Memphis absolutely throttled UAB 38-13 on Saturday, tearing through the Blazers with a dominant 28-0 run in the second half to snatch back the coveted Battle for the Bones trophy. This wasn’t just another win; it was a statement after last year’s upset by interim coach Alex Mortensen that left Memphis reeling and dropped them from CFP contention. You could tell those barbecue ribs were on the Tigers’ minds, even with a largely new roster.
UAB’s Halftime Hope Crushed
Man, for a minute there, it looked like UAB was ready to pull off another shocker. Their vastly improved defense, under first-year coordinator Todd Grantham, totally locked down what’s usually an explosive Memphis offense in the first half. UAB even kicked things off with a score on their opening drive, and star kicker Jonah Delange was just draining kicks from everywhere, hitting a 49-yarder AND a monster 57-yarder. That gave the Blazers a 13-10 lead heading into halftime, on the road no less! After last October’s upset that secured Mortensen the full-time gig and sent Memphis spiraling, you had to wonder if history was about to repeat itself.
The 28-0 Run That Flipped Everything
Whatever Memphis coach Charles Huff said at halftime, it worked, because the Tigers came out swinging! They scored four touchdowns in a wild five-possession sequence. Jaylin Carter, who was an absolute beast with a game-high 132 rushing yards, kicked off the scoring frenzy with a 24-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Then, quarterback Marcus Stokes dropped a dime, connecting on a 45-yard deep shot to a wide-open Tychaun Chapman, giving Memphis a 24-13 cushion. In the fourth, tight end Hunter Tipton even took a direct snap for a short wildcat touchdown, before Stokes put the final nails in the coffin, finding the other tight end, Aidan O’Callaghan, for the score that sealed a 25-point victory. Stokes didn’t even need a ton of completions, just 11 on 21 attempts, showing how much Carter and the run game were the real stars. But you gotta give Stokes credit, he took incredible care of the ball, pushing his touchdown to interception ratio to 16-to-3 with his third straight interception-free performance. On the flip side, UAB just couldn’t hold onto the ball, coughing it up three times (one interception, two fumbles) which led directly to 10 easy Memphis points. The Tigers’ defense was stifling too, only allowing two touchdowns in two conference matchups this season. Defensive end J’Mond Tapp made a huge play with a sack and a fumble recovery, and strong safety Dylan Smith added six tackles and his third interception of the season.
UAB (3-3, 1-1 American) definitely dropped their first conference matchup of 2026, and while they still hold an 11-8 all-time series lead in this rivalry, those ribs are heading back to Memphis. The Tigers are now sitting pretty at 5-1 overall and a perfect 2-0 in American conference play under first-year head coach Charles Huff, making it their third straight season starting 5-1 or better through six games. Memphis is also on the fringe of bowl eligibility for the 13th-straight season, which would extend the longest active streak in the American. UAB’s got to flush that brutal second-half performance fast, because they’re back home for a Thursday night matchup against East Carolina. Get ready!
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.
Leave a Reply