UAB is officially going bowling, hitting that six-win threshold for the first time since their 2022 season in Conference USA. This isn’t just a small step; it’s their first time reaching eligibility since joining the American Conference, and it comes on the heels of their most dominant performance yet, a 36-10 road thrashing of Temple on Saturday.
Mortensen’s Crew Is Rolling
This UAB squad, under head coach Alex Mortensen in his first full season, is on an absolute tear, boasting a 6-4 overall record and a 4-2 conference standing after Week 11. They’ve won three of their last four games, and get this, *all three* of those victories came by double digits. Talk about taking care of business! The real gem on their résumé for 2026 has to be that nationally televised Thursday night showcase back on October 15, when they pulled off a huge 30-17 overtime victory against a tough 6-4 East Carolina team. Thanks to that critical tiebreaker, the Blazers are sitting pretty at fourth in the conference standings, only trailing UTSA, Memphis, and North Texas.
Grantham’s Game-Changing D
You want to know the secret sauce for this drastic improvement? Look no further than their defense. Veteran defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, brought in by Mortensen on December 30, 2025, has completely transformed this unit. Just look at these numbers: in 2025, UAB’s scoring defense was ranked 135th nationally, giving up a brutal 38.3 points per game. This year? They’ve shot up to 52nd, holding opponents to a much more respectable 22.4 points per game. Their total defense tells an even crazier story, skyrocketing from 119th (423 yards allowed per game) to an incredible 18th in the nation, surrendering just 293 yards per game. The most mind-blowing stat? UAB currently boasts the No. 1 passing defense in the entire FBS, giving up a microscopic 118 yards per game on a mere 55.3 percent completion rate. That’s just unreal!
They’ve still got UTSA and North Texas on the schedule, two more chances to grab some statement wins in Mortensen’s debut full year. After that? It’s their seventh bowl game in program history. They’re sitting at 3-3 all time in bowls, with the last W coming in the 2022 Bahamas Bowl over Miami (OH). This UAB squad is for real, and they’re just getting started.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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