UAB at Jacksonville State 9/1/21 - College Football Picks & Predictions

In Wednesday night college football action, the UAB Blazers will battle the Jacksonville State Gamecocks from the Cramton Bowl. The Blazers went 6-3 last season and defeated Marshall 22-13 in the Conference USA Championship Game. The offensive line is the strength of an offense that averaged 200 yards per game on the ground a season ago. 

UAB ranked second in the conference in total defense (311.1 ypg) and allowed just 21.4 points per game. Nine starters return on this side of the ball for the Blazers, who are absolutely loaded in the defensive backfield. Look for UAB safeties Damon Miller and Dy’jonn Turner to be elite playmakers. 

The Jacksonville State Gamecocks played football in the fall and the spring, finishing with a 10-3 overall record. Quarterback Zerrick Cooper threw for 232 against Florida State in 2020 before going down with a leg injury. The dual-threat QB Cooper leads a dynamic offense that averaged close to 200 yards per game on the ground.

Jacksonville State made huge strides on defense, allowing just 282.7 yards per contest. That was a dramatic improvement for a unit that surrendered over 500 yards per game the prior season. Defensive lineman Chris Hardie and D.J. Coleman are back after combining for 16 sacks.