College Football News Preview 2020: UAB Blazers

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UAB Blazers season with what you need to know.

College Football News Preview 2020: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the UAB Blazers season with what you need to know.


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– What You Need To Know: Offense | Defense
Top Players | Key Players, Games, Stats
What Will Happen, Win Total Prediction
Schedule Analysis
– UAB Previews 2019 | 2018 | 2017

2019 Record: 9-5 overall, 6-2 in C-USA
Head Coach: Bill Clark, 5th year, 34-19
2019 CFN Final Opinion Ranking: 83
2019 CFN Final Season Formula Ranking: 58
2019 CFN Preview Ranking: 100

No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.

5. College Football News Preview 2020: UAB Blazers Offense 3 Things To Know

The offense killed some time so the defense could go out and take care of business. The Blazer O was fine against the weak and the sad, but there were painful power outages against the good teams on the schedule – it ended up scoring more than 20 points just twice in the last seven games; against UTEP and North Texas.

However, a whole slew of the key parts are back from the group that rocked and rolled on the way to the Conference USA title two years ago. If the main men stay healthy, expect a quick bounce-back.


CFN in 60 Video: Miami Preview
UAB at Miami, Sept. 17
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Tyler Johnston might not be Joe Burrow, but he wins. The 6-2, 215-pound junior quarterback only seems like he’s been around for 15 years. He was just an okay passer in 2018, struggled at times with 15 picks last year, and he doesn’t hit 60% of his passes, but he’s a gamer.

In other words, he’s better than his stats might suggest … sort of.

Sophomore Dylan Hopkins threw for 563 yards and three scores with five picks in place of a banged up Johnston for a stretch over the second half of the season. He was fine, but this is Johnston’s offense.

The receiving corps makes the quarterbacks look good, starting with Austin Watkins and his team-high 57 grabs for 1,092 yards and six scores. Combined with senior Myron Mitchell, the Blazers have two dangerous deep threats to go along with a whole bunch of solid mid-range veteran targets.

Spencer Brown needs a rebound year. The star of the offense over the first two years of the comeback with well over 2,500 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns was dinged last season, averaging under four yards per carry with 566 yards and five scores. The 6-0, 230-pounder is the best back in the conference when he’s 100%.

5-8, 170-pound Jermaine Brown filled in from time-to-time, hitting the 100-yard mark twice and averaging over five yards per carry. 215-pound junior Lucious Stanley also filled in, coming up with seven scores and 414 yards.

The line was fine. It wasn’t dominant, it wasn’t necessarily consistent, and it wasn’t always great for the ground game. It was and will be … again, fine.

Four of the five starters are expected back with 6-4, 330-pound the best of the bunch – he’ll play one of the tackle spots. There’s good size with the line averaging around 320 pounds per man.

NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: UAB Blazers Defense 3 Things To Know

Greg Bryant, Jr.’s Death Still Stings Four Years Later

It’s been four years since former Notre Dame running back Greg Bryant, Jr. needlessly lost his life in a case that remains unsolved.

It was Mother’s Day weekend in 2016 when shocking news came out of West Palm Beach, Florida that former Notre Dame running back Greg Bryant, Jr. had been shot and ultimately killed.

You can discuss the what’s, how’s and why’s to this for days on end and not come up with anything that makes any sense.  It was shocking and made no sense then.

Four years later it still stings to think about and still lacks any answers.

Bryant wasn’t perfect – none of us are.

He was a young man who happened to be a really gifted football player that had teammates who adored him.

His second season at Notre Dame in 2014 he took a significant step, scoring three rushing touchdowns and at the time, recording the longest punt return of the Brian Kelly era at Notre Dame.  Notre Dame’s second leading rusher in 2014 seemed primed to take a leap in ’15.

2015 never came for Bryant at Notre Dame though as he was ruled ineligible and left campus, stopping at a junior college in Miami before announcing his commitment to the restarted UAB football program.

While home from UAB on Mother’s Day weekend Bryant was out late before the shooting took place.  Is that important to mention where he was?  Some say yes because perhaps it helps tell the story they’re hoping to tell despite knowing any exact facts.

To me Bryant went to a place that plenty of 21 years old males have attended before and plenty more continue to do.  Some people out there like to act like he was asking for trouble by doing such a thing, but was whatever went down worth taking someone’s life over?

I don’t know what happened there or after he left but I do know whatever it was, it certainly wasn’t worth a 21 year old man losing his life.

I don’t know if Greg Bryant, Jr. would have made the NFL but was on his to graduating from college, something he never wound up getting the chance to do.

Greg Bryant, Jr. never got a chance to walk down the aisle and get married.

Greg Bryant, Jr. never got to see his middle years and share nights reliving the glory days with his old high school buddies.

Greg Bryant, Jr. never got the chance to be a father and impact his child’s life as positively as his father did for him.

It stung then and still stings just as much now when you take a moment to remember Bryant.

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New Orleans Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Alabama-Birmingham odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s New Orleans Bowl between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and Alabama-Birmingham Blazers betting odds and lines.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers (12-1) and Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (9-4) tangle Saturday in the New Orleans Bowl. Kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Superdome is set for 9 p.m. ET. We analyze the Appalachian State-UAB odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Appalachian State vs. UAB: Three things you need to know

1. App State is 4-0 straight up all-time in bowl games, including a 45-13 win over Middle Tennessee in last season’s R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.

2. The Blazers of UAB are looking to rebound after a 49-6 dismantling at the hands of Florida Atlantic in the Conference USA Championship Game in Boca Raton, Fla. last time out.

3. Mountaineers RB Darrynton Evans, the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year, rolled up 1,323 rushing yards with a total of 17 touchdowns. The Blazers rank 13th against the run, allowing just 108.3 rushing yards per game. That will be the key matchup to watch.


College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!


Appalachian State vs. UAB: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 5:45 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Appalachian State 38, UAB 17

Moneyline (ML)

The moneyline on App State (-770) is just too expensive. There is no way to justify risking nearly eight times the return, and UAB (+500) isn’t a good play. The Blazers aren’t going to be the first team to bounce the Mountaineers in a bowl game.

Against the Spread (ATS)

APPALACHIAN STATE (-16.5, -110) is worth a look. The Mountaineers are 8-1 ATS in the past nine non-conference tilts, 5-1 ATS in the past six against winning teams and 22-8 ATS in the past 30 overall. UAB (+16.5, -110) has posted a 2-5 ATS in the past seven against winning teams, and it’s 1-4 ATS in the past five as a dog.

Over/Under (O/U)

OVER 48.5 (-125) is the way to go here. The Over has connected in seven of the past eight for the Mountaineers against winning teams, and 6-2 in their past eight non-conference battles. The Over is 8-3 in UAB’s past 11 against Sun Belt teams, and 4-1 in its past five appearances in December,

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Alabama-Birmingham at Florida Atlantic odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s UAB Blazers FAU Owls college football matchup, with college football betting odds, picks and best bets

The Alabama-Birmingham Blazers (9-3, 6-2 C-USA West) and Florida Atlantic Owls (9-3, 7-1 C-USA East) battle for the Conference USA Championship in Boca Raton, Fla. at 1:30 p.m. ET. We analyze the UAB-FAU odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

UAB at FAU: Three things you need to know

1. Saturday’s game is expected to be the final one for Lane Kiffin as the head coach of FAU, as he is expected to be named as Matt Luke’s replacement at Mississippi.

2. The Owls are tied for 27th in the nation with 34.1 points per game, and they have scored 34 or more points in each of the past five outings.

3. FAU went 8-4 against the spread this season, including 3-1 straight up across the past four at FAU Stadium. UAB enters on a three-game winning streak, but is just 2-3 ATS across the past five overall and 2-3 ATS in its past five road outings.


College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!


UAB at FAU: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Saturday at 2:30 a.m. ET.

Prediction

FAU 29, UAB 20

Moneyline (ML)

FAU (-334) is an overwhelming favorite in what is expected to be the Lane Train’s final stop in Boca Raton. Will there be a lack of focus for the Owls, or will they claim their second C-USA trophy in the past three seasons under Kiffin’s tutelage? That’s the big question. They have steamrolled their C-USA brethren all season, and UAB (+260) isn’t expected to offer much resistance.

New to sports betting? Every $10 wagered on an outright win for FAU would return a profit of $3.

Against the Spread (ATS)

FLORIDA ATLANTIC (-8.5, -115) will look to send Kiffin away, if he in fact does accept the Ole Miss job officially, with a victory and a cover. It will be interesting to see if UAB (+8.5, -106) can slow down NFL prospect TE Harrison Bryant and QB Chris Robison in the pass game.

Over/Under (O/U)

The UNDER 49.5 (-110) might be the best option on Saturday’s early board among the championship games. While FAU has a high-powered offense, the under is 8-1 in its past nine games at home. The under is also 4-1 in UAB’s past five overall, 7-2 in the past nine as a road underdog, and 4-0-1 in the past five away from home. While the over has hit in each of the past six meetings, they haven’t played since 2014, so that trend can mostly be ignored.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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