The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
UAB
Illinois
UAB Opens 2026 Season Thursday Night at Illinois
9/1/2026 2:15:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB Football opens the 2026 season and the first full campaign under head coach Alex Mortensen on Thursday night as the Blazers travel to Champaign to face Illinois. Kickoff from Gies Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
The matchup marks the first meeting between UAB and Illinois and sends the Blazers on the road to open a season for the first time since 2013.
| GAME INFORMATION | |
|---|---|
| Matchup | UAB (0-0) at Illinois (0-0) |
| Date | Thursday, Sept. 3 |
| Kickoff | 8 p.m. CT |
| Location | Gies Memorial Stadium – Champaign, Ill. |
| Television | Big Ten Network |
| Television Crew | Mark Followill (play-by-play), Rhett Lewis (analyst), Caroline Hendershot (sideline) |
| Radio | WJOX-FM 94.5 (listen at joxfm.com or thevarsitynetwork.com) |
| UAB Radio Crew | David Crane (play-by-play), Bryant Turner (analyst), Landrum Roberts (sideline) |
| Series | First Meeting |
| Live Stats | illinois.statbroadcast.com |
| Social Media | X | Instagram | Facebook |
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
-
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS: Thursday marks the first season opener for Mortensen as UAB's head coach and his first game since officially taking over the program in December. Mortensen served as interim head coach for the final six games of 2025, highlighted by a 31-24 victory over No. 22 Memphis in his first game leading the Blazers.
-
OPENING ACT: UAB has won 10 consecutive season openers dating back to 2014. During the streak, the Blazers have outscored their opponents 425-122, an average score of 42.5-12.2. UAB has scored at least 31 points in eight consecutive openers and at least 35 in six of the last seven.
-
ROAD TEST: Thursday will be UAB's first true road season opener since a 34-31 overtime loss at Troy in 2013. The Blazers are 1-12 all-time when opening a season on the road, with the lone victory coming at Baylor, 24-19, in 2003. It is also UAB's first season opener against a Power Four opponent since visiting Florida in 2011.
-
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: UAB and Illinois have never met on the football field. Thursday will also mark UAB's first game played in the state of Illinois. The Blazers' previous matchup with a program from the state came in the 2018 Boca Raton Bowl, when UAB defeated Northern Illinois 37-13 to cap an 11-win Conference USA championship season.
-
BURTON'S TURN: Redshirt junior quarterback Ryder Burton enters 2026 atop the UAB depth chart after appearing in nine games last season. Burton threw for 708 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025 and provided a glimpse of his potential in UAB's upset of No. 22 Memphis, throwing for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
-
BACKFIELD BY COMMITTEE: The Blazers list Rod Robinson II, Bam McReynolds and Ja'Vin Simpkins together atop the depth chart at running back. The veteran trio enters the season with a combined 442 career carries for 2,340 yards and nine rushing touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. Mortensen indicated Monday that UAB expects to utilize multiple backs rather than relying exclusively on one featured runner.
-
A NEW-LOOK DEFENSE: UAB completely retooled its defense during the offseason under new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham. The Blazers added significant collegiate experience through the transfer portal, and Mortensen praised the unit's competitiveness throughout fall camp, describing the daily work between the offense and defense as "iron sharpening iron."
-
DELANGE FROM DISTANCE: Senior kicker Jonah Delange enters the season 31-of-38 on field goals for his career, an 81.6 percent success rate, while remaining perfect on all 60 career extra-point attempts. Delange has connected on 13 career field goals from 40 yards or longer and is 2-for-2 from 50-plus yards with a career long of 52 yards.
-
HOMEWARD BOUND: Wide receiver Kaleb Brown returns to his hometown state Thursday. The Chicago native starred at St. Rita High School before beginning his collegiate career at Ohio State and Iowa. Brown has also previously faced Illinois, catching a career-high seven passes for 71 yards for Iowa against the Fighting Illini in 2023.
-
ANOTHER ILLINOIS CONNECTION: Offensive lineman Payton Kirkland is also a Chicago native before eventually playing his high school football at Dr. Phillips in Orlando, Fla. Defensive back Jaylen Thompson made his first collegiate start against Illinois while playing at Michigan State in 2024.
-
FAMILIAR FACE: Illinois assistant strength and conditioning coach Jason Jones spent three seasons at UAB from 2020-23 as an assistant director of sports performance. His tenure with the Blazers included the 2020 Conference USA championship and appearances in the Independence and Bahamas bowls.
-
SCOUTING THE ILLINI: Illinois enters its sixth season under head coach Bret Bielema, who owns a 37-26 record with the Fighting Illini and a 134-84 career mark. Illinois finished 9-4 in 2025 and closed the season with a 30-28 victory over Tennessee in the Music City Bowl.
-
NEW LOOKS ON BOTH SIDES: Much like UAB, Illinois enters the opener with significant personnel and coaching changes. The Illini added six new assistant coaches during the offseason, including defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck, who arrived after serving as head coach at Montana. Mortensen noted Monday that the combination of new personnel and schemes makes opening-week preparation particularly challenging in the transfer portal era.
-
THE ALABAMA CONNECTION: Illinois defensive lineman Darrell Prater is a Fort Payne, Ala., native who transferred to Illinois after playing at Jacksonville State. Wide receiver Jayshon Platt, who is injured for this game, brings familiarity with UAB after previously playing at Florida Atlantic, where he caught two passes for 74 yards and a touchdown against the Blazers in 2025.
FOLLOW THE BLAZERS
To keep up with UAB Football, follow @UAB_FB on Instagram and X.
