The UAB football team found itself on a familiar path early but found resolve in the second half for a 34-24 victory over Temple, Saturday, Nov. 18, at Birmingham’s Protective Stadium.

Jacob Zeno finished 20-for-28 passing for 246 yards and a touchdown and added 23 rushing yards while getting sacked twice.

Jermaine Brown Jr. had a season-high 153 yards on 20 carries, along with a touchdown and five receptions for 20 yards. The senior running back moves into third place on UAB’s all-time rushing list (2,962 yards) and set the program record for career receptions by a running back (94). Lee Beebe contributed 70 yards and a score on 10 rushing attempts and Demetrius Battle had three carries for 12 yards and a touchdown.

Tejhaun Palmer eclipsed the century mark for the fourth time this season, finishing with eight receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown, and true freshmen Corri Milliner and Amare Thomas combined on two catches for 65 yards.

Keondre Swoopes led the Blazers with seven tackles and a pass breakup and Damien Miller and Jackson Bratton had six tackles each. Desmond Little and Fish McWilliams each recorded a sack and Ricky Lee III grabbed his second interception of the season to seal the game on Temple’s final possession.

Defensive Adjustments

UAB gave up 256 yards to the Owls in the first half but more importantly, it allowed three drives of more than 74 yards and two drives of more than 12 plays. Temple scored only twice between those possessions and both touchdown plays combined for 118 yards of the Owl’s first-half yardage total. The Blazers also allowed a 50 percent third-down conversion rate and Temple to go 2-of-2 on fourth-down conversions in the first 30 minutes of action.

The second half saw UAB make the necessary defensive adjustments and the Blazers forced a three-and-out and another punt on the first two Temple drives before taking their first lead on a 3-yard touchdown run by senior running back Demetrius Battle. The Owls were able to score on its next two possessions to tie the game each time but went three-and-out following a go-ahead 26-yard field goal by UAB’s Matt Quinn. Senior defensive lineman Fish McWilliams made the most impactful defensive play in sacking E.J. Warner on Temple’s second possession of the second half, leading to a punt and UAB’s go-ahead score in the third quarter.

The Blazers increased its advantage to 10 points on their final drive of the game and true freshman Ricky Lee III ended the final Temple threat by intercepting E.J. Warner inside the 10-yard line with less than two minutes remaining in the game. UAB held the Owls to 122 total yards, a 1-of-7 performance on third down and only 29 plays in the second half, while amassing 281 yards and 24 points of its own.