UAB vs. #13 BYU
Time: 2:30 p.m. CST
Stadium: Independence Stadium
TV: ABC; Radio: WJOX 94.5 FM
Alabama-Birmingham Blazers Notes
UAB AND BYU SQUARE OFF IN RADIANCE TECHNOLOGIES INDEPENDENCE BOWL:
Playing in the program’s fifth bowl game, the UAB football team faces No. 13 BYU in the 2021 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Dec. 18 in Shreveport, La. UAB has been bowl eligible all six years under the direction of Head Coach Bill Clark (2014, 2017-2021), but missed the postseason in 2014 when the program was shut down and last year after South Carolina withdrew from the Gasparilla Bowl. UAB won the program’s first bowl game in 2018 with a 37-13 victory over Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl, and a win over BYU would not only be UAB’s second bowl win, but just its fourth victory over a nationally ranked opponent.
UAB LANDS 23 PLAYERS ON ALL-CONFERENCE USA TEAMS:
Led by redshirt seniors Colby Ragland and Tyree Turner, the Blazers had 23 players earn All-Conference USA postseason honors. Ragland is now a two-time First Team honoree and has started 32-consecutive games on the offensive line. Ragland started the first five games of this season at left guard, and finished the final seven games at right tackle. At nose tackle, Turner was a major force in helping UAB rank 14th nationally in rush defense. Turner recorded 20 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles, and his impact in the trenches went well beyond his stat line. Additionally, RB DeWayne McBride, TE Gerrit Prince, DE Alex Wright and S Grayson Cash were Second Team All-Conference USA selections (see page 11 for full list of postseason honorees).
MCBRIDE RUNS WILD IN SECOND HALF OF THE SEASON:
After compiling 395 rushing yards in his first six games, sophomore running back DeWayne McBride exploded in the second half of the season, tallying 794 of his 1,188 total rushing yards in his final six games. His 1,188 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns are both currently the fifth most in a single season at UAB. McBride ranks fourth nationally with an average of 6.75 yards per carry and is one of the best backs in the nation in yards after contact.
UAB DEFENSE ONCE AGAIN AMONGST NATION’S BEST:
The Blazers have always hung their hat on defense and 2021 was no exception. UAB enters the bowl game ranked 15th nationally in total defense (323.3). Despite missing key pieces due to season ending injuries, the Blazers still have an opportunity to finish inside the top 10 nationally. If they can do so, it would be their fourth straight year finishing top 10 nationally in total defense.
42 WINS AND COUNTING:
UAB has won 42 games since returning to action in 2017, the most wins of any C-USA team during that span. The Blazers are 42-20 overall dating back to the 2017 season and are the first team in C-USA history to win their division three years in a row (2018-2020). UAB has been dominant against league action, compiling an overall record of 30-9 vs. Conference USA and a mark of 22-5 against West divisional opponents during that span
OFFENSIVE NOTES
HOPKINS ON TARGET
Dylan Hopkins is completing 64.2 percent of his passes this season and has the second highest pass efficiency rating in Conference USA (164.45). Hopkins saw limited action in the first two games, but has thrown for 2,085 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions, while adding five rushing touchdowns. He is 6-3 as the starter this season and 9-5 overall for his career.
HOPKINS ON UAB’S CAREER QB LISTS
In just 14 career starts, Dylan Hopkins has already moved into the top 10 for career passing yards and touchdowns. He ranks ninth in career touchdown passes and 10th in career yards.
UAB OFFENSIVE LINE BOASTS VETERAN LEADERSHIP
The offensive line has helped UAB compile more than 400 yards of offense in six of 12 games this season. Collectively, UAB has 148 total starts on the offensive line. UAB is just one 19 FBS teams to have at least seven returning offensive linemen with at least on start in their career. The Blazers posted a season-high 295 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns against Louisiana Tech.
GERRIT PRINCE MOVING UP THE RANKS
With eight touchdowns so far this season, tight end Gerrit Prince now has 13 for his career, which is seventh most all-time at UAB for career receiving touchdowns.
Prince has four multi-touchdown games throughout his career.
McBRIDE PLAYING AT AN ELITE LEVEL
DeWayne McBride has taken it to a new level in the second half of the season and has compiled four 100-yard rushing performances in his last six games. For the season, McBride has 1,188 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. He has compiled 793 yards and 11 touchdowns in his last six games. Last time out, McBride had seven carries for 99 yards and a touchdown in the first quarter against UTEP before leaving the game with an injury.
McBRIDE MOVES INTO TOP 10 FOR CAREER RUSHING & TOUCHDOWNS
Only a sophomore, DeWayne McBride has already moved into UAB’s top 10 for career rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. He ranks ninth in rushing yards and seventh
in rushing touchdowns.
McBRIDE BECOMES SIXTH UAB PLAYER TO SURPASS 1,000 YARDS
With 144 rushing yards at UTSA, DeWayne McBride became the sixth player in school history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season. He currently has 1,188 rushing yards, which is the sixth most in a single season in UAB history.
SINGLE SEASON RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS
DeWayne McBride has moved into a tie for 5th place on UAB’s single season rushing touchdown list with 12. McBride has scored 11 touchdowns in his last six games.
GOING DEEP
Wide receiver Trea Shropshire and tight end Gerrit Prince have emerged as deep threats for UAB’s offense. Shropshire leads the nation with an average of 27.28 yards per catch, while Prince is seventh nationally and leads all tight ends with an average of 20.50.
TIME OF POSSESSION
The Blazers rank 22nd nationally in time of possession, averaging 31:37 with the ball per game. UAB has had the advantage in time of possession in eight of 12 games this season.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
BLAZERS NOTCH SECOND SHUTOUT OF SEASON
UAB has shut out two opponents this season with its most recent being a 34-0 blanking of Southern Miss. If UAB gets one more shutout this season, it would tie the Conference USA record for most shutouts which the Blazers set back in 2018.
WE’LL TAKE THAT
The Blazers have recorded a takeaway in nine of 12 games and had a season-high four takeaways on two different occasions – at Tulane and Florida Atlantic. UAB has
10 interceptions this season and eight fumble recoveries. UAB’s 18 turnovers gained rank the Blazers 49th nationally.
TOTAL DEFENSE
In the final six games of the regular season, UAB held its opponents to a combined 1,746 total yards (291.0/game), including just 107 against Southern Miss. UAB has finished top 10 nationally in total defense each of the last three years and are moving up after their last few outings. UAB is currently 15th nationally in total defense (323.3).
GRAYSON CASH SETS SCHOOL RECORD FOR LONGEST INT RETURN
Safety Grayson Cash set a school record and tied a Conference USA record when he intercepted Florida Atlantic’s N’kosi Perry and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown. His 100-yard touchdown was the longest interception return for a touchdown in program history and he is now just one of 11 players in C-USA history to have a 100-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Cash also had an interception with1:31 left in the fourth quarter to seal the game at Marshall, giving UAB a 21-14 victory.
SWOOPES TALLIES BACK-TO-BACK INTERCEPTIONS
Junior Keondre Swoopes had back-to-back games with interceptions at Georgia and at North Texas. He and Grayson Cash are the only players on the current roster who have had interceptions in back-to-back games. Swoopes had a 61-yard interception return for a touchdown at Georgia in Week 2, and followed that up with an interception on North Texas’ first offensive play in Week 3.
THIRD DOWN DEFENSE
UAB held UTEP to 3-of-13 on third down last time out. The Blazers are currently 27th nationally in third down defense (60-of-173, .347). This is a category UAB has exceled at over the years as the Blazers were 2nd in 2018, 3rd in 2019 and 7th in 2020.
WILDER OVER 200 CAREER TACKLES
Noah Wilder cracked the 200 tackle plateau at UTSA, and then concluded the regular season with a season-high tying 14 tackles against UTSA. Wilder enters the bowl game with 221 career tackles.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
MATT QUINN HAVING ANOTHER SOLID SEASON
Matt Quinn made a career-long 52-yarder at Southern Miss on Oct. 16. He is now 10-of-15 overall this season. He is also 45-of-46 on PAT this year and is 76-of-78 for his career.
QUINN MOVING UP FG AND PAT
Matt Quinn has recently moved into the top 10 for career field goals and PAT made. He is currently ninth in career field goals made (21) and seventh in PAT (76).
GREENWELL BECOMES CAREER LEADER
Greenwell, a four-year starter, set the school record for most career punt yards in the season finale against UTEP. He also ranks second in career punts.
GREENWELL SETS CAREER HIGH AT NORTH TEXAS
Punter Kyle Greenwell set a career best at North Texas with a career long 73 yard punt which helped him average 51.8 yards per punt average against the Mean Green. He had two punts for over 50 yards and also placed on inside the 20. For his efforts he was named the C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week. His 73-yarder was the fourth longest punt in school history.
CASH-ING IN ON SPECIAL TEAMS
Redshirt junior safety Grayson Cash has blocked two punts on special teams this season, including one against Southern Miss that he recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. His first was against Jacksonville State in the season opener.
BLOCKED PAT FOR TWO
Against Liberty, Nikia Eason Jr. blocked a Liberty PAT which Mac McWilliams scooped up and took it to the house for two points. It was the first blocked PAT since Garrett Marino in 2019 at Rice.
BYU Cougars Notes
• THE SERIES. BYU and the University of Alabama-Birmingham are meeting for the first time in football. The Cougars have a 39-12-1 record against teams from Conference USA in football.
• INDEPENDENCE BOWL. Established in 1976, the Independence Bowl received its name because of the nation’s bicentennial celebration (1776). Throughout the first 44 years of the game’s history, 71 First Round NFL Draft selections – including 2019 sixth overall pick Daniel Jones, five Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees – including 2020 inductee Jimmy Johnson, 19 College Football Hall of Famers – including 2018 honorees Frank Beamer and Mack Brown, and seven National Championship-winning coaches have participated in the Independence Bowl. It is currently the 11th oldest bowl game playing to date.
• LOUISIANA. BYU is playing just its third game in the Bayou state and first postseason contest. The Cougars played both previous games in the Superdome in New
Orleans. Most recently, BYU played LSU in 2017 and back in 2009 matched up with Tulane.
• BIG 12. On Friday, Sept. 10, 2021, BYU accepted an official invitation to join the Big 12 Conference in all sports. The Cougars joined Cincinnati, Houston and UCF as the four new members. BYU is expected to play its first season in the Power 5 conference in 2023. The Cougars have a record of 86-50 since becoming an independent in 2011.
• TOP 25. BYU is ranked No. 13 in the latest College Football Playoff poll (released Tuesdays). The Cougars are also No. 12 in the latest AP Top 25 and No. 14 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. BYU is 18-4 under Kalani Sitake when playing as a ranked team.
• BOWL GAMES. BYU is in a bowl game for the 16th time in 17 seasons, and fifth in six seasons under Sitake. BYU is 3-1 under Sitake in bowl games. The Independence Bowl is BYU’s 39th bowl game in school history. The Cougars 39 bowl appearances is tied for 20th in the FBS. BYU has played in more bowl games than several storied programs, including Notre Dame, UCLA, Wisconsin, Stanford, Michigan State, Virginia Tech and Utah.
•ALL-AMERICANS. Offensive lineman Clark
Barrington earned All-America honors from the Action Sports Network (2nd Team) and Pro Football Focus (3rd Team) while his younger brother Campbell was named a freshman All-American by the Maxwell Football Club and the Athletic (2nd Team). Defensive back Jakob Robinson was also named a second-team freshman All-American selection by the Athletic
BOWL GAME HISTORY
APPEARANCES
BYU has made 38 previous bowl appearances with a record of 15–21–1. The Cougars have appeared in 19 different bowl games against 34 different opponents.
BOWL RECORDS
BYU’s record in each bowl game:
Holiday Bowl (4–6–1), the Cotton Bowl Classic (1–0),
the Las Vegas Bowl (3–3), the Copper Bowl (1–0), the
Tangerine/Citrus Bowl (0–2), the Freedom Bowl (1–1), the
Liberty Bowl (0–2), the Aloha Bowl (0–1), the Fiesta Bowl
(0–1), the Motor City Bowl (0–1), the All-American Bowl
(0–1), the New Mexico Bowl (1–0), the Armed Forces
Bowl (1–0), the Poinsettia Bowl (2–0), Fight Hunger Bowl
(0–1), the Miami Beach Bowl (0–1), the Famous Idaho
Potato Bowl (1–0), Hawaii Bowl (0–1), Boca Raton Bowl (1-0)
BYU OFFENSE BY THE NUMBERS
1 BYU’s biggest bowl victory came in 1984 as the No. 1 ranked Cougars rallied from a 17-10 deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat Bo Schembechler’s Michigan Wolverines 24-17. The win preserved a perfect 13-0 season and kept BYU at No. 1 in both the AP and UPI Coaches polls. On Jan. 2, 1985, BYU was crowned National Champions in all the polls. It’s the only time in college football history that the eventual national champion played its bowl game prior to New Years Eve.
3 Only three quarterbacks have lead BYU to multiple wins in bowl games. Consensus All-American Jim McMahon lead a Cougars to back-to-back Holiday Bowl wins in 1980 and 1981, while Max Hall guided the Cougars to two bowl victories in 2007 and 2009, both at the Las Vegas Bowl. Zach Wilson went a perfect 18 of 18 in the 2018 Potato Bowl victory and led the Cougars to last year’s Boca Raton Bowl win in 2020.
4 BYU longest consecutive bowl winning streak came between 2009 to 2012. The four-straight included wins over Oregon State, UTEP, Tulsa and San Diego State. Four is also the longest losing skid in BYU bowl history, which happened twice. The first four bowl games in 1974-76-78-79 and again in 1998-99-2001-2005.
10 Since going independent in football in 2011, the Cougars have been invited to play in 10 bowl games over the past 11 seasons. Of the 10, the Poinsettia (2012, 2016) is the only bowl BYU played in more than once.
38 Beginning with the Fiesta Bowl in 1974, BYU has appeared in 38 bowl games over the past 46 seasons. The Cougars have an overall record of 16-21-1.
BOWL FACTS AND FIGURES
Of BYU’s 38 bowl appearances, 18 of them have been decided by a one-score margin or less, including two of the three games in Sitake era — the 2016 Poinsettia Bowl
(24-21 victory over Wyoming) and the 2019 Hawaii Bowl (38-34 loss to Hawaii).
TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE
Listed below are the longest scoring plays in BYU bowl history from various scoring categories:
• Passing: 70 yards – Aleva Hifo from Zach Wilson in the 2018 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
• Rushing: 39 yards – Tyler Allgeier in the 2020 Boca Raton Bowl
• Interception return: 35 yards – Tom Holmoe in the 1981 Holiday Bowl
• Fumble return: 34 yards – Matt Bauman in the 2009 Las Vegas Bowl
• Kickoff return: 102 yards – Dave Lowry in the 1976 Citrus Bowl
• Punt return: 83 yards – Vai Sikahema in the 1980 Holiday Bowl
• Field goal: 45 yards – Justin Sorensen in the 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl and Trevor Sampson in the 2014 Miami Beach Bowl
THE HOLIDAY SEASON Bowl games tend to fall on or near one of the many holidays in December and January. Over the years, BYU has played on New Year’s Eve twice (1998 Liberty Bowl, 2001 Liberty Bowl), New Year’s Day once (1997 Cotton Bowl), Christmas Day once (1992 Aloha Bowl) and Christmas Eve once (2019 Hawaii Bowl).
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE BYU defeated San Diego State 23-6 in the 2012 Poinsettia bowl behind the super-human performance of All-American Kyle Van Noy. The junior linebacker finished the night with two touchdowns, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery for a score, an interception returned for a touchdown, eight tackles and a blocked punt. In all, Van Noy recorded an amazing 7.5 disruptive plays in the box score and scored 12 of BYU’s 23 points.
