As the Arkansas football team (1-0, 0-0 SEC) prepares for its Week 3 matchup against the UAB Blazers (1-1, 0-0 AAC) at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville on Saturday, HawgBeat has some fast facts about the game and both programs.
The key storyline to watch in this non-conference bout is how both teams bounce back after disappointing losses on the road. Arkansas fell to No. 16 Oklahoma State in double-overtime at Boone Pickens Stadium while UAB was on the wrong side of a blowout to Louisiana-Monroe, 32-6.
Only managing six points against the Warhawks is a surprising outcome for the Blazers, as former Arkansas quarterback and play caller Alex Mortensen calls an offense that finished 18th in the country last season in yards per game (450.0).
Mortensen previously served as an analyst at Alabama on two seperate occasions, and he also coached receivers in 2019 with the Birmingham Iron of the former Alliance of American Football league.
In UAB's first year as a member of the American Athletic Conference a season ago, the Blazers went 0-6 on the road but displayed competitiveness against quality opponents. In a tilt against then-No. 1 Georgia, UAB scored 21 points and was only down 28-14 at halftime.
UAB also kept things close with a 5-2 Memphis squad, as that game was tied 21-21 after the first two quarters. Its most impressive victory came against South Florida at home, as the Blazers scored a season-high 56 points at Protective Stadium.
Below are some other fast facts to know ahead of Saturday's matchup, which will kick off at 3:15 p.m. CT and be broadcast on the SEC Network:
By the Numbers:
Arkansas:
~ The Razorbacks tout a 106-22-2 (.823) all-time record in home openers in Fayetteville. Arkansas has won its last three home openers under head coach Sam Pittman and owns a 19-5 record in Razorbacks Stadium home openers since 2000.
~ Arkansas ranks second in the country in total offense through the first two games of the season (667.5 yards per game), trailing only Ole Miss (713.5) in the category. Additionally, the first two matchups (UAPB, Oklahoma State) have featured program top 10 offensive performances.
~ Since the start of the 2020 campaign, Arkansas' defense has recorded 48 interceptions in 50 games, the fourth-most among SEC teams during that span.
UAB:
~ Blazers quarterback Jacob Zeno finished second nationally last season in completion percentage (73.6%) and he is currently sitting at 70.3% through two games this year. He is ranked fourth all time for completions (382) and seventh in yards (4,229) in UAB program history.
~ The secondary has taken a big jump for UAB, which ranked 88th in passing yards allowed per game a season ago (237.9). In 2024, the Blazers rank third and are tied for 26th nationally in total defense after only allowing 73.5 passing yards per game through two matchups.
~ UAB is one of the best Group of Five programs in the country since its football team was reinstated back in 2017, as the Blazers sport the 13th-highest winning percentage of any G5 team in that span (55-35, 61.5%).
Series History:
The only other time Arkansas and UAB have met on the football field came in 2014, when quarterback Brandon Allen completed 15-of-24 passes for 205 yards and two touchdowns and running back Jonathan Williams added 153 yards and a score on the ground.
Led by then-head coach Bret Bielema and with Pittman on staff as offensive line coach, Arkansas defeated the Blazers, 45-17, to push its record to 4-4 on the year.
Up 21-0 in the second quarter and facing a 4th-and-goal situation, the Razorbacks pulled off a feat many fans haven't forgotten. On a trick play, Arkansas left guard Sebastian Tretola came off the offensive line, stood behind center for the shotgun pass and lobbed a touchdown throw to long snapper Alan D'Appollonio.
Roster Notables:
~ After adding eight more this offseason, UAB now sits with 23 total former "Power Four" transfers on its roster. Zeno was once a transfer from Baylor, and the Blazers also have 11 former SEC transfers.
~ Sophomore wide receiver Amare Thomas — who was a teammate of current Hog safety TJ Metcalf at Pinson Valley High School — is 32 catches away from cracking UAB's Top 10 for career catches. Last season, Thomas set the freshman receptions record with 53 grabs.
~ One of UAB's 23 former transfers is Patrick Foley, who joined Arkansas in 2021 as a five-star Kohl's Kicking punter. The Omaha, Nebraska, native didn't see any playing time with the Razorbacks and transferred following the season. Foley's 64-yard punt in Week 1 remains the longest in the AAC this season.
