UAB Football Announces Series With Samford

By Steve Irvine

BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - November 13, 2025

UAB’s football team will begin next season with a non-conference game at Illinois and the Blazers also added back-to-back home games with Samford with the first one in 2026.

The Blazers were originally scheduled to play Alabama A&M in the 2026 opener on Sept. 3. But that game was removed from the schedule and the season now begins in Champaign, Illinois two days later. Bret Bielema’s Illinois team is currently 6-3, including losses to the No. 1 (Ohio State) and No. 2 (Indiana) teams in the current College Football Playoff Top 25. Bielema, who is in his fifth season at the school, is 35-24 at Illinois, including a 10-3 record in 2024 with a victory over South Carolina in the Citrus Bowl. Illinois and UAB have never played in football. UAB will be playing a Big Ten team for the first time since visiting Ohio State in 2012 and the fifth overall meeting with a Big Ten team.

The two-game series with Samford marks the first time the teams will meet on the football field since the Bulldogs beat UAB, 49-3, on Oct. 31, 1992. UAB was a Division III team at the time. UAB and Samford will play on Oct. 3 next season and are scheduled for Sept. 25 in the 2027 season. Both games will be played at Protective Stadium.

Last week, UAB and Samford announced a men’s basketball series that will include two games at Bartow Arena and another at the Pete Hanna Center. The teams will play at Bartow Arena in the 2026-27 and 2028-29 seasons and will meet at the Pete Hanna Center in 2027-28.

“We’ve been working on this for years, so I’m thrilled that we have finally been able to get it done,” said UAB athletic director Mark Ingram of the football and men’s basketball series. “I’d like to thank Martin Newton and all of our head coaches for their hard work to create flexibility in their schedules. This is going to be great for Birmingham and all of our fans.”

UAB Football

2026
Sept. 5 – at Illinois
Sept. 12 – ULM
Sept. 19 – at Louisiana
Oct. 3 – Samford
TBA – Charlotte*
TBA – East Carolina*
TBA – Navy*
TBA – UTSA*
TBA – at Memphis*
TBA – at North Texas*
TBA – at South Florida*
TBA – at Temple*
Home Games in Bold | *American Conference

2027
Sept. 11 – Jacksonville State
Sept. 18 – at Georgia State
Sept. 25 – Samford