UAB Welcome UConn for Final Non-Conference Game of Season

BIRMINGHAM – Looking to continue its momentum following a 38-point victory over Tulsa, the UAB football team welcomes UConn to Protective Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 9, for its final non-conference game of the season. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.

Both teams are coming off wins last week and UConn's victory earned the Huskies bowl eligibility as they come to Birmingham at 6-3 overall. Following six straight home games, the trip to Birmingham is UConn's first road game since Sept. 14 at Duke.

Who: UAB (2-6) vs. UConn (6-3)
Where: Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Ala.
When: Saturday, Nov. 9 – 1:30 p.m.
Watch: ESPN+
On The Call: James Westling (play-by-play), Leger Douzable (analyst), Maria Trivelpiece (sideline)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM
On The Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Bryant Turner (analyst), Landrum Roberts (sideline)
Series: First Meeting

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

The Blazers put up a season-best 537 yards and 59 points last week against the Golden Hurricane. In its last two games, UAB is averaging 511 yards of total offense.
Quarterback Jalen Kitna has been the catalyst to the recent offensive success and is coming off his best collegiate performance after completing 25-of-32 for 404 yards and an FBS school record six passing touchdowns against Tulsa. He is the reigning AAC Offensive Player of the Week and was also named to the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 and earned a Manning Star of the Week.
In four games this season, Kitna has completed 61 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,269 yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions. He is averaging 317.3 passing yards per game and would rank 8th nationally if he met the minimum criteria for games played.
Kitna will face a tough test in a UConn team that ranks 38th nationally in total defense (330.9), 5th nationally in 3rd down defense (.281) and 34th nationally in scoring defense (21.1). Specifically, the Huskies are stout in the passing game and rank 22nd in pass efficiency defense (114.34) and 38th in passing yards allowed (197.3).
Wide receiver Kam Shanks earned National Player of the Week honors following an FBS season-high 311 all-purpose yards against Tulsa. Shanks had a career day in both receiving and punt return as he collected five catches for 153 yards and three touchdowns, while returning four punts for a school record 139 yards and a touchdown. He also added 19 rushing yards for his final tally of 311.
Shanks is leading the nation in punt return average at 25.6 yards per return and is the only player in the nation with multiple punt return touchdowns. He leads the team in all-purpose yards with 778 (97.3/game).
Fellow wide receiver Amare Thomas is also producing at a high level with six of his eight total touchdown receptions coming in the last four games. Just a sophomore, Thomas is rapidly moving up UAB's career receiving ranks and last week broke into the top 10 for career receptions (95) and career receiving touchdowns (11).
Thomas is five catches away from becoming just the eighth player in school history to haul in 100 career receptions, and two more touchdown receptions this season would make him just the fifth player in school history with double-digit touchdown receptions in a single season.
Center Brady Wilson will be making his 21st consecutive start and center and has started 24 of the last 25 games at center for the Blazers dating back to the 2022 season. An unsung hero, Wilson is having a tremendous season at center and continues to be a staple on the offensive line for UAB. Overall, Wilson has played in 33 career games with 27 career starts.
Defensively, UAB is coming off its best performance of the season in which the Blazers held Tulsa to 21 points. TU's final touchdown of the game came with :24 remaining with UAB leading 59-14.
The Blazers compiled three sacks, 10 TFL, four PBU, an interception and a fumble recovery in the win over Tulsa. Linebacker Everett Roussaw Jr. tallied a career-high 11 tackles, while fellow linebacker Michael Moore had eight to increase his team-best total to 61. Moore ranks 8th in the AAC in tackles per game (7.63).
UConn has three players who have each rushed for over 400 yards with Durrell Robinson leading the way. Robinson has 80 carries for 586 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 7.3 yards per carry. The Huskies have played two quarterbacks this season with Nick Evers (82-155-4, 814 yards, 5 TD) and Joe Fagnano (57-98-3, 999 yards, 11 TD) splitting time, while wide out Skyler Bell leads the team with 601 receiving yards and averages 20.0 yards per catch.

Following UConn, the Blazers head to Memphis for a rivalry game against the Tigers in the Battle For The Bones. Kickoff on Nov. 16 from Liberty Stadium is set for 7 p.m. on ESPN2.

Click here to purchase tickets to Saturday's game vs. UConn.

UAB Welcome UConn for Final Non-Conference Game of Season

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Players Mentioned

Jalen Kitna

Michael Moore

Everett Roussaw Jr.

Kam Shanks

Amare Thomas

Brady Wilson

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics