The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Memphis
Blazers Slip Past Memphis, 17-14
10/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct 27, 2001
Final Stats?|? Notes
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - UAB's defense stopped three fourth- quarter drives by Memphis on Saturday as the Blazers held on for a 17-14 victory.
The Tigers (4-4, 2-3 Conference USA) were inside the UAB 40 on each drive, but came away without any points. Memphis kicker Ryan White's 41-yard field goal attempt with about 50 seconds remaining was blocked at the line of scrimmage.
The Blazers (4-4, 3-2) took a 17-7 lead in the third quarter when quarterback Thomas Cox scored from 2 yards with 3:30 left in the stanza.
Neither team showed a lot of offensive power. The Blazers managed only 175 yards of offense, while Memphis had 279. Cox ran for 43 yards and threw for 50 to lead the UAB attack. He also caught an 11-yard pass.
UAB led 10-7 at the half.
Memphis took an early lead on an 80-yard drive, the final 7 covered by Dante Brown's scoring run with 5:07 left in the first quarter. The drive was helped by a pass interference call against the Blazers and a halfback option pass from Lionel Pieh to Antoine Harden for 27 yards.
UAB scored twice in the second quarter on a 48-yard field goal by Nick Hayes early in the stanza, and a 2-yard run by Kendal Gibson. The Gibson touchdown capped a 64-yard drive, with the big play coming on a 36-yard run by Jegil Dugger, who finished with 61 yards on the ground.
After the Blazers built the lead to 17-7 on Cox's 2-yard run in the third quarter, Memphis turned to third-string quarterback Neil Suber.
Suber engineered a 14-play, 77-yard drive to cut the lead to 17-14. He threw for 65 yards and ran for 10 more, accounting for 75 of the 77 yards. The touchdown came on a 4-yard pass from Suber to tight end Jeff Cameron with 9:36 to play.
The Tigers had field position in the fourth quarter with drives starting at the Blazer 36 and 39, but could not gain a first down on either drive and were forced to punt.
The final scoring attempt started near midfield, and Memphis reached the Blazers 23 where White's tying field goal attempt was blocked. The snap to holder Scott Scherer was low and the kick never got above the Blazers' onrushing linemen.
