The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
South Carolina
Blazers Fall to Gamecocks, 26-13
9/27/2008 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 27, 2008
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Stephen Garcia connected on 13-for-20 passes for 131 yards and ran for 86 more in the first significant action of his career, giving South Carolina's offense enough of a kick to defeat UAB 26-13 on Saturday night at Williams-Brice Stadium.
The contest against the Gamecocks was UAB's final game of the regular season against a non-conference foe. The Blazers resume C-USA play this coming Thursday when they play host to Memphis at Legion Field (7:00 p.m. CDT, CBS C Television).
Bobby Wallace ran six times for 51 yards, and Jason Barnes led the eight players for South Carolina who caught a pass with three receptions for 46 yards.
Joe Webb was 17-of-26 for 140 yards and two interceptions for UAB. He also was the Blazers' leading rusher with 22 yards on nine carries and a touchdown in the final moments of the game. Webb had entered the game with more rushing yards than any quarterback in the country.
Brandon Carlisle had both of UAB's interceptions and also was the Blazers' leading tackler with nine tackles. Defensive end Bryant Turner finished the game with three sacks and a caused fumble.
Even with Garcia's lift, the South Carolina offense still sputtered at times. Ryan Succop made all four of his field goals, a career best. UAB held the Gamecocks to 353 total yards of offense.
"Congratulations to South Carolina and particularly their defense," said UAB head coach Neil Callaway. "I thought Ellis Johnson did an outstanding job. He really has their defense playing well.
"I thought our defense hung in with them pretty well," he said. "I was very disappointed in our offense. I don't think we gave ourselves a chance. South Carolina is a good defensive football team, but we made so many mistakes and penalties that we didn't give ourselves a chance."
Garcia even had a little luck. His first two deep passes were badly thrown, but the Blazers were called for pass interference on the first one and a UAB interception was nullified by an offside penalty on the second long ball.
Garcia threw a pick in the third quarter on a badly thrown long ball on third-and-11, and Spurrier alternated starter Chris Smelley and third-string Tommy Beecher, who began the year as the starter, to finish the game.
UAB scored its only touchdown in the game with only :24 remaining in the game as Joe Webb capped off a 7-play, 81-yard drive with a 1-yard run.
The Blazers also got a pair of 38-yard field goals from kicker Swayze Waters to round out their scoring.
