UAB Football Welcomes Army to Protective Stadium

BIRMINGHAM – The UAB football team is set to host reigning American Conference champion Army this Saturday, Oct. 4, at Protective Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. on ESPNU.

Army is visiting Birmingham for the first time since 2003, and the Black Knights enter the contest at 1-3 overall and 0-2 in league play. UAB is 2-2 overall, 0-1 in the American, and looks for a signature win this weekend against the Black Knights.

Who: UAB (2-2, 0-1 American) vs. Army (1-3, 0-2 American)
Where: Protective Stadium – Birmingham, Ala.
When: Saturday, Oct. 4 – 11 a.m. CT
Watch: ESPNU
On The Call: Matt Schumacker (play-by-play), Dustin Fox (Analyst)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM | SiriusXM Channel 381
On The Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Bryant Turner (analyst), Landrum Roberts (sideline)
Series: UAB leads, 5-1
Last Meeting: Oct. 12, 2024 – Army, 44-10

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Despite Army's 1-3 record, the Black Knights have gone on the road and defeated Kansas State. Army has lost two games in overtime (30-27 vs. Tarleton State, 45-38 vs. undefeated North Texas) and most recently fell 28-6 on the road at East Carolina.
Per usual, Army boasts a potent rushing attack that ranks 4th nationally with an average of 286.3 yards per game. Slot back Noah Short led Army last week with 11 carries for 127 yards at ECU (11.5 YPC).
UAB's defense will look for a stout performance against the triple option and has the benefit of already facing one triple option rushing attack this season with its Week 2 game at Navy. The Blazers are allowing 222.8 rushing yards per game this season.
UAB's offense is led by senior quarterback Jalen Kitna who is having a tremendous start to the season. Kitna enters the game have thrown for over 300 yards in three straight contests and ranks 5th nationally in passing yards per game (314.0).
In his last outing at No. 15 Tennessee, Kitna tied a school record with 38 completions while throwing for 364 yards and two touchdowns. He additionally ranks 3rd nationally in completions per game (27.0) and 14th nationally in completion percentage (72.0).
Wide receiver Brandon Hawkins Jr. has emerged as a consistent threat for Kitna and is putting together his best season as a Blazer. Hawkins redshirted two years ago and then suffered an injury in the fourth game of last season. Now fully healthy, Hawkins has 17 catches for 189 yards a touchdown this year. He is coming off his best career performance with seven catches for 69 yards and a touchdown at Tennessee.
The Blazers should be able to find some offensive success against an Army team that ranks 115th in scoring defense (31.0/game) and 83rd in total defense (374.8/game). The Blazers are averaging 437.0 yards and 32.8 points per game this season.
Defensively, senior safety Pierre Royster is the team's leading tackler with 29 total stops which ranks him 11th in the American at 7.25 per game. Royster tallied UAB's first interception of the season two weeks ago at Tennessee. Linebacker Devin Hightower (26 tackles) and nose tackle Eamon Smalls (22 tackles) are also having solid seasons for the Blazers and will be key in stopping Army's rushing attack on Saturday.
UAB is 17-8 at Protective Stadium since it opened in 2021 and is 38-9 in Birmingham since returning to action in 2017. The Blazers have played to a record of 9-5 at home under the direction of Head Coach Trent Dilfer.
It is Family Weekend at UAB and the Department of Athletics is offering a Family Four Pack ticket offer. Click here to redeem the special ticket offer. Single game tickets are also available here.

Following the Army game, UAB travels to Boca Raton for a contest at Florida Atlantic on Oct. 11 at 6 p.m. ET/5 p.m. CT. That game will be streamed on ESPN+.

For more information on the UAB football team, be sure to follow @UAB_FB on Twitter and Instagram.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

UAB Football Welcomes Army to Protective Stadium

Players Mentioned

Brandon Hawkins Jr.

Devin Hightower

Jalen Kitna

Pierre Royster

Eamon Smalls

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