Heading into Thursday's season opener, many in the HBCU community foresaw that Alabama State had a chance against UAB. Typically, early-season FBS vs. FCS matchups are quick money games that could also be an opportunity to showcase standout plays on film for draft-eligible players. But, Thursday night was a statement for the Hornets, who were dangerously close to a huge upset that had the chance to shift the perception of the true contenders in the SWAC before a conference game was played.
1st Quarter
Alabama State found the end zone first courtesy of Andrew Body, who returned to the lineup after a season-ending injury derailed him last season. The action started at their own 25-yard line with 11:39 remaining in the first quarter. On the very first play, quarterback Andrew Body connected with Jalen Jones on a no-huddle shotgun pass, a quick strike that netted a 15-yard gain and moved the chains.
The momentum continued to build on the next play, a first-and-10 from the 40-yard line. Body kept the ball on a quarterback draw, finding a seam through the middle of the defense and breaking free for a spectacular 60-yard rushing touchdown.
The play unfolded with lightning speed, taking just four seconds and stunning the Blazers' defense as well as the fans in the arena and even the commentary team. The successful PAT by Andrew Abu-Akel capped off the two-play, 75-yard drive, giving the Hornets a critical early 7-3 lead.
It didn’t take long for UAB to answer. Running back Jevon Jackson kicked things off with a six-yard rush, followed by a powerful 12-yard run that moved the chains. Quarterback Jalen Kitna then found his rhythm, shaking off an incomplete pass to connect with Corri Milliner for an 11-yard gain and another first down.
The Blazers continued to march down the field methodically, converting on a 7-yard pass to Evan McCray, a 4-yard run by Isaiah Jacobs, and two more completions to Iverson Hooks, the second of which resulted in a first down at the Alabama State 22-yard line. The drive was capped off when a crucial offside penalty on the Hornets gave UAB a first-and-goal from the 8-yard line, and Kitna immediately capitalized, finding Hooks for an 8-yard touchdown pass.
The extra point was good, giving UAB the 10-7 lead and completing a masterful 12-play, 73-yard drive that consumed over four and a half minutes of clock.
2nd Quarter
But, Andrew Body and Alabama State weren’t done yet. The Hornets got a score to start the second quarter as Body threw a quick pass to Dylan Djete over the middle.
Djete caught the ball at the UAB 4-yard line and easily carried it into the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown. The explosive play, which took just four seconds, was yet another display of the Hornets' offensive firepower. Andrew Abu-Akel's successful extra point extended Alabama State's lead to 14-10. Alabama State proved this wasn’t your typical money game and they were truly in it to win it.
Again, UAB was forced to answer the touchdown and did so on their next drive. Starting from the Alabama State 49-yard line, the Blazers needed just one play to reclaim the lead. Quarterback Jalen Kitna took a no-huddle shotgun snap and delivered a perfect strike to Corri Milliner on a short left pass.
Milliner hauled in the ball and took it the rest of the way, evading defenders for a stunning 49-yard touchdown. taking only 11 seconds off the clock. After a successful extra point from Jonah Delange, UAB took a 17-14 lead, making it a back-and-forth offensive shootout.
Alabama State then kept the ball for the rest of the second half, going on a long, methodical drive that took up 8:42 of game time. However, as the drive neared its conclusion, a critical moment arose. With just 15 seconds left on the clock and facing a second-and-long, Body was sacked by Chris Burge for a six-yard loss, pushing the Hornets back to the UAB 31-yard line.
After an Alabama State timeout, Body faced a daunting third-and-20 with the clock ticking down. He rose to the occasion, however, delivering a clutch deep-middle pass to Ajai Harrell. Harrell made a spectacular catch, navigating traffic and getting into the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown with only five seconds remaining. Andrew Abu-Akel’s successful extra point put an exclamation point on the incredible drive, giving Alabama State a 21-17 lead and heading into halftime with all the momentum.
3rd Quarter
Alabama State received the opening kickoff of the third quarter and resumed their impressive offensive performance. Starting their drive at the 32-yard line, quarterback Andrew Body methodically led the Hornets down the field. The drive culminated in an offside penalty on UAB's Eamon Smalls, which moved the ball to the Blazers' 5-yard line.
After a short run by Karl Ligon that was stopped for no gain, Body faced a critical third-and-five. He delivered, hitting Asa Gregg with a perfect short pass to the left side of the end zone for a five-yard touchdown. The scoring play, which came with 10:10 on the clock, extended Alabama State's lead to 28-17 after another successful extra point from Andrew Abu-Akel.
However, UAB quickly regained momentum and took a commanding lead as the third quarter neared its conclusion. After a quick stop on defense, the Blazers started their next drive at their own 34-yard line. Despite an initial illegal block penalty that pushed them back, quarterback Jalen Kitna found his rhythm.
After a negative run, he connected with Brandon Hawkins Jr. for a massive 41-yard completion that moved the ball deep into the Hornets' territory. Two plays later, Jevon Jackson punched it in for a three-yard touchdown. UAB's two-point conversion attempt failed, but they had narrowed the gap to 28-23.
Following a stalled Alabama State drive, UAB's Solomon Beebe provided the go-ahead score, running five yards for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion by Jackson officially put the Blazers back on top, 31-28.
The turning point of the game came on the next Alabama State possession. A crucial pass interference penalty gave the Hornets a first down, but a backwards pass turned into a fumble on the next play, recovered by UAB's Devin Hightower, giving the Blazers the ball back at the Alabama State 44-yard line.
Wasting no time, Jackson broke free on the very next play for a 46-yard touchdown, blowing past the defense and extending UAB's lead to 38-28 after a successful extra point. The fumble and subsequent touchdown completely swung the momentum and had the Hornets truly on their heels for the first time in the game.
4th quarter
But, with Body at the helm of the offense, Alabama State wasn’t deterred. The Hornets took possession and went right back to work, starting at their own 45-yard line. Body efficiently connected with Asa Gregg on a short right pass for an 11-yard gain and a quick first down.
On the very next play, Body threw a deep pass down the right side to Jones, his favorite receiver, who made a fantastic catch and maneuvered 37 yards to the UAB 7-yard line. The two explosive plays set up a first-and-goal, and Jamarie Hostzclaw capitalized immediately, rushing seven yards up the middle for the touchdown.
The scoring drive, a swift response to UAB's momentum, took just 1 minute and 13 seconds off the clock, bringing the Hornets within a field goal with a 38-35 deficit. But, UAB ultimately pulled ahead and didn't look back.
UAB running back Isaiah Jacobs scored on a five-yard rush to the right side of the field. The play was initially under review to determine if the runner had broken the plane of the goal line, but the call on the field stood as a touchdown. The subsequent extra point from Jonah Delange was good.
Later in the fourth, Alabama State faced a third-and-14 from their own 31-yard line. Body connected on a deep-middle pass to Jalen Jones, who broke free for a spectacular 69-yard touchdown. The extra point from Andrew Abu-Akel was good, bringing the score to 45-42 in favor of UAB with 4:18 remaining on the clock. It seemed as if there was still hope, even as thee game hit the final two-minute timeout
Ultimately, UAB sealed the victory with a touchdown from Solomon Beebe on a seven-yard rush to the right side of the endzone. The play occurred on third-and-seven and put the final nail in the coffin. The successful extra point from Jonah Delange extended UAB's lead to 52-42 with just over a minute left, effectively icing the game.
Andrew Body had one of the finest games of his career, completing 18 of 24 attempts for 312 yards and four touchdowns, while also adding 119 yards and one touchdown on 16 rushing attempts. The Hornet offense was clicking on all cylinders and looks formidable as they look to compete for the SWAC Championship this year.
Alabama State plays a huge matchup against Southern on September 6th at 6 PM with the game airing on ESPN+.
