The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Tennessee
Blazers Fall To Tennessee In Knoxville
9/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 13, 2008
Game Stats
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. ----- Tennessee added to its 14-point halftime lead by outscoring UAB by a 21-3 margin in the second half en route to a 35-3 victory over the Blazers Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium. Joe Webb threw for 167 yards and ran for 78 for UAB but also threw three interceptions in the loss to the Vols.
Jonathan Crompton threw for 240 yards and two touchdowns to lead Tennessee. Crompton completed 19 of 31 passes and threw two interceptions before being replaced by backup Nick Stephens late in the fourth quarter.
UAB gave Tennessee a short field to set up the Vols' first touchdown. Crompton rolled out of the pocket and tossed a 20-yard pass to Gerald Jones in the left corner of the end zone to put Tennessee up 7-0 with 4:35 in the first quarter.
A 48-yard pass from Crompton to Lucas Taylor cut the field in half in the Vols' subsequent drive. That set up another connection from Crompton to Jones on a 14-yard TD pass to put Tennessee up 14-0.
UAB had a pair of excellent scoring opportunities go wasted in the second quarter. The Blazers faced a 4th-and 3 situation at the UT 21 with just over 10 minutes remaining but Webb's effort to tightrope the left sideline for a first down fell less than a yard short and the Volunteers took over.
UAB's next possession resulted in the Blazers going from their own 41-yard line to the Tennessee 9-yard-line. But on a 2nd-and-8 play, Webb's pass intended for Mario Wright was picked off by Eric Berry at the goal line, halting another UAB drive.
"I thought the first half defensively we came out and played pretty good," said UAB head coach Neil Callaway. "We thought in the second half if we could come out and hold them on their first possession and get some points, we might make it a tight ballgame.
"But as it was, our defense kind of wore down. Offensively, we made way too many mistakes. I've got to do a better job of coaching to make sure we are eliminating mistakes so we give ourselves a chance to win."
Taylor led the Vols with 132 yards on nine catches. Arian Foster ran 12 times for 100 yards and Lennon Creer added 93 yards rushing and touchdown runs of 45 yards and 3 yards.
Kevin Sanders picked off Crompton at the UAB 43 to help set up a 47-yard field goal by Swayze Waters with 9:35 in the third quarter. With the kick Waters improved to 4-for-4 on field goals this season and 15-of-19 for his career from 40 yards and beyond.
The Vols responded with an 80-yard drive highlighted by a 31-yard Foster run and a 22-yard connection between Crompton and Foster. Montario Hardesty ran 2 yards for to put the Vols up 21-3 with 7:08 in the third quarter.
Webb finished 19-for-34 for 167 yards and three interceptions, and also ran for 78 yards. Frantrell Forrest caught eight passes for 83 yards.
The Blazers were called for nine penalties for 79 yards. The UAB defense had little success stopping the Vols, who rolled up 548 yards.
"I thought particularly in the first half that we struggled some on offense," said Callaway, "and defensively, we played fairly decent. We've got to play well on both sides of the ball as well as the kicking game. We're not going to win a ballgame until we can put it all together."
