The Blazers (3-7) faced the University of North Texas Mean Green (9-1) in a home matchup on Saturday. The bout had significant implications for both teams, as the Blazers looked to keep their bowl game hopes alive and the Mean Green continued to fight for a spot in the American Conference Championship. UAB found themselves down 21-0 early in the game, allowing Mean Green freshman standout back Caleb Hawkins to run for 3 scores in the first quarter alone. Hawkins would finish the afternoon setting records for both programs by scoring five times in the game, the most that the Blazers have ever allowed from a single player in program history. 

On the offensive end, the Blazers put up impressive numbers, but were hindered by forced errors, turning the ball over a total of four times throughout the course of the game. UAB halfback Jevon Jackson rushed for a total of 159 yards on 16 carries, a performance that was highlighted by a 58-yard marathon to the North Texas five-yard line early in the third quarter. Jackson’s efforts led to a quarterback sneak by Ryder Burton for a touchdown just three plays later. Quarterback Jalen Kitna, who Head Coach Alex Mortensen said was fighting “multiple significant upper body injuries”, threw for nearly 300 passing yards and a touchdown in the matchup, continuing his impressive play for the Blazers this season despite injury.

Though the Blazers are out of contention for a bowl game, they still have a short way to go until the end of the season as they face South Florida next Saturday in their final home matchup of the season.