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THE CAMPUS GAZETTE
UAB UNIVERSITY NEWSPAPER

Saturday October 19th, 2013

TOTAL DOMINATION
UNDEFEATED BLAZERS ROUTE KENTUCKY 59-14

(DEFENSIVE LINEMEN MARCUS LEAK AND BRANDON RICHARDSON ATTEMPT TO SACK KENTUCKY'S QUARTERBACK SATURDAY AFTERNOON)

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ASSOCIATED PRESS_:


LEXINGTON, KY -- Roderick Brook's 92-yard kickoff return sparked the No. 3-ranked (BCS) UAB football team to its largest margin of victory in the 2013 with a 45 point victory, on Saturday in Common-Wealth Stadium. The Blazers, who have won four road games and defeated four ranked opponents this season, led 31-7 at halftime and outgained Kentucky in the second half, 239-91, while outscoring the Wildcats 28-7.

(BROOK'S OUT RUNS THE KENTUCKY KICKOFF TEAM FOR THIS 92 YARD TOUCHDOWN RETURN IN THE SECOND QUARTER)

In the end, UAB extended its consecutive double-digit margins of victory to three straight.
The return home for a bye week before a game considered to be for the SEC East title at home against Georgia (5-2, 4-1) on November 2nd.

UAB (8-0, 5-0 SEC) started its SEC East slate 2-0, as the Blazers won all both contests against South Carolina and now Kentucky.
Kentucky fell to 1-7 overall and 0-5 in SEC play.
Brook's helped UAB break open a 17-7 game late in the second quarter with the big return, his third of the season which is tops in the NCAA. Two plays later, Freshmen quarterback Adam Dyks would hit a wide open Ian Wilson from 22 yards out for the score after a huge hit on the kickoff as A. Miller got tattooed, and the rout was on.
Dyks finished 8-of-14 passing for 188 yards and three touchdowns. "Like I said during the week, we were gonna simplify the game plan and give him better situations to throw the football." Head coach Travis Rhatigan state after the game.

Running back Matthew Scott led the Blazers fierce ground game, as he scored two rushing touchdowns. Scott had 193 yards on 19 carries including a 74 yard scamper early in the second quarter it was his second straight game over 190 yards.
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(MATTHEW SCOTT ECLIPSES THE 1,000 YARD MARK IN TODAYS GAME)

" We fed him the rock early and established a mind set." Senior Offensive tackle Daniel Anderson stated. " We you start the game off like that, you let the other team know its gonna be a long day for them.". In the fourth quarter, Marcus Rutledge got the majority of the carries and didnt disappoint either as he carried the ball eight times for 87 yards and added another two scores on the ground.
Wilson was Dyks go to man, catching four passes for 91 yards and two scores. Speed demon Matt Ford hauled in two receptions for 88 yards including a 60 yard touchdown.
The Blazers controlled the clock, holding UAB to only three second-half drives and winning the time of possession 16:37 to 11:23.
UAB continued to protect the ball well. But Dyks, who seemingly was trying to throw the ball away late in the third quarter threw a interception after he was hit trying to throw the ball.
Meanwhile the hot UAB defense had just one take away against Kentucky. But pressured quarterback A. Ricks sacking him four times and hitting him numerous times. Tom Cox, Richard Barnes and Timi McCollum led the Blazers with seven tackles a piece. While Leak and Cox both recorded Sacks.
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( THE DEFENSE WAS ALL OVER KENTUCKY QUARTERBACK A. RICKS FRUSTRATING HIM FROM START TO FINISH)

Ricks was 8-of-15 passing for 156 yards, including 77 yard touchdown pass to running back B. Miller late in the fourth quarter. Running back B. Miller filling in for D. Pollard who got knocked out just the second play of the game had 14 carries for 124 yards and the Wildcats only score's. He led the team with two receptions for 87 yards.

UAB won the toss and elected to receive. After pounding the ball the whole opening drive (6 runs, 2 passes) the Blazers settled for a Adam Miller 42 yard field goal.
It wasn't long before they would hit the end zone however. Kentucky would punt back to the Blazers, as the second quarter started and the run game established the Blazers would get down the field on a few passes from Dyks to Wilson before Scott rumbled in from seven yards out putting UAB up 10-0.
A fired up Blazer defense sacked Ricks twice and forced another punt. This time on the first play Scott would take the hand off a scoot 74 yards down the field putting UAB up 17-0 early in the second quarter. Kentucky finally calmed down and B. Miller who replaced Pollard to a pitch to the right sideline, got a good block and took off for a 70 yard touchdown putting Kentucky back in the game down 17-7. It was the ensuing kickoff that turned out to be the dagger. Two time returner of the year and All American Roderick Brook's to the short kickoff at his 8 yard, juked right and hit the sideline as the Blazer sideline followed him to the end zone. When it was done it was a un touched 92 yard touchdown putting UAB up 24-7.
The Blazers would get it back on the next kickoff after forcing a fumble, two plays later Ian Wilson would haul in a 22 yard touchdown as the teams entered the half with the score UAB 31 Kentucky 7.
The second half would be the same. UAB got touchdown receptions from Ian Wilson (20 yards) and Matt Ford (60) before turning the game over to the rushing department. Mathew Scott helped move the chains with gashing runs before the staff put in back-up Marcus Rutledge who used his size and deceptive speed to help control the clock. Rutledge who powered in a 11 yard touchdown, also showed off his speed bringing one in from 42 yards on a third and three.

(RUTLEDGE USES HIS SIZE AND POWER ON THIS 11 YARD TOUCHDOWN RUN)

"Rutledge could start on any team in America." Rhatigan said. "It shows you the type of players we have here, they know their role and take advantage of their opportunities when they get him. It was good to see him run like that and more importantly it was good to see our offensive line push some guys around."

The Blazer held Kentucky to just first third downs all game including 1 for 10 on third downs while the Blazers were 4 for 8 as well as having 11 first downs in the game.
"When you can control the third dows, your more than likely gonna win." Middle Linebacker Timi McCollum said. "We pride ourselves in getting teams into third and long situations and we feel if we can get you to that we have a damn good chance."

BOX SCORE

UAB Blazers at Kentucky Wildcats
Oct 19, 2013	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
#3 UAB Blazers (8-0)	3	28	7	21	59
Kentucky Wildcats (1-7)	0	7	0	7	14

Team Stats Comparison
	UAB	UK
Total Offense	459	251
Rushing Yards	271	95
Passing Yards	188	156
First Downs	11	3
Punt Return Yards	42	34
Kick Return Yards	128	274
Total Yards	629	559
Turnovers	1	1
3rd Down Converstion	4-8	1-10
4th Down Conversion	0-0	0-0
2-Point Conversion	0-0	0-0
Red Zone Touchdowns/Field Goals	3-3-0	0-0-0
Penalties	4-20	0-0
Posession Time	16:37	11:23

UAB Blazers

Kentucky Wildcats