By David Walsh
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The University of Alabama-Birmingham got big efforts from running back Spencer Brown, wide receiver Trea Shropshire, quarterback Tyler Johnston III, kicker Dan Quinn and its pass defense to capture the 2020 Ryan Conference USA Football Championship on Friday night at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.
Brown ran for 149 yards on 30 carries, Shropshire caught five passes for a career-best 180 yards, Johnston threw for 252 yard and two scores, Quinn booted three field goals and the Blazers more than contained Marshall’s passing attack to ring up a 22-13 victory to give the visitors their second title in the last three years.
After the game, the Blazers took part in the trophy presentation while wearing C-USA championship T-shirts and hats. Both title wins have been on the road. Brown was voted game most valuable player, his second. He got the first in 2018.
“Guys step up and make plays,” UAB coach Bill Clark said shortly after taking a Gatorade bath. “Hats off to them.”
It was Marshall’s second straight loss at home and second in three title games.
The clincher for UAB came when Johnston found Shropshire for a 71-yard TD with 4:02 left in the game. The Herd had a defensive holding call on the play, but the Blazers declined and took the score.
The TD proved to be the ideal response to the Herd’s 70-yard TD pass from qb Grant Wells to Xavier Gaines, who got wide open down the middle as the Blazers missed on coverage.
Quinn also connected on a 48-yard field goal with 5:55 left and a 12-7 lead before the Herd struck for its one big play.
The UAB defense limited the Herd to 138 yards passing by Wells – zero in the first half — and 130 rushing with Brenden Knox leading with 67.
“It’s fully on me,” Wells, redshirt freshman from Charleston, said about starting 0-for-10 before his first completion midway through the third period. “The routes were good enough.”
Doc Holliday said the Herd just didn’t come through this night compared to its first seven games.
“We didn’t play well enough as a football team to win this game,” Holliday said. “We did not make plays as a team. We (defense) were on the field way too much. After the TD (to Gaines) I thought we had momentum. Then they come back right. Made more plays than we did.”
This was just UAB’s second game in a six-week stretch. The Blazers had four straight games canceled due to COVID-19 protocols and then beat Rice last Saturday to secure the West Division crown. They are 6-3 and Marshall falls to 7-2.
The first completion for Wells came with 7:49 left in third period, a 9-yarder to Artie Henry. He later found Henry for a 7-yard TD and put life back in the quiet crowd.
UAB led 9-0 at half meaning the Herd had gone six straight quarters without scoring. In its previous game, Rice had blanked Marshall, 20-0. Needless to say, the home team heard some boos from fans as players and coaches went to the locker room.
On defense, the Blazers gave up very little. Their pass defense held the Herd without a completion, making it 0-for-11. Wells threw 10 straight incompletions and Gaines had his only attempt picked off.
UAB had more than 200 yards in total offense. The Herd had 80 total yards, all rushing and none passing which is quite rare for a Marshall offense.
Marshall now leads series 8-3 with the Blazers getting their first win in Huntington.
UAB is the first school to play in 3 straight C-USA Championship games. All three of those appearances have been played away.
Since C-USA began conference championship in 2005, the host school is 11-5 all-time.