Bahamas Bowl 2017: UAB vs. Ohio TV Info, Time and Odds
What is arguably college football's best story takes center stage Friday when the resurgent UAB Blazers collide with the Ohio Bobcats in the 2017 Bahamas Bowl.
UAB's football program was cut and missing in action for two years before taking the field again this year—and ripping off a program-best eight wins to earn a trip to the sunny bowl against a game opponent.
That opponent is Ohio, a seasoned team used to the bowl spotlight, though riding a major downswing in performance heading into the game. A veteran head coach like Frank Solich, though, means the Bobcats at least won't overlook the Blazers.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
In what should be an interesting tug of war between teams boasting opposing strengths, this holiday bowl action could provide quite a memorable storyline.
Bahamas Bowl 2017
Date: Friday, Dec. 22
Time (ET): 12:30 p.m. ET
Location: Thomas Robinson Stadium
Watch: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Over/Under: 57.5
Spread: Ohio (-7.5)
Team Injury Reports
UAB
- A.J. Brooks, WR, Out
- Blake McClain, DL, Out
- Skyler Clinton, TE, Out
- Thair Blakes, TE, Out
Ohio
- Keevon Harris, WR, Questionable
- Nathan Rourke, QB, Probable
- A.J. Ouellette, RB, Doubtful
- Brendan Cope, WR, Questionable
- Dorian Brown, RB, Questionable
- Sam McKnight, DL, Questionable
- Durrell Wood, OL, Out
- Jared McCray, OL, Questionable
- Jaylen Morgan, CB, Out
- Amir Miller, DL, Out
- Elijah Ball, WR, Out
- Mayne Williams, CB, Out
- Maleek Irons, RB, Out
Injury reports courtesy of USA Today.
Capping Off the Comeback
The community and students rallied around the Blazers after the shutdown in 2014 and brought the program back to life, so it's only fitting the coaches and players have qualified for a bowl after a dominant season.
There isn't much hyperbole here when looking at a scene that would fit quite well into most Hollywood scripts.
"This is the greatest comeback in college football history," UAB athletic director Mark Ingram said, according to CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd. "Nothing like this has ever happened, I believe, in college sports."
UAB secured this epic tale and chance at an exclamation point of a finish by winning four of their last five, the exception an understandable loss to Florida on the road. A.J. Erdely manages the offense under center and boasts 16 touchdowns against four interceptions alongside 13 rushing scores. The star of the show is running back Spencer Brown, a workhorse with 237 carries earning him 1,292 yards and 10 touchdowns, good for a 5.5 per-carry average.
Brown, a freshman who embodies the program's story quite well, will look to command this game and keep a potent Ohio offense off the field so the Hollywood-esque story ends the way it should.
Avoiding Becoming a Talking Point
If the Bobcats don't pull it together to close the season, they'll merely become a wave of the hand in a national storyline featuring UAB's return and triumph.
It's not what the Solich-led team is accustomed to by any means considering the team will play in a ninth bowl since 2005.
The task isn't lost on Solich, whose side has lost two in a row in 37-34 and 31-24 fashion.
"They are a great football team on the opposite side," Solich said, according to Stats LLC (via ESPN.com). "Coach Clark has done an amazing job. I know we will have to beat them because they won't beat themselves. They'll be hungry for a win just like we will be."
Ohio's offense that ranks 14th in the nation at 38.9 points per game will need to do the heavy lifting against the Blazers. Quarterback Nathan Rourke has struggled over his past two outings, though, throwing one touchdown against three interceptions. He's also second on the team in rushing with 882 yards and leads the team with 21 rushing scores.
Easier said than done—Ohio's leading rusher, A.J. Ouellette, is doubtful for the game after gaining 980 yards and seven touchdowns during the season. Backup Dorian Brown, who has 605 yards and seven touchdowns, is questionable.
Rourke will have to put the team on his back in a versatile manner to overcome the tidal wave of momentum and emotion UAB rides into this one.
Prediction
One can look at the line for this game and see oddsmakers are going with what looks like the better team.
But it's never so simple, right?
The Bobcats are easily the better team on paper. But they're also hobbled and riding a two-game losing streak. The extensive break before the bowl game isn't helping them get healthier, and Friday's game could unfold in front of a pro-UAB crowd.
Quietly, UAB only allows 24.3 points per game, and Brown shouldn't have a problem controlling the pace of this one. Look for the Blazers to win a slugfest by marching down the field late and capping off the great story.
Prediction: UAB 27, Ohio 24
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
