The UAB Blazers will shut down their football program and fire their athletic director, according to a report by Sports Illustrated.
Speculation over the future of the UAB football program has grown over the last couple of months, and it appears it will come to an end in an announcement that is expected later this week.
First-year head coach Bill Clark told ESPN today that he expects the UAB program to be shuttered.
“I think it’s going to happen,” said Clark. “Unless something changes before the weekend ends, I think it’s over. I think the odds are very high it ends this week. To shut the doors? That’s sad.”
UAB began playing football in 1991 in NCAA Division III. After two seasons there, the Blazers moved up to Division II in 1993 before reaching Division I in 1996. The Blazers played two seasons as an Independent before joining their first, and current, conference, Conference USA in 1999.
In 24 seasons, UAB has complied an overall record of 117-150-2 (.439). The Blazers have played in one post-season game, the 2004 Hawaii Bowl, and they lost 59-40 to Hawaii.
This season, under new head coach Bill Clark, the Blazers finished 6-6 and are bowl-eligible for the third time overall and the first time since ’04. Currently, it’s unknown whether UAB would accept an invite to a bowl if offered.
If the UAB football program is shut down, Conference USA will again have an open slot and the move will also affect the future football schedules of several teams.
Conference USA, currently at 13 members, was set to move to 14 teams next season with the addition of the Charlotte 49ers. If UAB is not around, the conference will again be at 13 teams like they are this season.
If C-USA still wants to move to a 14-team league without UAB, some FCS schools likely to garner interest include James Madison and Liberty. Some pundits have also suggested a few current Sun Belt schools, such as Arkansas State, Georgia State, South Alabama, Texas State, and UL Lafayette.
As far as future schedules, UAB is currently slated to open the 2015 season against the Tennessee Volunteers at LP Field in Nashville. The game isn’t a neutral-site kickoff game, but rather a Tennessee home game “moved” to Nashville.
Tennessee could be left scrambling for a new opponent and it would be tough as they already have an FCS opponent lined up (Western Carolina on Sept. 19).
In 2015, UAB is also scheduled to host Georgia State and South Alabama and travel to Troy. At first glance, you would think those four teams could just play each other. But that would require more shuffling because their playable dates don’t match up.
For the 2016 season, which is the farthest that UAB has games scheduled, the Blazers have four games under contract. They are scheduled to open the season at Kentucky, travel to South Alabama, host Troy, and later visit Georgia State.
More should be known about the future of UAB football later this week, but fans, students, players, and more aren’t happy about the possibility of losing the team.
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Bowling Green has an open date on September 5th and only 3 non-conf games of their 4 filled for next season
I hope a bowl invites them, preferably a regional bowl like the NO bowl, Independence bowl,
How do you discuss potential C-USA additions without mentioning the top mid-major program in Alabama - Troy?. Not that C-USA is any better than the Sun belt, but I suppose perception matters.
Troy has facilities now that are better than what most C-USA schools have. It is a powerhouse (except for the last couple of years) in the Sun Belt, would come in with one of the best baseball programs and has good softball, golf and women's soccer programs. Basketball is rebuilding with new coaches on both sides. Football just brought in one of the best OCs in the country as head coach. The basketball arena is new and state of the art. The 30,000-seat football stadium is state of the art and being expanded into a bowl with new suites, large video boards, meeting rooms, locker rooms offices, weight training, fan seating and more. South Alabama is brand new to football with no stadium of its own.
Troy won't get into the CUSA in a million years. The CUSA wants markets, first off, and if they stay in Alabama they will want South Alabama who has Mobile. Facilities at USA are fine, and team success is another factor in football where South Alabama is currently better. That being said, there is a good chance they add someone outside of the state. Georgia State comes to mind, bringing the Atlanta market.
Troy has the least chance to be added to the CUSA of anyone in the Sun Belt aside from New Mexico State, Idaho, and probably UL Monroe.
Umass should replace them as an FB member only, as they are leaving the MAC in FB only after 2015.
Therefore, the C-USA would have an even number of teams in FB and all other sports.
The driving distance from UMass to ODU is about the same as UTEP to UTSA.
UMass in an independent now. They wouldn't go into that conference if their life depended upon it. Look at their quality schedules planned for the future.
Being an independent just isn't sustainable for UMass. They need the conference revenue.
CUSA has 13 teams right now. They would probably be quite happy to remain at 12.
They got Charlotte coming in next year, so they're back at 13.
This is indeed very sad, there is no reason why this should even be happening. I don't see UAB being a treat to Alabama at all. I don't understand why the board members allowed this to happen, may be because the UAB was growing to fast? I hope in the future UAB can control there own athletics & bring the football team back. Alabama & Auburn football do & always will rule the state of Alabama, UAB would never even reach what both these schools have accomplished over the last century. But to live in fear because your afraid of UAB sir pasting is nuts, sounds like politics working at its finest.
C-USA should grab UMass after the 2015 season. I seriously doubt any of those other schools listed will go, especially with Liberty's religious affiliations. With Charlotte coming in 2015 and if they grab UMass for 2016, that would put C-USA back to 14 football schools.
Liberty would go. C-USA is a perfect fit for them. They have a geographic rival in ODU, and C-USA has a huge footprint nationally that would draw them in. They want to be known nationally, and the geographic diversity of C-USA would be a positive. They have the facilities and the money (net assets over $1 Billion, and an online program so large it just injects money in) to make the move to FBS rather quickly. Plus, Liberty has a rather large TV network (10 million homes) that would help grow C-USA's coverage. Also, in 2012, Falwell said if Liberty is extended an invitation, they would make a decision within 48 hours. Only a school like Liberty can offer that kind of immediate decision.
I agree that it is sad to see petty jealousies from the most well funded university football program (Alabama) in the United States take out UAB's football program just because they can control the Board of Regents in Alabama politically. This is BULLYING by the Good Ole Boys!!
The article states that Troy, South Alabama, and Georgia St., the 2015 non-conference games for UAB, could just play each other if only their open/available dates matched up. But there is another issue: they are all in the Sun Belt and are probably already scheduled to play each other.
CUSA will not let UMass join unless its all sports. But I think they would be wise to be proactive in bringing in a new member. My bets would be on Texas State or Arkansas State. This also keeps them geographically in the South, as I believe the next time The American (AAC) comes calling it will be for Southern Miss or Rice.
Teams can play each other more than once in a season, Idaho and NMSU had a home-and-home in place for last season but then Idaho changed their home game to Texas State and NMSU to ULL upon gaining affiliate membership to the SBC.
This is sad on so many levels. I work at UAB and my daughter goes to school here. She is involved in the band that will certainly lose out along with the players, staff and other kids that are involved in athletics here. Many on scholarships and now lose that. They will leave UAB due to the tuition costs, location and lack of school spirit with loss of the programs. Just does not make sense. I have been here 28 years and work for the hospital. Our own department requires the approval of the Board of Trustees for Hospital projects. This has always been the case of their hands in our "pots". They never wanted this program to succeed and honestly was suprised it was not squashed last year. But they are working very hard and it shows. We were at all games last year and this year. This year is a whole new environment. Lots show up. Most could not afford to go to an Alabama or Auburn game. There was lots of spirit. Lots of love for their team. I pray this is not the end for UAB. Just too sad.