The details:
WHAT: 2019 Ryan Conference USA Championship: UAB (9-3, 6-2) @ FAU (9-3, 7-1)
WHEN: Saturday at 12:30 p.m. CT
WHERE: FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Florida
SERIES: FAU leads, 4-2
TV: CBS Sports Network
LINE: UAB at +7.5
THIS GAME WILL DETERMINE…
The 2019 Conference USA Champion
THREE THINGS TO LOOK FOR
1. Return of the Mack-ey. FAU’s offense features many a skill player but none more dangerous than All-American candidate Harrison Bryant. A finalist for the Mackey Award, the senior has 965 yards and six scores this season and is a matchup nightmare for anyone tasked with defending the 6-5, 240-pound tight end.
2. Run to the Hills. The Owls lead the nation in turnover margin and a big part of that is their nation-leading 19 interceptions. Quarterback Tyler Johnston is still on the mend and could be ready this week, but also has a proclivity for throwing picks. Dylan Hopkins, meanwhile, has led a resurgence in the UAB rushing attack which would be a wise course of action in face of a ball-hawking secondary.
3. Learning to Fly. Even if the Blazers decide to focus on their ground game, either Hopkins or Johnston will have to make a few passes to keep the FAU defense honest. Austin Watkins, one part of the Blazers’ dangerous receiving trio, is primed for those precious targets while 110 yards shy of becoming the third UAB player to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
KEY MATCHUP
UAB’s front seven vs. FAU’s offensive line: The Blazers are the league’s top-ranked defense in every major defensive category but face the league’s top-scoring offense in FAU. While the Owls have had no trouble putting up the points, the offensive line has given up 27 sacks and 102 tackles for loss this season. That does not bode well for FAU in facing a UAB front seven that makes its living in the backfield.
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