The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Friday, October 23
Birmingham, Ala.
7 p.m. CST
UAB
vs
Louisiana
UAB Hosts Louisiana Friday in Marquee Non-Conference Showdown
10/21/2020 12:01:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – In a highly anticipated non-conference matchup, the UAB football team hosts Louisiana this Friday night, Oct. 23, at Legion Field. Kickoff on CBS Sports Network is set for 7 p.m. CST.
Winners of three in a row, the Blazers (4-1, 2-0 C-USA) look to extend the nation's third longest active home winning streak to 22 straight games. Louisiana (3-1, 2-1 Sun Belt) has spent most of the season in the Top 25 after opening the season with a 31-14 victory over No. 23 Iowa State, but fell out of the rankings after last week's 30-27 loss to Coastal Carolina. Both teams are back-to-back divisional champs of their respective conferences.
Who: UAB (4-1, 2-0 C-USA) vs. Louisiana (3-1, 2-1 Sun Belt)
Where: Legion Field – Birmingham, Ala.
When: Friday, Oct. 23 – 7 p.m. CST
Watch: CBS Sports Network
On the Call: Dave Ryan (play-by-play) Corey Chavous (color), Justin Walters (sideline)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM (pregame starting at 6 p.m.)
On the Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Steve Irvine (color), Trey Ragland (sideline)
Series: UAB leads, 4-2
Last Meeting: Sept. 21, 2002 – Louisiana, 34-0
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Single game tickets can also be purchased by clicking here. As a reminder, tailgating at Legion Field is not permitted and a mask is required when inside the stadium.
Following the Louisiana game, UAB travels to Ruston next Saturday, Oct. 31, to play C-USA West division foe Louisiana Tech. Kickoff against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST on Stadium.
Winners of three in a row, the Blazers (4-1, 2-0 C-USA) look to extend the nation's third longest active home winning streak to 22 straight games. Louisiana (3-1, 2-1 Sun Belt) has spent most of the season in the Top 25 after opening the season with a 31-14 victory over No. 23 Iowa State, but fell out of the rankings after last week's 30-27 loss to Coastal Carolina. Both teams are back-to-back divisional champs of their respective conferences.
Who: UAB (4-1, 2-0 C-USA) vs. Louisiana (3-1, 2-1 Sun Belt)
Where: Legion Field – Birmingham, Ala.
When: Friday, Oct. 23 – 7 p.m. CST
Watch: CBS Sports Network
On the Call: Dave Ryan (play-by-play) Corey Chavous (color), Justin Walters (sideline)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM (pregame starting at 6 p.m.)
On the Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Steve Irvine (color), Trey Ragland (sideline)
Series: UAB leads, 4-2
Last Meeting: Sept. 21, 2002 – Louisiana, 34-0
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
- Friday's contest features two of the top five active career leading rusher in the NCAA. UAB's Spencer Brown ranks second nationally in active career rushing yards with 3,594, while Louisiana's Trey Ragas is fifth with 3,040. These two pace rushing offenses that average 186.8 and 185.5 yards per game, respectively.
- Brown and Ragas won't be the only backs featured on Friday. UAB true freshman DeWayne McBride is coming off a game against WKU in which he had 10 carries for 131 yards and a touchdown. In three games this season, McBride is averaging 12.6 yards per carry and has 226 total yards. Louisiana senior Elijah Mitchell complements Ragas with 2,630 career rushing yards and 37 touchdowns.
- UAB's offensive line continues to perform at a very high level and has an opportunity to keep that going against a Louisiana defense that is allowing 196.2 rushing yards per game and 395.8 total yards per game overall. The Blazers have allowed just three sacks this season and UAB has had a 100-yard rusher in four of five contests.
- Defensively, UAB ranks third nationally in pass defense, allowing just 154.2 yards per game. The Blazers have not allowed an opponent to pass for more than 200 yards in any game this year.
- UAB is coming off a performance in which the Blazers had four takeaways against WKU (two interceptions, two fumble recoveries). UAB is tied for fourth nationally in turnovers gained with 11 (six fumbles recoveries, five interceptions), and has gained at least one turnover in every game this season.
- Quarterback Bryson Lucero and kicker Matt Quinn were each named to the FWAA Freshman All-American Watch List earlier this week. Lucero is 3-0 as UAB's starting quarterback and has thrown for 793 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions. Quinn is 4-of-5 on field goal attempts and has made a C-USA best 21-of-21 PAT. He is coming off a game in which he made field goals of 38, 44 (career-long) and 30 vs. WKU.
- Friday's game also features two of the better special teams units in the nation. Along with Quinn's solid performance last week, sophomore linebacker Nikia Eason Jr. is the reigning Conference USA Special Teams Player of the Week. Eason Jr. blocked a punt against WKU which wide receiver Ryan Davis returned 37 yards for a touchdown.
- The Blazers also held WKU to an average of 18.8 yards on five kickoff returns, and will need to play well in that area again this week as Louisiana boasts a Sun Belt best 24.3 yards per kickoff return average. In Louisiana's victory over No. 23 Iowa State, the Ragin' Cajuns had a kickoff return and punt return for a touchdown.
- UAB has not lost at Legion Field since returning to action in 2017, and a win this weekend would tie the Blazers with Notre Dame for the second longest active home streak at 22. The Fighting Irish is on the road this weekend at Pitt.
Single game tickets can also be purchased by clicking here. As a reminder, tailgating at Legion Field is not permitted and a mask is required when inside the stadium.
Following the Louisiana game, UAB travels to Ruston next Saturday, Oct. 31, to play C-USA West division foe Louisiana Tech. Kickoff against the Bulldogs is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST on Stadium.
Players Mentioned
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