The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics

UAB Suffers Heartbreaking 34-31 Loss at No. 15 UTSA
11/20/2021 6:43:00 PM | Football
The Roadrunners (11-0, 7-0 C-USA) gained possession with 1:06 left in the game, drove 77 yards in seven plays, and capped the drive with a touchdown pass from Frank Harris to Oscar Cardenas to seal the victory.
UAB (7-4, 5-2 C-USA) put up 474 yards of total offense and held C-USA's leading rusher Sincere McCormick to just 65 rushing yards. Harris however, threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns to lead UTSA to victory.
UAB sophomore running back DeWayne McBride continued his elite play with 24 carries for 144 yards and a rushing touchdown with 5:19 remaining which gave UAB a 31-27 advantage. McBride notched his fifth 100-yard game of the season and his fourth in the last five games.
Quarterback Dylan Hopkins finished the game 15-of-22 for 254 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Both of his touchdowns were to Trea Shropshire who had three catches for 130 yards and the two scores.
Will Boler and Noah Wilder led the defense with nine tackles apiece, while Alex Wright added five tackles, two TFL, 1.5 sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble.
The Blazers struck on the second play of the game as Hopkins found Shropshire on a 74-yard touchdown. That was the duo's first of two touchdowns in the quarter as they also connected for a 40-yard strike and led 14-7 after one.
After a Sincere McCormick touchdown tied the game at 14-14, the Blazers leaned on the run game and put together an 8-play, 75 yard drive that all came on the ground, which Hopkins capped with an 8-yard touchdown.
The two teams traded field goals down the stretch of the second quarter and Matt Quinn's 23-yarder as time expired gave the Blazers a 24-17 halftime advantage.
UAB outgained UTSA 349-180 in the first half led by Hopkins who was 8-of-11 for 198 yards and accounted for all three touchdowns.
The Roadrunners opened the second half scoring on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Frank Harris to Zakhari Franklin on their third play of the drive, tying the game at 24-24. UTSA's Hunter Duplessis added a 49-yard field goal late in the third to give the Roadrunners a 27-24 advantage heading into the fourth.
McBride's 11th rushing touchdown of the season late in the fourth quarter capped a six play drive as the two teams continued to trade blows back and forth.
On UTSA's next possession, the Blazers held the Roadrunners one yard short on fourth down to gain possession with 1:52 left. On their ensuing possession, the Blazers ran the ball three times for nine yards but were stopped short of the line to gain, giving the ball back to UTSA with one final opportunity with 1:06 left which the Roadrunners took advantage of.
The big play of the drive came on a 33-yard pass which got UTSA down to the UAB 10-yard line. After the defense stopped Harris at the 1-yard line with six seconds remaining, two plays later the Roadrunners found the end zone.
UAB returns to action next Friday, Nov. 26, at home to conclude the regular season against UTEP. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Team Stats

UAB 7, UTSA 0
UAB - Shropshire, Tre 74 yd pass from Hopkins, Dylan (Quinn, Matt kick) 2 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:52

UAB 7, UTSA 7
UTSA - FRANKLIN, Z. 15 yd pass from HARRIS, Frank (DUPLESSIS, H. kick) 12 plays, 73 yards, TOP 4:43

UAB 14, UTSA 7
UAB - Shropshire, Tre 40 yd pass from Hopkins, Dylan (Quinn, Matt kick) 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 4:08

UAB 14, UTSA 14
UTSA - McCORMICK, S. 8 yd run (DUPLESSIS, H. kick), 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:44

UAB 21, UTSA 14
UAB - Hopkins, Dylan 8 yd run (Quinn, Matt kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:43

UAB 21, UTSA 17
UTSA - DUPLESSIS, H. 51 yd field goal 7 plays, 42 yards, TOP 3:23

UAB 24, UTSA 17
UAB - Quinn, Matt 23 yd field goal 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 2:18

UAB 24, UTSA 24
UTSA - FRANKLIN, Z. 54 yd pass from HARRIS, Frank (DUPLESSIS, H. kick) 3 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:51

UAB 24, UTSA 27
UTSA - DUPLESSIS, H. 49 yd field goal 6 plays, 13 yards, TOP 1:57

UAB 31, UTSA 27
UAB - McBride, DeWayn 16 yd run (Quinn, Matt kick), 6 plays, 44 yards, TOP 3:30

UAB 31, UTSA 34
UTSA - CARDENAS, Oscar 1 yd pass from HARRIS, Frank (DUPLESSIS, H. kick) 7 plays, 77 yards, TOP 1:03