UAB Football Holds Spring Game, 1st Time on Field Since Shutting Program Down

The University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers held their spring game Saturday afternoon as the program returned to the gridiron for the first time since it ceased operations in December 2014.

According to ESPN.com's Alex Scarborough, the Blazers' Green team defeated the Gold team 49-7 in front of more than 7,000 fans at Legion Field. AL.com's Joseph Goodman reported the crowd of 7,822 represented a record for the program's spring game.

"It brings tears to my eyes," Blazers head coach Bill Clark said, per Goodman.

"It goes without saying just what a great feeling, what an emotional feeling it was to get off that bus and see that unbelievable crowds at 11 o'clock on a Saturday," Clark added, according to Scarborough. "For our fans, alumni, recruits and former players to be out here was amazing."

Although UAB shut down its football program at the end of the 2014 season, it announced seven months later that the team would return to the field beginning in 2017.

Now back in action, the Blazers will attempt to pick up where they left off and build on the 6-6 record they finished with in 2014. At the time, those six wins represented the Blazers' most in a season since 2004.

UAB will kick off its 2017 season at Legion Field on Sept. 2 against the Alabama A&M Bulldogs as it seeks its first winning campaign in 13 years.