Blazers and Bulldogs Try to Build on Wins in crosstown Showdown
By Steve Irvine
October 2 - BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA
SAMFORD (1-3 OVERALL, 1-1 SOCON) AT UAB (2-2 OVERALL, 1-0 AMERICAN)
PROTECTIVE STADIUM
SATURDAY, 2:30 P.M. CST, ESPN PLUS
When Samford has the ball: Quarterback Gabarri Johnson sparks the Samford offense but for the Bulldogs to move the football with consistency the running game needs to have some productivity. Samford is coming off its best rushing game of the season. The Bulldogs had 221 yards on 43 carries in a 45-7 win over VMI. Running backs Emerson Russell, Domonique Thomas and Ken Cherry combined for 150 yards on 30 carries and Russell and Thomas scored the first running back rushing touchdowns of the season. That game certainly created some confidence for a running game that never got started in the first three weeks. But it also came against perhaps the worst defense that Samford will see this season. Can they find a way to contribute against a FBS team? Stopping the run game hasn’t been a strength for the UAB defense thus far. The Blazers allow 206 yards rushing per game, which is 131st in FBS. Can they improve that number by playing a FCS offense? With all that said, it’s still the 6-foot, 185-pound Johnson that keys the Samford offense. The Oregon State transfer is 84-of-143 for 868 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He is capable of hurting the UAB defense with his arms and legs if given time, which leads us to another question. Can the Samford offensive line keeps Marlin Dean and the UAB defensive front from making Saturday miserable for Johnson? If you need a reminder – which you probably don’t – the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Dean is coming off a game when he contributed 12 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Paying extra attention to him as an opposing offense is highly recommended but there is a dilemma in that. Dean is surrounded by other playmakers on the defensive front and linebackers Muaaz Byard and Ike Esonwune are as good of a starting pair of linebackers as there are in the American Conference. Byard is second in the FBS in solo tackles per game (7.25) and fifth in total tackles per game (10.5). If Johnson can find time to throw he has wide receiver weapons in Preston Bird (20-192, TD), Cayden Aukerman (15-130, 2 TDs) and Marquise Henderson (14-281, 20.1 per catch average, 2 TDs). UAB is No. 2 in FBS in passing yards allowed per game (113).
When UAB has the ball: The expectation when a FBS offense is facing a FCS opponent is that the FBS team should be able to establish whatever they need to do for success. It’s not always that easy. UAB is facing a Samford defense that has been solid throughout for the most part. The Bulldogs got gashed some against Tennessee Tech but that is one of the top FCS passing attacks in the country. On paper, if stats told the entire truth, UAB appears to be balanced offensively with 163 yards passing and 162.5 yards rushing per game. But if you dig deeper the two most successful offensive games for UAB, at least in total yards, were when the running game clicked against Illinois and Louisiana-Monroe. Getting the running game untracked appears to the first objective each week. Bam McReynolds, Roderick Robinson II and Ja’Vin Simpkins will continue to share the load. McReynolds is coming off a two-touchdown performance, including the go-ahead 48-yard burst to provide the go-ahead points, in the win over Navy. Robinson is due for another breakout game. Robinson had 114 yards on 21 carries against Louisiana-Monroe but has just 90 yards on 25 carries over the following two games. Assuming this will happen is not the right way to approach a game but Saturday could be the first chance to see freshmen Jayson Moll, Hudson Higgins or JR Mosley getting carries on offense. Samford has been solid up front over the first four weeks but the Bulldogs do allow 169 rushing yards per game, which is 66th in FCS. Safeties Jalen Nelson (29 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss) and LaShon Young (24 tackles, three tackles for loss, one sack, one interception returned for a TD) and linebacker Spencer Conn (27 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss) are Samford’s defensive leaders. Look for UAB to pick some opportunities on Saturday to have some explosive plays in the passing game. EJ Reid, Ty Mims and CJ Smith are the only UAB receivers this season with a gain of at least 40 yards on a receptions. Mims 56-yard catch-and-run touchdown against Navy is the longest passing game this season for the Blazers. Smith had a 42-yard catch in the opener against Illinois and Reid’s 43-yard scoring catch provided the winning points in the victory over Louisiana-Monroe. Quarterback Ryder Burton is capable of good things if he has time to operate. Burton is 54-of-92 for 652 yards with three touchdowns and four interceptions over the first four games. Samford has three interceptions in four games.
Special teams: UAB kicker Jonah Delange missed a field goal for the first time this season late in the win over Navy. Only 30 kickers have failed to miss a field goal attempt this season and only one (Oklahoma State’s Sam Keltner, who is 10-of-10) has more attempts through four games than Delange. Delange is 8-of-9 on the season, which puts him in a tie for 32nd in the nation in field goal accuracy. Delange looks to start another streak of made field goals on Saturday but has still not missed an extra point in his UAB career. Delange has made all 69 of his PAT attempts since taking over as the kicker in 2024. He is also still squarely in the race for the Lou Groza Award.
Hello my name is: Antonio Ferguson. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound tight end has been a steady part of paving the way for UAB running back thus far. However, for the most part, he has been quiet in the passing game. Ferguson had his first reception of the season in last week’s win over Navy. Building off that would be big if the UAB offense wants to reach its full potential.
How Samford wins: Saying it takes a miracle might be a bit overstated but the Bulldogs are 30-point underdogs. Highly unlikely is probably more accurate but college football history is littered with unlikely wins. To pull this off, Samford must limit the times Gabarri Johnson is sacked, win the running game and force a bunch of turnovers. And, on second thought, maybe sprinkling in a miracle or two would come in handy.
How UAB wins: Play clean, attack with balance on offense and make Gabarri Johnson uncomfortable.
Coach’s corner: UAB head coach Alex Mortensen wasn’t at Samford for long but the time he did spend there was an important part of his football journey. Mortensen spent less than a year in the Samford program, playing in seven games with 309 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in the 2006 season, but the Homewood and Greater Birmingham area made a positive impression on him. “When I had an opportunity to come back here, it was part of what kind of probably laid the foundation of me being really excited to join UAB. Just having that experience and exposure to being around Birmingham and understanding what a neat place it is.”
One more thing: UAB took a needed step forward in avoiding penalties in last week’s win over Navy. UAB had four accepted penalties for 40 yards, marking the first time this season that the Blazers didn’t have at least eight accepted penalties and 67 penalty yards. Overall, UAB has 30 accepted penalties for 265 yards. Samford has 19 accepted penalties for 124 yards in four games. The Bulldogs are tied for 14th in FCS in fewest penalties per game.