BOCA RATON – UAB has a story to tell.
Just four years ago the football program was shut down in 2014, the Blazers finished off a dream season in the Boca Raton Bowl.
UAB was the favorite coming into tonight’s matchup against Northern Illinois, and showed it early and often as to why. The Blazers scored on the game’s first play, a 1-play, 70-yard drive from scrimmage on a pass from Tyler Johnston III to Xavier Ubosi.
With the extra point, UAB took a 7-0 lead.
A 25-yard field goal by Nick Vogel increased the Blazers lead to 10-0 as the Huskies defense was able to hold in the red zone.
Three-and-outs would be exchanged for much of latter part of the first quarter. NIU made a breakthrough with 30 seconds left in the first quarter on a short touchdown run by Tre Harbison – followed by an extra point – to make it 10-7.
On the opening drive of the second quarter, UAB’s Spencer Brown scored his first career receiving touchdown from Johnston III from three yards out. With the extra point, UAB’s lead was extended 17-7.
The Huskies would get on the board midway through the second on a 27-yard field goal by Andrew Gantz to close the scoring gap.
Johnston III and Ubosi connected for the second time on a 46-yard pass where Ubosi was wide open down the left sideline. The Blazers defense would get the offense the ball late in the second on a fumble recovery to set up a 35-yard field by Vogel.
UAB (11-3) tallied 313 yards of total offense in the first half along with a 27-10 lead.
The Johnston III and Ubosi Show would continue in the second half as they connected for their third touchdown of the night on a 66-yard pass. With yet another extra point, the score was 34-13 with a little over five minutes left in the third frame.
Ubosi tallied three touchdowns and 227 yards after his last touchdown in the third.
UAB’s Vogel nailed his third field goal of the night from 42 yards out to break the Boca Bowl’s longest field goal record. He made the score 37-13, which would be the game’s final score.
BOCA RATON BOWL MOST VALUABLE PLAYERS
Offensive MVP: Ubosi with 7 catches for 227 yards and three touchdowns
Defensive MVP: Anthony Rush with five tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and a sack
