UAB and Louisiana Tech Set to Battle on Saturday in Ruston

BIRMINGHAM – Concluding the 2022 regular season, UAB football travels to Ruston this Saturday, Nov. 26, to face rival Louisiana Tech. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. on CBS Sports Network.

UAB enters the game at 5-6 overall and needs to win to achieve bowl eligibility for a seventh straight season (2014, 2017-Pres.). This is the final meeting between the Blazers and Bulldogs as Conference USA opponents before UAB heads to the American Athletic Conference this coming July.

Who: UAB (5-6, 3-4 C-USA) at Louisiana Tech (3-8, 2-5 C-USA)
Where: Joe Aillet Stadium – Ruston, La.
When: Saturday, Nov. 26 – 2:30 p.m.
Watch: CBS Sports Network
On the Call: Carter Blackburn (play-by-play), Tom Herman (analyst)
Listen: WJOX 94.5 FM
On the Call: David Crane (play-by-play), Bryant Turner (analyst)
Series: Louisiana Tech leads, 6-4
Last Meeting: Nov. 6, 2021 – UAB, 52-38

WHAT TO WATCH FOR:

Since returning to action in 2017, UAB has won four of five contests against Louisiana Tech. The two sides have played very competitive games with three of the five games being decided by one possession.
UAB looks to win its first road game of the season in order play in a bowl game. The Blazers have played in four bowl games since 2017 and have won two of those games.
Doak Walker Award Semifinalist DeWayne McBride enters the game ranked second nationally in both rushing yards per game (144.1) and rushing touchdowns (18). He was named a Doak Walker Semifinalist on Tuesday, becoming the first UAB player in school history to earn such distinction and is one of 10 semifinalists nation-wide to earn that honor.
McBride needs 147 rushing yards to set the single season school rushing record which is currently held by Jordan Howard who had 1,587 yards in 2014. McBride has had tremendous success in two games against Louisiana Tech, compiling 133 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2020 and 210 yards and four touchdowns last season. He averages 171.5 yards per game against the Bulldogs.
McBride and UAB's offense average the 10th most rushing yards in the nation at 229.0 per game, and goes up against a Louisiana Tech defense that ranks last in Conference USA in rushing defense, allowing 228.4 yards per game. The Bulldogs also rank second to last in the league in total defense (466.2) and scoring defense (38.0).
Louisiana Tech averages 385 yards per game on offense and does most of its damage through the air with a passing attack that ranks fifth in C-USA at 269.1 per game. Tre Harris leads the way with 59 catches for 872 yards and nine touchdowns, while Smoke Harris has contributed 60 catches for 588 yards and five touchdowns.
UAB's pass defense ranks top 25 nationally in both pass efficiency defense (117.98) and passing yards allowed (193.2), and have held nine of 11 opponents under 215 passing yards while not allowing a 300-yard passer this year.
Noah Wilder looks to end the season as Conference USA's leading tackler as he enters the game in second at 9.27 tackles per game (102 total). He needs seven more tackles to crack the top 10 for single season tackles at UAB and currently sits in third for career tackles at UAB with 330. His 102 tackles this season are a career high.
If the Blazers come out victorious, they will be playing in the program's sixth bowl game in school history (2004 Hawaii Bowl, 2017 Bahamas Bowl, 2018 Boca Raton Bowl, 2019 New Orleans Bowl and 2021 Independence Bowl).

Bowl games will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 4.

UAB and Louisiana Tech Set to Battle on Saturday in Ruston

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Players Mentioned

DeWayne McBride

Noah Wilder

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics