The UAB football program is fully emerged in the Trent Dilfer era and the Blazers started it off right with a 28-6 victory over North Carolina A&T, Thursday, Aug. 31, at Protective Stadium in Birmingham.

The attendance was announced at 25,363 for the 2023 season opener against the Aggies.

UAB outgained the North Carolina A&T 458-163 on offense and racked up six sacks and a turnover on defense.

Jacob Zeno started the game and finished 38-of-41 for 291 yards and three touchdowns, including five carries for 31 yards, and Jermaine Brown Jr. amassed 80 yards and two rushing scores on 10 total touches.

Isaiah Jacobs produced 45 total yards on 14 touches and Tejhaun Palmer led the receiving effort with four catches for 35 yards and a score. TJ Jones added two receptions for 41 yards and a touchdown, followed by Iverson Hooks with three for 14 yards and a score and true freshman Amare Thomas had three catches for 15 yards.

Jackson Bratton led the defense with a career-high 12 tackles (2 for loss) and two sacks, and Mac McWilliams, Michael Moore and Kevin Penn registered five tackles each with the latter adding his own sack. True freshman linebacker Everett Roussaw recorded a sack as well.

Quick and Efficient Offense

UAB’s offensive evolution was on display Thursday and it was evident from the opening drive of the game. The Blazers marched 81 yards in 13 plays, displaying a quick tempo and decisiveness, and capped the opening drive with a 10-yard touchdown run by Brown.

The ensuing UAB possession was just as effective as its initial drive and took a 14-3 lead on Brown’s second rushing score of the game. Brown and Jacobs combined for 25 yards on the first six players of the series and Zeno completed four straight passes before Brown scurried into the end zone on a 4-yard run.

The Blazers forced their way across midfield on the third offensive drive of the game but Tejhaun Palmer fumbled at the end of an 18-yard catch-and-run. Following a three-and-out from its defensive counterparts, the offense quickly drove 75 yards — aided by a 16-yard catch from true freshman Amare Thomas — and took a 21-3 on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Zeno to Palmer.

In the second half, UAB was held to a three-and-out on its initial possession but scored on a 34-yard pass from Zeno to TJ Jones more than halfway through the third quarter. The Blazers drove across the field once more, even as far as the 1-yard line, but consecutive negative plays negated the opportunity and Matt Quinn missed a chip-shot field-goal attempt. Zeno would add his third passing score of the night in the final minute on a 4-yard pass to Hooks.

To put UAB’s offensive prowess into perspective, the Blazers’ running game owned a 53.7 share of production last season but only 42.3 percent in the 2023 season opener with the aerial assault creating a more balanced attack. Zeno even completed 20 straight passes at one point while connecting with 13 different receivers in the game.