UAB (8-4) VS. OHIO UNIV. (8-4)
Site: National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas.
Kickoff: Friday, 12:30 p.m. TV: ESPN.
Line: Ohio by 7.
All-time series: First meeting.
Last meeting: None.
UAB
Coach: Bill Clark (2nd season, 14-10).
All-time postseason: 0-1.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Hawaii 59-40 in 2004 Hawaii Bowl.
Draft spotlight: CB Darious Williams. Former walk-on shined in UAB’s return from a 2-year hiatus, grabbing 5 INTs to earn All-CUSA honors. That was his first game action since coming to UAB in 2014, when he played in 12 games before the program nearly shut down. Got more physical as he knocked off competitive rust.
Other Blazers to watch: OL Chris Schleuger, DT Teko Powell, LB Tevin Crews, LB Shaq Jones.
Blazer Bits: Not only did UAB earn a bowl trip in its first season back from near-shutdown, the Blazers’ eight wins set a new high since joining FBS in 1996. … RB Spencer Brown has rushed for 1,292 yards; he needs 97 more to set a new Conference USA freshman mark. … Fifteen Blazers stuck around from the 2014 edition when the program briefly went dark.
OHIO UNIVERSITY
Coach: Frank Solich (13th season, 96-71; overall 19th season, 154-90).
All-time postseason: 2-8.
Last postseason appearance: Lost to Troy 28-23 in 2016 Dollar General Bowl.
Draft spotlight: LB Quentin Poling. The Bobcats’ all-time leader in tackles for loss (44), his 370 career tackles also rank among the top 10 in school history. Part of a talented unit that sent three players to the NFL last spring, Poling continued to shine in 2017 as the Bobcats ranked 10th nationally in run defense.
Other Bobcats to watch: TE Troy Mangen, C Jake Pruehs, LB Chad Moore.
Bobcat Tracks: Ohio makes its eighth bowl appearance in the past nine years, missing only 2014 when the Bobcats were eligible but snubbed. … QB Nathan Rourke set a school record with 21 rushing TDs, which ranks No.2 nationally. … Rourke and RBs A.J. Ouellette and Doran Brown all have gone over 600 yards this year.
* underclass draft prospect