Sept. 27, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- With its first win of the season in the books, the UAB football team will now look to Saturday night's contest at South Carolina.

Kickoff at Williams-Brice Stadium is set for 7:00 pm. EDT.

The Blazers, who defeated Alabama State in convincing fashion (45-10) last Saturday, will be playing their second Southeastern Conference opponent in the past three weeks. UAB fell at Tennessee two weeks ago.

For UAB (1-3), it will be the Blazers' final non-conference game of the regular season and also their last action before resuming Conference USA play with next Thursday's home game against Memphis.

UAB will be taking on a 2-2 Gamecock team that won its last game (23-13 over Wofford) and is playing its fourth home game in the first five of the season.

South Carolina has shown one of the nation's top defenses through the first month of the season as the Gamecocks are ranked ninth in total defense (225.0 yards allowed per game) and No. 1 in pass defense, yielding only 96.2 yards per contest.

UAB head coach Neil Callaway knows his team will face a challenge in going against the South Carolina defensive unit.

"Getting ready for South Carolina, they're by far the most physical defensive football team we'll play all year, not only up front, but the secondary will come get you, too," Callaway said. "They are a big, strong, physical football team.

"Offensively, we're going to have a tremendous challenge to be able to move the ball and score some points. But I do think we're a good enough unit offensively that if we execute and do what we're capable of doing, we ought to be able to get some points."

The Blazers will counter with an offense that has made huge strides since the 2007 season when it ranked No. 105 in the country in total offense and 104th in rushing offense (110 ypg). Through the first four games UAB is now ranked 41st nationally in total offense and 35th in rushing offense.

The Blazers concluded the '07 campaign as Conference USA's last-ranking team in rushing. UAB is first in this week's conference statistics.

Of course, much of the credit for the offensive surge lies with junior quarterback Joe Webb. Webb has been an offensive threat for the Blazers both on the ground and through the air.

His 401 rushing yards thus far are the best of any quarterback in the nation. He averages 325 yards in total offense to rank No. 9 in the country in this week's NCAA statistics.

Webb has also had wide receiver Frantrell Forrest as a formidable weapon. Forrest has 25 receptions for 335 yards in the first four games. He is No. 8 in the nation in all-purpose yardage.

Defensively, while the overall numbers for the season still aren't where the Blazers want them to be, UAB has made improvements the past couple weeks in games against Tennessee and Alabama State. The Blazers have registered three interceptions in the past two contests.

The game will be carried on the Blazers ISP Sports Network, WWMM 100.5 FM radio. David Crane will be on the air beginning at 4:30 p.m. CDT with pre-game coverage. In addition to the radio coverage, the game will also be available on television through ESPN GamePlan.

In addition the game will be streamed live nationally on ESPN360.com -- ESPN's signature broadband sports TV network. The game is available completely free to any student on campus (in fact, to any student on any U.S. college campus -- nearly 18 million people.