By Steve Irvine
October 30, 2026 - BIRMINGHAM, AL
UAB (4-3 OVERALL, 2-1 AMERICAN) AT SOUTH FLORIDA (5-2 OVERALL, 1-2 AMERICAN)
RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM
SATURDAY, 6:30 P.M. CST, ESPN
When USF has the ball: The Bulls are one of three FBS teams that has not thrown an interception this season. Quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. hasn’t been dynamic but the efficiency of throwing 179 passes without an interception is significant. Van Buren, a 6-foot, 195-pound junior, came to USF after spending one season at Mississippi State and another at LSU. He started 12 games over the past two seasons and threw for 2,896 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions while also rushing for six touchdowns. Thus far this season Van Buren has thrown for 1,266 yards with six touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns. His lone 300-yard passing game came against Delaware State. Overall, the Bulls are 123rd in the country in total offense but they have the pieces to be more successful on that side of the ball. Those pieces begin with Van Buren, a former four-star recruit, but it doesn’t stop there. Running back D.J. Crowther, a 5-foot-1, 215-pound transfer from Dartmouth, has rushed for 518 yards and seven touchdowns with a pair of games over 100 yards. Crowther fuels the running game but 5-foot-9, 190-pound Jason Collins Jr. (229 yards, one touchdown) also chips in. Statistically speaking UAB has struggled stopping the run thus far. The Blazers allow 190.6 yards per game, which is 11th in the American Conference. But USF has been limited running the ball in three conference games and is coming off a non-conference game where they managed just 78 yards on 32 carries against Kent State. Bryson Rodgers and Joshua Porter are playmakers at wide receiver. The 6-foot-2, 187-pound Rodgers, who spent the past three seasons at Ohio State, leads the team with 30 catches for 334 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Rodgers’ best two games came against the best teams on the USF schedule to date. He had a combined 11 catches for 136 yards with two touchdowns in games a win over Army and a close loss at UTSA. UAB still leads the country in passing yards allowed per game (116). As usual continuing that success begins up front. Making Van Buren uncomfortable will be important for UAB defensive end Marlin Dean and the rest of the UAB defense.
When UAB has the ball: Did the way the UAB finished the win over ECU unlock the offensive potential for the Blazers? Obviously that question will be answered over time. The biggest question right now is can the UAB offense find a way to have success against an USF defense that gives up an American Conference best 15 points per game? The answer begins with establishing the running game, which is generally the first step for the UAB offense. UTSA gashed the USF defense for 277 rushing yards and Army had 219 yards on the ground against the Bulls. For the record, that’s 124 yards under the season average for Army and 92 yards over the season average for UTSA. Temple had 183 rushing yards in the Bulls only other American Conference game to date. Look for Alex Mortensen’s attempts to establish the running game with Roderick Robinson III, Bam McReynolds and Ja’Vin Simpkins. One of the biggest keys of doing that is avoiding early down tackles for loss. USF averages 7.1 tackles for loss, which is second in the American Conference and tied for 15th in the country. Getting the passing game working would be helpful in establishing the running game. Give Ryder Burton time to remain comfortable and the passing game is capable of clicking. Edge rushers Michael Williams II and C.J. Hicks are both dynamic players. The 6-foot-3, 260-pound Williams is officially listed with four sacks but Pro Football Focus credits him with five sacks, four quarterback hits and nine quarterback hurries. Hicks, a 6-foot-3, 240-pound former five-star recruit at Ohio State, is credited by PFF with two sacks, two quarterback hits and 11 quarterback hurries in five games. The Bulls also get inside pressure from 6-foot-3, 330-pound Asani Redwood and 6-foot-2, 330-pound Major Dillard, who have combined for 19 quarterback hurries. If the UAB offensive line gives Burton some time then the passing game could compile big numbers. Wide receiver C.J. Smith is coming of his best college game, Ty Mims continues to be a dependable target and Mortensen believes depth at that position will start to show soon.
Special teams: Will the top two kickers in the American Conference be at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday? It’s a matter of opinion in a conference filled with outstanding kickers. But no one has the numbers that UAB’s Jonah Delange is producing and USF’s Nico Gramatica is living up to his family’s name. Delange, who could be heading toward being a Groza Award finalist, is 17 of 19 on the season with a long of 57 yards. Gramatica is 10 of 13 with a long of 53 yards. In a game that features a pair of outstanding defenses every point will count.
Trend to follow: USF is 16-5 at home over the past four seasons, which is impressive. But, in the world of changing rosters, it’s more of what a team has done lately. The Bulls are solid at home this season but they did drop a hard-to-explain 17-13 decision to Temple at Raymond James Stadium on Oct. 3. All three of UAB’s losses have come on the road, including double deficit defeats at Illinois and Memphis. Can UAB find a way to become the second team to beat USF at home this season?
Hello my name is: Kaleb Brown. There is no doubt that Brown has the ability to be one of UAB’s top receivers. If you question that then turn on the tape of the 32-yard reception he had in the second half of the win over ECU. But injuries have held the former Ohio State and Iowa receiver back during his two seasons at UAB. Saturday would be a good time to have a great game for Brown. USF head coach Brian Hartline was the one who recruited him to Ohio State and was his receiver coach during his two seasons in Columbus.
How USF wins: Run the football with success, continue to avoid turnovers and force Ryder Burton and the UAB offense into mistakes.
How UAB wins: Play with a sense of urgency from the outset, win the turnover battle, limit penalties and keep USF quarterback Michael Van Buren Jr. uncomfortable. Passing game success would also be helpful.
Coach’s corner: The next win will move UAB a victory away from reaching bowl eligibility for the first time since 2022. Considering the shape of the program that Alex Mortensen inherited in his first full season that is a big deal. Brian Hartline inherited a program coming off three consecutive bowl game appearances.
One more thing: South Florida has scored at least 12 points in the fourth quarter of five different games this season. That is the most that a team has done that in country this season, according to the USF game notes. UAB has given up a total of three fourth quarter points in the Blazers four victories. The UAB defense allowed 21 fourth quarter points in the three losses.