The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
5-3 , 3-1
Rice
2-3 , 2-3
UAB Defeats Rice 21-16 to Win Third Straight C-USA West Title
12/12/2020 4:27:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM – The UAB football team became the first program in Conference USA history to win three straight divisional titles on Saturday with a gritty 21-16 victory over Rice in Houston.
The Blazers (5-3, 3-1 C-USA) will now face Marshall (7-1, 4-1 C-USA) in the Conference USA Championship game next Friday, Dec. 18 on CBS Sports. UAB will look to win its second overall league title in the past three years.
Down 11 key contributors, traveling just over 40 scholarship players and playing its first game in 42 days, the Blazers withstood a last-second Hail Mary attempt as Grayson Cash intercepted the pass to secure the victory.
The Blazer defense turned in a monster performance with five sacks, 12 TFL, six pass breakups and an interception. Jordan Smith, Kristopher Moll, Tyler Taylor and Grayson Cash all had seven tackles to lead the team, while Smith added 2.5 sacks.
In his first start since Sept. 10, quarterback Tyler Johnston III completed 9-of-18 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns. The Spanish Fort, Ala. native eclipsed 4,000 yards during the game and is fifth all-time on the UAB passing list with 4,177 yards.
UAB out-gained Rice (2-3, 2-3 C-USA) 354-254 overall and also added 141 rushing yards without allowing a sack.
The Owls used a 20-play drive that took up 12 minutes of the first quarter, but UAB stiffened in the red zone and limited the damage to a field goal, giving Rice a 3-0 lead after one.
After another Rice field goal early in the second, UAB took its first lead of the game on a Lucious Stanley 7-yard touchdown run with 6:55 left in the half. The score was set up by a career-long 54-yard reception by Trea Shropshire.
Rice took a 13-7 lead at halftime as the Owls' Jordan Myers hauled in a 26-yard touchdown reception with 38 seconds remaining in the half.
The Blazer defense forced a three-and-out to open the third quarter, and on UAB's first play of the following drive, Johnston III found Myron Mitchell for a 63-yard touchdown strike which gave the Blazers a 14-13 advantage.
The air-raid attack continued on UAB's next possession as Johnston III connected with Samario Rudolph on a spectacular 42-yard touchdown reception, increasing the Blazer lead to 21-13 at the 10:16 mark of the third.
With 11:14 remaining in the game, Rice converted on another field goal attempt, their third of the game, to cut the Blazer advantage to five, 21-16.
But that would be all the scoring for Rice as the defense stepped up big with the game on the line with numerous sacks, pass breakups and Cash's INT.
"We're going to enjoy this, but we're not done." pic.twitter.com/2uziaOSpTu
— UAB Football (@UAB_FB) December 12, 2020
Team Stats
UAB 0, RICE 3
RICE - RICCITELLI, C. 40 yd field goal 20 plays, 62 yards, TOP 12:12
UAB 0, RICE 6
RICE - RICCITELLI, C. 36 yd field goal 8 plays, 35 yards, TOP 4:35
UAB 7, RICE 6
UAB - STANLEY, L. 7 yd run (QUINN, Matt kick), 6 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:14
UAB 7, RICE 13
RICE - MYERS, Jordan 26 yd pass from JOHNSON, JoVoni (RICCITELLI, C. kick) 5 plays, 83 yards, TOP 0:41
UAB 14, RICE 13
UAB - MITCHELL, Myron 63 yd pass from JOHNSTON III, T (QUINN, Matt kick) 1 plays, 63 yards, TOP 0:10
UAB 21, RICE 13
UAB - RUDOLPH, S. 42 yd pass from JOHNSTON III, T (QUINN, Matt kick) 5 plays, 71 yards, TOP 1:44
UAB 21, RICE 16
RICE - RICCITELLI, C. 40 yd field goal 8 plays, 30 yards, TOP 3:41
