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UAB Blazers Get 2021 Football Going with Jacksonville State on Wednesday Night

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Football

The entire nation will be watching as UAB football opens the 2021 season on Wednesday, Sept. 1 in the Montgomery Kickoff against Jacksonville State. The neutral site game at the Cramton Bowl kicks off at 6:30 p.m. CST on ESPN.

The Blazers and Gamecocks kick off a jam-packed Week 1 schedule and are the only college football game on that evening. Both UAB and JSU are coming off conference championship seasons. UAB is receiving votes in the AP and Coaches Poll, while JSU is ranked No. 8/10 in the two major FCS polls.

Who: UAB (0-0) vs. Jacksonville State (0-0)
Where: Montgomery, Ala. – Cramton Bowl
When: Wednesday, Sept. 1 – 6:30 p.m. CST
Watch: ESPN
On the Call: Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Kelly Stouffer (color), Lauren Sisler (sideline)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM
On the Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Steve Irvine (color), Trey Ragland (sideline)
Series: UAB leads, 3-2
Last Meeting: Sept. 17, 2005 – UAB, 35-28
 
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

  • Coming off the program's second Conference USA Championship in the last three years, UAB opens its title defense against in-state foe Jacksonville State, who won the Ohio Valley Conference last season and reached the quarterfinals of the FCS Championship.
     
  • UAB head coach Bill Clark will be coaching against his alma mater and former team for the first time on Wednesday. Clark is a 1990 graduate of JSU and guided the Gamecocks to an 11-4 overall record in his one season as the JSU head coach back in 2013.
     
  • Clark's 2021 UAB Blazers enter the season with extremely high expectations. UAB returns 17 starters from last year's championship team, including 11 "Super Seniors" who utilized their extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19. Of those 11 Super Seniors, seven were All-Conference USA performers last season.
     
  • The standard has been set on the defensive side of the ball for UAB. The Blazers are coming off their third straight season in which they finished top 10 nationally in total defense. UAB was seventh last season in that category, and returns nine starters from the 2020 unit. The defense should once again be a major strength for the Blazers this season.
     
  • Leading the way is All-American Kristopher Moll, who has returned to safety for his final season. Moll was a fixture at linebacker the last two years, but has moved back to his natural position of safety. He needs 32 tackles to crack the all-time top 10 list for career tackles at UAB.  
     
  • Moll joins an already loaded safties unit which also features 2020 All-Conference USA performers Will Boler, Dy'jonn Turner and Damon Miller, along with the likes of Grayson Cash, Keondre Swoopes.   
     
  • On the other side of the ball, UAB's offensive line returns all five starters from last year's team that allowed the nation's fourth fewest sacks (4) and helped UAB average 200.0 rushing yards per game. Left guard Colby Ragland and right tackle Sidney Wells were 2020 First Team All-Conference USA selections and 2021 Outland Trophy Watch List members.
     
  • Tyler Johnston III is 13-5 as UAB's starting quarterback and has guided the Blazers to each of their two C-USA titles as the starter. Johnston III is fourth in career touchdown passes (35) and fifth in career passing yards (4,429) at UAB.
     
  • Johnston III is backed up by Dylan Hopkins and Bryson Lucero, both who have made five starts in their careers at UAB. The Blazers are just one of 15 teams in the nation who have three quarterbacks on the roster with at least one FBS start.
     
  • The Blazers will have to replace their all-time leading rusher in Spencer Brown, but are optimistic with sophomore DeWayne McBride, junior Jermaine Brown Jr. and veteran leader Lucious Stanley. McBride rushed for 439 yards and four touchdowns last season (9.3 YPC), while he and Brown Jr. each have two career 100-yard rushing games to their credit.
     
  • Senior tight end Hayden Pittman enters the season with a reception in 25 straight games, good for the 11th longest active streak. Pittman is a John Mackey Award Watch List member. 

Following the game against JSU, the Blazers travel to Athens, Ga. on Sept. 11 to face Georgia. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CST on ESPN2.