Sept. 20, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB football team returns to Legion Field for the first time in three weeks here Saturday as the Blazers play host to in-state foe Alabama State.

UAB (0-3) is looking for its first win of the season after early-season losses to Conference USA opponent Tulsa in the opener, followed by back-to-back road setbacks the past two weeks to Florida Atlantic and Tennessee.

Kickoff Saturday for the Blazers/Hornets tilt is 3:00 p.m. CDT.

Junior quarterback Joe Webb and sophomore receiver Frantrell Forrest have been the biggest weapons on a Blazer offense that enters Saturday's averaging 390 yards per contest.

Webb is No. 12 nationally in total offense through three games with an average of 312 yards. Forrest is seventh in Conference USA in both receptions and receiving yardage and is sixth in the NCAA statistics in all-purpose yardage. improvement, especially in the first half when the Blazers trailed by a 14-point margin. In addition, UAB registered its first two interceptions of the game as senior Kevin Sanders and redshirt freshman Marquis Coleman had picks.

"Again, we are disappointed with a loss," head coach Neil Callaway said, "although I did see improvement in our football team, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. We made a lot of progress. We played fairly well the first half. The second half, as the game went on, we wore down."

Callaway said that while the results have not reflected success, his team has continued to work hard and is headed down the right road.

We are going through a gut check of ourselves. How much do we believe, and how committed are we? I don't have a magic wand to make it go away or win a football game. The only thing I know to do is to keep working and pulling together. As long as we do that, we are going to get this thing turned around. To our team's credit, I have been pleased with our attitude and effort to this point. I feel good about the future this year. I do still think we are going to win some football games. I know we are doing things the right way."

The game will be carried on the Blazers ISP Sports Network with flagship station WWMM 100.5 FM radio airing the broadcast. David Crane will call the action with programming to begin at 1:30 p.m. CT.

NOTE: Prior to the game from 1:30-2:30 at Blazer Village, world champion "eater" Takeru Kobayashi will compete in the Krystal Square Off V World Hamburger Easting Championship. Kobayashi will be matched against several competitors in the regional qualifier as he looks to advance to face his rival, the reigning hamburger world champion and record holder Joey Chestnut. Both Kobayashi and Chestnut have gained notoriety for their July 4th hot dog eating battles at Coney Island.