittman has a catch in 19 straight games. Both streaks date back to the 2018 season.
- UAB's offensive line, who has allowed just two sacks through three games, will be tested by a UTSA defense that puts immense pressure on opposing quarterbacks. The Roadrunners rank second nationally in both total sacks (11) and total TFL (33). UTSA also boasts the reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Week in linebacker Jamal Ligon. A true freshman – Ligon had a UTSA record 19 tackles in the win last week versus Middle Tennessee.
- Redshirt junior linebacker Noah Wilder leads the Blazer defensive effort with 21 tackles on the season to go along with two sacks and 2.5 TFL. Wilder notched his first career interception at South Alabama.
- The Blazers have had tallied eight TFL in back-to-back games and have 22 on the season. UAB has ranked top 10 nationally in total defense each of the last two years and are coming off a game in which they held South Alabama to a season-low 10 points.
- Will Boler led the Blazers in tackles at South Alabama with seven. The redshirt junior now has 15 on the season, in addition to one TFL.
- UTSA has impressed in its first three games this season. The Roadrunners opened the campaign with a two-overtime victory at Texas State before overcoming Stephen F. Austin and conference foe Middle Tennessee at the Alamodome. The Roadrunners are looking for the their first 4-0 start since 2012.
- The UAB defense will be going up against the nation's second-leading rusher in UTSA's Sincere McCormick. McCormick has rushed for 377 yards on the season and ranks No. 6 in the nation in rush yards per game (125.7).
The game against UTSA marks the first Conference USA matchup of the season for the Green and Gold. Following the game against the Roadrunners, UAB will have a week off before returning to Legion Field to play WKU on Oct. 17 with kickoff scheduled for 12:30 p.m. CST.
