Steve Irvine’s UAB vs Memphis Game PReview
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - October 17, 2025
MEMPHIS (6-0 overall, 2-0 American) VS. UAB (2-4 overall, 0-3 American)
PROTECTIVE STADIUM
SATURDAY, 3 P.M. CST, ESPN2
When Memphis has the ball: Statistically speaking, forcing the Tigers to throw the football just might be the best option. Statistics don’t often tell the truth. Quarterback Brendon Lewis is capable of winning games with his arm. In the first six games, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound redshirt senior, who played at Colorado and Nevada before coming to Memphis, was 105-of-154 (68.2 percent) for 1,269 yards with eight touchdowns and four interceptions. Memphis has a dynamic receiver in redshirt senior Cortez Braham Jr., who also came to Memphis from Nevada. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound Braham has 24 catches for 408 yards with five touchdowns, including a 73-yard scoring reception. Jamari Hawkins is also a solid receiver with 20 catches for 349 yards. Memphis threw for a season-high 266 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in a win over Tulsa on Oct. 4, which is the Tigers’ most recent game. So, the UAB defense, which is 134th in the country in passing efficiency defense, will have to respect the passing game. However, what really makes the Memphis offense purr is running game that includes a heavy dose of Lewis, along with running backs Sutton Smith and Greg Derosiers Jr. Smith has a team-high 454 yards on 70 carries with six touchdowns. Lewis has 79 carries for 425 yards with seven touchdowns while Derosiers has 315 yards on 46 carries with four touchdowns. As a team, Memphis is 10th in the country with 238.7 rushing yards per game. This will be the fourth time that UAB has faced a top 25 rushing team. The Blazers already played No. 1 (Navy), No. 2 (Army) and No. 22 (Tennessee) in that category and they have No. 20 (Rice) and No. 24 (South Florida) coming up. Put the run-pass success together and Memphis is 13th in the country in scoring offense (40.5 points per game). “They're a good run team and they got athletes all over all over the chart,” said UAB safety AJ Brown. “At the end of the day we just got to match up our guys up and see what the result is.”
When UAB has the ball: Winning the battle up front is imperative for UAB to have any success against what is probably the American Conference’s best defensive unit. Now, that’s not exactly breaking news. The goal every week for every team is win the battle up front. In this case, though, a large reason for Memphis’ defensive success comes from their ability to control the line of scrimmage and allow their linebackers and safeties opportunities to make big plays. “Almost on every snap, they're in the backfield. somebody's in the backfield,” said UAB offensive coordinator and interim head coach Alex Mortensen. Memphis is second in the conference and 11th in the country in tackles for loss per game (7.7). The leaders in that category are Mike linebacker Sam Brumfield and safety Chris Bracy, who each have six, and Will linebacker Everett Roussaw Jr. (5.5). Bracy and Roussaw are transfers from UAB. Memphis has just 10 sacks but they have been able to get quarterbacks from being comfortable because of the pressure they produce. UAB quarterback Jalen Kitna was sacked five times and pressured 17 times, according to Pro Football Focus, in last week’s loss at FAU. The Blazers have to do a better job on Saturday of keeping the quarterback from taking hits. One way to do that is establishing a running game to slow down the pressure. Of course, that’s been the objective each week and the Blazers are 118th in the country (106.5 yards per game) in rushing offense. Perhaps Mortensen will put more of an emphasis on running the football now that he will be solely responsible for calling plays.
Special teams: An uncharacteristic ragged night for the UAB special teams included seven special team penalties in the loss at FAU. That can’t happen again. Special teams need to be a strength – which is possible – if UAB has any chance to knock off undefeated Memphis.
Hello my name is: The Battle for the Bones Trophy. At one time, the 94-pound trophy was safely tucked away in the quaint UAB football building of the past. UAB won the trophy in 2006, which was the first year of its existence, lost it the following year and held on to it from 2009-11. Memphis needed only three wins in the series to hold it from 2012 until today. Will it head back to Memphis on the Tigers team bus on Saturday?
Trend to follow: Memphis has been good at creating turnovers with nine interceptions and three fumble recoveries. The interception total is tied for 6th in the country with DeMarco Ward and Kamari Wilson each leading the way with two. The Tigers are 20th in the country in turnover margin with 12 takeaways and seven giveaways. UAB, on the other hand, is 112th in the country with eight giveaways and four takeaways. UAB has lost the turnover battle by a combined 8-0 against Memphis in 2023 and 2024.
How Memphis wins: Simply put, if Memphis plays like the Tigers have played thus far they should win the game. There is a reason Memphis is a 21-point favorite. But they still have to play the game.
How UAB wins: Win the line of scrimmage, decisively win the turnover battle and capitalize on red zone opportunities. Most of all it includes the defense finding a way to have success, starting with the opening drive. This would be a good time to finally make a first series defensive stop.
Coach’s corner: The game management process will be intriguing to watch on the UAB sideline. Alex Mortensen faces a big adjustment in his first game of adding interim head coach to his offensive coordinator duties.
One more thing: Unfortunately, the timing of Trent Dilfer’s firing took attention away from one of the best new traditions in college football. UAB is honoring the children of Children’s Harbor for the 9th annual Children’s Harbor Game. The game was born in 2017 under the watch of former UAB head coach Bill Clark and continues to thrive today. “This is actually my first time actually being able to play in the game,” said UAB running back Isaiah Jacobs, who missed the past two Children’s Harbor games because of an injury. “It's really exciting. You know, the kid that I had last year, he'll be there again and I have a new kid this year. But it's always fun because you get to play for something bigger than yourself. You can really feel the love from the families, before and after the game and see how much it means to them. It just brings a light to not only their families, but to us and the city of Birmingham.”