Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Who are the top 10 UAB players going into the 2022 college football season?
UAB Blazers Preview 2022: Who are the top 10 players going into the season?
– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
UAB Blazers Preview
Offense, Defense Breakdown | Keys To The Season
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
UAB Top 10 Players | UAB Schedule
The UAB Blazers will face the BYU Cougars in the Independence Bowl on Saturday afternoon from Shreveport, Louisiana.
The UAB Blazers will face the BYU Cougars in the Independence Bowl on Saturday afternoon from Shreveport, Louisiana.
UAB is coming off a 42-25 win over UTEP in their last game while finishing the season 8-4 as they look to bring some momentum into this game. Meanwhile, BYU finished the year with another 11 win season and will be looking for a bowl win to complete their solid run.
Tune in to the Independence Bowl today, here is everything you need to know to watch and stream the action.
NCAA odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds last updated Saturday at 1:50 p.m. ET.
UAB vs. BYU (-6.5)
O/U: 55.5
Want some action on college football? Place your legal sports bets on this game or others in CO, IN, NJ, and WV.
We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
Additional college football coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama football / Auburn football / Florida football / Georgia football / LSU football / Michigan football / Michigan State football / Notre Dame football / Ohio State football / Oklahoma football / Tennessee football / Texas football / USC football / Wisconsin football
Independence Bowl Prospect Preview: UAB Blazers vs. BYU Cougars #WinAsOne #BYUFootball
The Independence Bowl features two very impressive teams with the UAB Blazers (8-4) of the C-USA and the #12 ranked BYU Cougars (10-2) who fittingly are non-conference affiliated and categorize as independents. Despite being an underdog by almost a full touchdown, it is hard to envision UAB not wanting this victory more.
A win for the Blazers, who once had their football program removed, over a top ranked opponent in a bowl game feels like such a big deal for the young program, but that is not what we are here to evaluate. Let’s dive into some top prospects for each team and try and see what the Browns could be looking for!
BYU vs UAB: Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might or might not win.
BYU vs UAB: Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, Saturday, December 18
Date: Saturday, December 18
Game Time: 3:30 pm ET
Venue: Independence Stadium, Shreveport, LA
How To Watch: ABC, Live stream on ESPN+
Records: BYU (10-2), UAB (8-4))
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– Can BYU close strong with yet another impressive bowl win? Last season the Cougars ripped apart UCF 49-23 in the Boca Raton Bowl, and instead of needing to rebuild without quarterback Zach Wilson at quarterback and other lost parts, they were even better.
– The 2021 Cougars went 5-0 against the Pac-12 – including a win over Pac-12 champion Utah – throttled Virginia, and took down eventual Mountain West champion Utah State.
– The offense was efficient, the team dominated the turnover battle, and other than a two-game midseason stretch with losses to Boise State and to Big 12 champion Baylor – no shame there – the wins kept on piling up.
– UAB came into the season loaded with experience and talent, and it showed with the best defense in Conference USA, mostly dominating against the run.
– The Blazer offense was a bit inconsistent. There’s a good downfield passing attack, and the ground game was good against the mediocre teams, but overall there were too many key mistakes, lots of penalties, and it was a solid year even though the expectations were for a Conference USA championship.
Why BYU, UAB Will Win
Prediction, What’s Going To Happen, History
Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl Top Players To Know
UTEP vs UAB prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win this Friday.
UTEP vs UAB prediction, game preview, how to watch: Friday, November 26
Date: Friday, November 26
Game Time: 2:00 ET
Venue: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
How To Watch: ESPN+
Record: UTEP (7-4), UAB (7-4)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
– Today’s Best Bet to Lock in Now
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
UTEP got its groove back after a three-game losing stretch with Gavin Hardison and the passing game going off in the win over Rice.
The Miner offense hits a whole slew of big plays down the field, but it’s also able to control the clock thanks to a defense that’s great at getting off the field. This isn’t normal for the program.
One of the best stories of the year, UTEP is going bowling, it’s interesting, and it’s got a good enough team in place to win a game like this against a strong UAB team.
The Blazer pass defense will give up big plays here and there, there are a TON of penalties, and there’s a little too much inconsistency for a team this good, but …
– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 13
The Blazer running game should be able to pound a bit.
UTEP has been great on the defensive front throughout the season, but that’s partly because it hasn’t played a whole slew of teams with nasty ground attacks.
UAB ran for 200 yards or more in three of the last five games, was well balanced in the 34-31 loss to UTSA last week, and it should all click at home.
As good as the UTEP offense has been at times, and even with the good passing game that can explode, the offense doesn’t score a ton for all the positives. It only managed 13 on Boise State and 23 against UTSA in the blowout loss – it’s done a lot of scoring against bad teams.
UAB’s defense is nasty against the run and leads Conference USA in total yards allowed, so …
– NFL Expert Picks, CFN Week 12
UAB might not win the Conference USA championship, but now it’s about jockeying for a good bowl position.
At home in the regular season finale – and on Senior Day – the Blazers will bounce back from the loss to UTSA and match UTEP big pass play for big pass play to go along with a terrific day on the ground.
UAB will be in control throughout.
– College Football Schedule: Week 13 Predictions, Lines
UAB 34, UTEP 20
Line: UAB -13.5, o/u: 50
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
5: The Times and Life of Shawn Carter: Official Video of JAY-Z’s 2021 Rock Hall Induction
1: “Why don’t we have Thanksgiving food the rest of the year?”
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
Week 13 Schedule | CFN Expert Picks
Rankings AP | Coaches | CFN 1-130 Rankings
8 Teams In Playoff Chase | CFP Top 25 Prediction
Bowl Projections | Bowl Bubble
UAB vs UTSA prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win this Saturday.
UAB vs UTSA prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, November 20
Date: Saturday, November 20
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Alamodome, San Antonio, TX
How To Watch: ESPN+
Record: UAB (7-3), UTSA (10-0)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
– Today’s Best Bet to Lock in Now
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
UAB has come through time and again over the last few years when it absolutely had to win a game to get in the Conference USA title mix.
It doesn’t win the West with a victory over UTSA, but win this, beat UTEP, and get into the Conference USA title game to play – most likely – WKU.
The Blazers overcame the strange loss to Rice to roll through Louisiana Tech and Marshall to not only get bowl eligible, but to get in a position to take the division.
The defense has the line and toughness against the run to hold up against the UTSA front. The Blazers allow just over 100 rushing yards per game, they lead the league in total defense, and they should be able to get into the backfield enough to matter. However …
– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 12
UTSA’s lines have been fantastic.
As good as UAB has been overall, the offense hasn’t done a whole lot on the ground against the better defenses. It ripped through Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech, and Tulane, but it’s been a struggle to consistently get the O going.
UTSA has yet to allow over 150 rushing yards – giving up 90 yards per game on the ground – the offensive front is outstanding in pass protection, and there aren’t enough mistakes made to provide any openings.
Seven of the nine turnovers came in three games – just two in the other seven games, there aren’t enough penalties, and …
– NFL Expert Picks: CFN Week 11
The underwhelming 27-17 win over a bad Southern Miss team last week should be a plus.
UTSA wasn’t exactly shoved around, but it wasn’t as smooth as it should’ve been. The team should be battle ready for a grind.
Again, few teams over the last few years do a better job than UAB when getting the opportunity to come up with a key win, but this Roadrunner team is way too tough and way too tough up front.
Don’t expect fireworks, but UTSA will take the grinding win.
– College Football Schedule: Week 12 Predictions, Lines
UTSA 31, UAB 23
Line: UTSA -4.5, o/u: 53.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
5: Tummyache Soak
1: Adele 30
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
Rankings CFP | AP | Coaches | CFN 1-130
Bowl Projections | Heisman Race
College Football Playoff Chase, Who’s Alive?
Coach Hot Seat Top 10 | Bowl Bubble: Who’s In, Out
UAB vs Marshall prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win this Saturday.
UAB vs Marshall prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, November 13
Date: Saturday, November 13
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Joan C Edwards Stadium, Huntington, WV
How To Watch: CBS Sports Network
Record: UAB (6-3), Marshall (6-3)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
– Today’s Best Bet to Lock in Now
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
UAB needs this to stay in the mix for the Conference USA title. Win this week, and then next week against UTSA might decide the West – even with UTEP to close things out.
The offense has been a tad too inconsistent, but it’s cranking up well over 400 yards per game over the last few weeks with a whole lot of big plays downfield and the ability to score in chunks.
When the Blazers run well, forget it. They’re 3-0 when running for 190 yards or more, and Marshall allows a Conference USA-worst 209 rushing yards per game.
– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 11
UAB has a passing attack, but Marshall’s it a whole lot better.
There isn’t enough of a consistent ground attack, but Grant Wells is airing it out for 300 yards on a regular basis. If UAB wants to make this a shootout, fine.
Even with the problems against the run, the Thundering Herd have won four straight including a huge victory over Florida Atlantic last week. They’re doing a great job on third downs, the offensive line is doing a decent enough job to get by, and the penalty issue won’t be a problem this week.
No one in America gets hit for more penalty yards than UAB.
If Marshall can win this and get by Charlotte, the regular season finale against WKU should be to see who wins the East.
– NFL Expert Picks: CFN Week 10
No, this might not be a preview of the Conference USA Championship – it’s a little too funky for the loser of this to still get in – but it’s not going to be far off.
Both teams have done a great job of beating the mediocre, both teams have a shocking loss on the resumé, and both teams have something big to prove here.
UAB always seems to come through when needed in games like this, but the Marshall passing game will be a wee bit too sharp at home. The defense will hold up late to put this away.
– College Football Schedule: Week 11 Predictions, Lines
Marshall 30, UAB 24
Line: Marshall -4.5, o/u: 55
ATS Confidence out of 5: 1.5
5: House of Gucci
1: Yellowstone
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
Louisiana Tech vs UAB prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win this Saturday.
Louisiana Tech vs UAB prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, November 6
Date: Saturday, November 6
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
How To Watch: CBS Sports Network
Record: Louisiana Tech (2-6), UAB (5-3)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
So what’s working?
It’s been a rough year with four straight losses and little to no offensive punch, but the team is doing one thing really, really well.
It can force takeaways.
It’s not a plus for the program at this point to just come close in losses – especially to Old Dominion – but it’s been forcing turnovers in bunches. It didn’t generate any against ODU, but it came up with eight in the previous three games with was why the Bulldogs were able to stay around with NC State, UTSA, and UTEP.
UAB isn’t air tight with the ball. It’s not awful when it comes to turnovers, but it gave it away four times against Tulane and four more against Florida Atlantic.
However …
– College Football Expert Picks, CFN Week 10
Yeah, the Louisiana Tech offense. There’s no running game.
The passing attack isn’t awful – it should be able to hit 250 yards without a problem – but that’s not enough. There’s no ground attack for UAB to deal with – the Bulldogs haven’t hit 100 yards in four of the last five games.
The UAB defense has been inconsistent overall, but it’s been solid in Conference USA play. Amazing over the last three games, it stuffed everything Southern Miss tried to do, didn’t allow much against Florida Atlantic, and wasn’t bad against Rice, but …
– NFL Expert Picks, CFN Week 9
Just when it seemed like UAB was ready to make a big move, it dropped a home game to a Rice team it should’ve rolled through.
UAB couldn’t convert on its third down tries, Rice could, and it was a 30-24 loss. The defense will bounce back, the offense will hit on enough deep plays to take over, and the rested team will get through this and deal with the huge finishing kick of at Marshall, at UTSA, UTEP.
– College Football Schedule: Week 10 Predictions, Lines
UAB 30, Louisiana Tech 17
Line: UAB -13.5, o/u: 49.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
5: Belfast
1: Ghostbusters: Afterlife
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
Rice Owls vs UAB Blazers prediction, game preview, how to watch, lines: Saturday, October 23
Rice vs UAB prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 23
Date: Saturday, October 23
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, AL
How To Watch: ESPN+
Record: Rice (2-4), UAB (5-2)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
Can the offense work?
It’s a low bar to set, but Rice is now 2-0 when it gets to 315 yards and 0-4 when it doesn’t.
UAB’s offense has been fine, but it hasn’t hit 400 yards in any of the last three games with a passing attack that’s struggling to crank up the big production.
Rice doesn’t throw a ton of picks, and it has to avoid the big mistakes against a UAB that got most of its takeaways in two games. This is the week the Owl offense has to finally start establishing something on the ground against a team that loves to control the clock, but …
– Week 8 CFN College Football Expert Picks
The UAB defense has been just that good.
There were problems against Liberty, but the D allowed 21 points or fewer in five of the other six games. The pass defense is a rock, and this isn’t the time when the Rice ground game is about to get going.
Rice is great at controlling the clock – and it needs to do it in this – but UAB is better at it. Best of all for the Blazers, the Owls just don’t know how to put the biscuit in the basket – they’re miserable at capitalizing on their drives into the red zone …
– Week 8 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews
Can Rice even get enough drives to get inside the 20? It’s only been there once in the last two games.
UAB might not be cranking up the giant offensive numbers, but it’s efficient, it’s not making the giant mistakes lately, and the defense is taking care of the rest.
UAB 34, Rice 10
Line: UAB -23.5, o/u: 45
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
– 10 Best Picks Against The Spread: Week 8
5: Succession
1: Dancing with the Stars: Grease Night
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
UAB vs Southern Miss prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 16
UAB vs Southern Miss prediction, game preview, how to watch: Saturday, October 16
Date: Saturday, October 16
Game Time: 3:30 ET
Venue: MM Roberts Stadium, Hattiesburg, MS
How To Watch: Stadium
Record: UAB (4-2), Southern Miss (1-5)
– Sign up and live stream college football on ESPN+
[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]
– All of the CFN Fearless Predictions
Be surprised if Southern Miss runs the ball more than two feet.
The Golden Eagles are starting to find a passing game, but the offensive front hasn’t generated a lick of a push for the ground attack over the last month, failing to get to 100 yards in any of the last four games and averaging just 2.5 yards per carry.
Throw in the lack of third down conversion, a whole slew of turnovers, and a line that leads the nation in most tackles for loss allowed, and UAB should be able to take advantage of both things, especially with the takeaways.
– Week 7 CFN College Football Expert Picks
The UAB hasn’t seen a penalty it hasn’t liked to commit.
The Blazers are averaging close to ten flags a game – with ten or more in four of the six games – for a whopping 91 yards an outing. Southern Miss gets hit with lots and lots of flags, too, but at least this week it gets a bit of a break – the mistakes should be even.
Offensively, the ground game might be struggling, but the passing attack has perked up with 560 yards over the last two weeks after failing to get to 200 yards in any of the first four games. Freshman Jake Lange might not be much of a runner, and interceptions have been an issue, but at least the offense is starting to move a little more through the air.
– Week 7 College Football Schedule, Predictions, Game Previews
UAB hasn’t been perfect, and the offense has to start doing a whole lot more after failing to get past 325 yards in either of the last two games, but the defense will take over.
The Blazer run D won’t allow more than 50 yards, the secondary will pick off a few passes, and it’ll be a second straight easy win after taking out Florida Atlantic 31-14.
UAB 34, Southern Miss 17
Line: UAB -15.5, o/u: 43
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3
5: Caramel apple anything
1: Pumpkin spice anything
[protected-iframe id=”361699434b6d70baf15f631ed2408ac1-97672683-92922408″ info=”https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js” ]
– Fearless Predictions of Every Game
– Bowl Projections | Rankings
