The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
1-6 , 0-4
South Florida
3-4 , 1-2
UAB Battles but Falls at South Florida, 35-25
10/19/2024 8:05:00 PM | Football
UAB (1-6, 0-4 AAC) was leading 19-7 midway through the third quarter, but the Bulls (3-4, 1-2 AAC) outscored the Blazers 28-6 in the final 21 minutes of action for the 10-point victory.
The Blazers outgained the Bulls 485-349 in total yards and had a 10-minute advantage in time of possession, but two second half turnovers and a failed fourth down conversion turned the game in favor of USF.
UAB quarterback Jalen Kitna set career highs in completions (33), attempts (56), yards (384) and touchdown passes (2). His top target was Amare Thomas who had eight catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, while tight end Dallas Payne had career highs in catches (6) and yards (67).
Defensively, Michael Moore had 11 tackles for a second-consecutive game, while Everett Roussaw Jr. had seven tackles and two sacks.
Sophomore kicker Jonah Delange took care of the first half scoring for the Blazers with three field goals as UAB led 9-7 at the break. Delange's third field goal of the half capped an 11-play, 85-yard drive that started on the UAB 1-yard line.
Led by Roussaw Jr. and Moore, the defense was lights out in the first half by compiling six TFL, three sacks (two from Roussaw Jr.), two pass breakups, one interception and a forced fumble.
UAB won the coin toss and deferred to the second half, which paid dividends as the Blazers scored a touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter in just 1:15. Thomas capped the drive with high team-high fifth receiving touchdown of the season for a 16-7 lead just minutes into the second half.
Following Delange's 48-yarder for his career-high fourth field goal, USF scored the next 13 points and took its first lead of the game at 20-19 on a 10-yard touchdown reception from running back Kelley Joiner with 3:51 left in the third. Their 2-point conversion was no good which kept the USF advantage at one.
The Blazers regained the lead on Thomas' second touchdown reception of the day and their 2-point conversion was also no good, but gave UAB a 25-20 lead with 11:46 left in the game.
Joiner scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown with 6:17 left and the Bulls converted a 2-point conversion for a 28-25 lead. On UAB's next possession, the Bulls stopped the Blazers on 4th-and-3, then Joiner tallied his third touchdown of the day with a 33-yard rush to ice the game with 2:55 left. Joiner had 94 rushing yards and 34 receiving yards to lead USF.
UAB is off next week then returns to Protective Stadium on Nov. 2 to host Tulsa on Homecoming.
Team Stats
UAB 3, USF 0
UAB - Delange,Jonah 41 yd field goal 8 plays, 46 yards, TOP 02:43
UAB 3, USF 7
USF - Singleton,Keshaun 67 yd pass from Archie,Bryce (Cannon,John kick) 1 plays, 67 yards, TOP 00:09
UAB 6, USF 7
UAB - Delange,Jonah 29 yd field goal 12 plays, 64 yards, TOP 04:47
UAB 9, USF 7
UAB - Delange,Jonah 32 yd field goal 11 plays, 85 yards, TOP 01:32
UAB 16, USF 7
UAB - Thomas,Amare 15 yd pass from Kitna,Jalen (Delange,Jonah kick) 3 plays, 65 yards, TOP 01:15
UAB 19, USF 7
UAB - Delange,Jonah 48 yd field goal 4 plays, 2 yards, TOP 01:06
UAB 19, USF 14
USF - Keith,Ta'Ron 4 yd run (Cannon,John kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 03:40
UAB 19, USF 20
USF - Joiner,Kelley 10 yd pass from Archie,Bryce () 4 plays, 18 yards, TOP 01:11
UAB 25, USF 20
UAB - Thomas,Amare 7 yd pass from Kitna,Jalen () 11 plays, 70 yards, TOP 04:55
UAB 25, USF 28
USF - Joiner,Kelley 1 yd run (Brown-Stephens,Michael pass), 3 plays, 16 yards, TOP 00:27
UAB 25, USF 35
USF - Joiner,Kelley 33 yd run (Cannon,John kick), 3 plays, 36 yards, TOP 01:35
