The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
FIU
Blazers Fall To FIU In C-USA Opener, 34-20
9/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
UAB Postgame Notes | Postgame Quotes
Final Stats (PDF)
Final Stats | Photo Gallery For the game, most of the statistics fell in UAB's favor. The Blazers outgained the Panthers in the game, 380-297. FIU only managed nine first downs to UAB's 21. The Panthers failed to reach the century mark in rushing yards (93) while the Blazers totalled 184.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) - UAB football jumped out to an early lead, but FIU scored 20 unanswered points to begin the second half as the Blazers fell, 34-20, in their Conference USA opener Saturday at Legion Field.
UAB scored on its first possession of the game as senior running back D.J. Vinson ran it in for a touchdown from two yards out to cap off a five-play, 74-yard drive to begin the game. The Blazers outgained the Panthers, 102-36, in the opening quarter.
FIU's Richard Leonard and Demarkus Perkins returned interceptions for touchdowns as big plays and turnovers helped FIU climb out of an early hole to defeat UAB.
"The problem was not the effort, the want-to, or the focus," head coach Bill Clark said. "You saw that early. We went down and scored and then made a stop on defense. In the second half, we came out ready to go. It's going to be a learning lesson for us. It's going to have to be because we are in a really good conference."
The Panthers (2-3, 1-0) tied a school record, forcing six turnovers, including two pick-sixes. UAB (2-2, 0-1) was driving in the second quarter when Leonard picked Jeremiah Briscoe and raced 25 yards to tie the game, 7-7. Perkins also intercepted Briscoe for a 31-yard TD. Briscoe and Cody Clements were each picked off twice.
FIU's Alex McGough completed only 9 of 24 passes for 204 yards -- most of those on scoring tosses of 75 and 85 yards to Jonnu Smith and Glenn Coleman. Jordan Howard rushed for 102 yards in the game, his second 100-yard effort this season. He had a 71-yard run called back early in the third quarter due to a holding penalty.
UAB's J.J. Nelson recorded four receptions for 55 yards, giving him 94 catches in his career and moving him into No. 7 on the Blazers' all-time career receptions list. Nelson, who had 115 all-purpose yards on Saturday, also moved into fourth place on UAB's all-time list for all-purpose yards with 3,381 in his career.
UAB now travels to take on Western Kentucky next Saturday at 6 p.m. CT.
