UAB Sets C-USA Record with 45-35 Victory Over Central Arkansas

Thursday, September 3

Birmingham, Ala.

7 p.m. CST

UAB

1-0

Central Arkansas

1-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Arkansas

UAB

UAB Sets C-USA Record with 45-35 Victory Over Central Arkansas

9/4/2020 12:05:00 AM | Football

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BIRMINGHAM – History was made once again at Legion Field on Thursday night as UAB set the Conference USA record with its 19th consecutive home victory, defeating Central Arkansas 45-35.

The 19 wins in a row broke a tie with former C-USA member Houston who won 18 games from 2007-10, and the nation's fourth longest active home winning streak is still intact.

UAB (1-0) put up 459 yards of total offense and used a well-balanced attack, with 226 yards coming through the air and 233 on the ground. UAB's career leading rusher Spencer Brown had his 14th career 100-yard rushing game, going for 127 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries. Jermaine Brown added 75 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. Lucious Stanley pitched in with 25 yards and a touchdown.

The Blazers used a two-quarterback system with redshirt junior Tyler Johnston III and redshirt freshman Bryson Lucero. Johnston III finished 17-of-25 for 143 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Lucero was 7-of-9 for 83 yards and threw his first career passing touchdown.

Austin Watkins Jr. led the receivers with seven catches for 72 yards, while Myron Mitchell had four catches for 47 yards and a touchdowns. The Blazers also featured their tight ends as Gerrit Prince set career highs with four catches for 31 yards and two touchdowns, and Hayden Pittman had three catches for 37 yards.

Kristopher Moll led the defense with eight tackles, two pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. Sophomore edge rusher Nikia Eason Jr. had UAB's only two sacks of the night to establish a new career high in that category. UAB forced three turnovers as redshirt seniors Tyree Turner and Jacob Fuqua each recovered a fumble, while sophomore Keondre Swoopes had his first career interception. UAB held UCA to 293 yards of offense.

The Blazers raced out to a 14-0 lead on a 6-yard touchdown reception from Johnston III to Prince, and a 5-yard touchdown run from Brown with 2:46 left in the opening quarter.

However, the Bears (1-1) scored all 21 of their first half points off three UAB turnovers, and the first came on a 4-yard Cameron Myers touchdown run that was set up by an interception from Malik Wilson which he retuned 34 yards. UAB led 14-7 after one.

The Blazers then took a 28-7 lead on an 18-yard touchdown reception by Mitchell and a 13-yard reception from Prince, his second of the day, with 5:31 remining in the half.

Central Arkansas seized control at the end of the half though, with two quick touchdowns to make it 28-21 in favor of the Blazers at halftime.

The first of those two touchdowns came with 2:33 left after UAB muffed a punt in the red zone. It took UCA one play as Breylin Smith found Lujuan Winningham on a 15 yard pass in the corner of the end zone, making the score 28-14. UCA then forced a fumble on the next UAB possession which the Bears returned for a touchdown with 1:21 left in the half.

Despite the seven point lead, UAB dominated in terms of yardage, outgaining the Bears 290-137.

UAB added a field goal in the third quarter, and tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth on rushing scores from Brown Jr. and Stanley to take a 45-21 lead with 8:12 left in the game. UCA would score the final two touchdowns to make the final score 45-35.

The Blazers now head to Miami for primetime matchup with the Hurricanes next Thursday, Sept. 10 on the ACC Network. Kick is set for 8 p.m. EST/7p.m. CST.