Feb. 26, 2008

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ----- The UAB football team will kick off the 2008 season and head coach Neil Callaway¹s second season with road games at Tennessee and Florida Atlantic before returning home for the first of five games at Legion Field, according to the full schedule announced Tuesday.

The Blazers will face a formidable challenge with three road games before the month of October. In addition to the game in Knoxville against the Volunteers (Aug. 30) and against Florida Atlantic (Sept. 6), UAB will also face a second Southeastern Conference opponent in South Carolina (Sept. 27).

The Blazers are 0-2 all-time vs. Tennessee, having last played the Vols in the 2005 season opener. Tennessee edged UAB in a low-scoring affair in that contest, 17-10. The Blazers are 0-1 against the Gamecocks and will be facing a Steve Spurrier-coached team for the first time.

When the Blazers open their home slate at Legion Field on Sept. 13 vs. Alabama State, it will be UAB¹s third meeting all-time vs. the Hornets and first since moving to the Division I-A ranks in 1996. The Blazers will have an open date (Sept. 20) following the Alabama State game.

Following the contest with South Carolina, UAB will then look ahead to its Conference USA opener coming up at home on Thursday, Oct. 2 against Memphis. UAB travels to Houston for the first time since the 2003 season a week later on Oct. 11. The Blazers return to Legion Field on Oct. 18 as they seek their first victory over Marshall. The Thundering Herd is 3-0 against UAB.

A week later, UAB travels to Southern Mississippi, taking on the Golden Eagles on Oct. 25 before an open date on Nov. 1. On Nov. 8, Tulsa makes its first-ever trip to Legion Field to play the Blazers before a game at Tulane on Nov. 15.

The Blazers close out their 2008 home schedule on Nov. 22 when East Carolina comes to Birmingham. UAB finishes the regular season with a contest at UCF on Nov. 29.