Week 1: UAB vs Alabama A&M 9/1/22 College Football Picks, Predictions, Odds

The UAB Blazers and Alabama A&M Bulldogs square off Thursday in week 1 of college football action at Protective Stadium in Birmingham. The Alabama A&M Bulldogs look for an upset victory after finishing 7-3 last year. The UAB Blazers enter their last year in the C-USA and will be coached by Bryant Vincent. 

The Alabama A&M Bulldogs averaged 37.9 points and 477.1 yards per game last season. Alabama A&M allowed an average of 35.1 points and 425.8 yards per game last season. Aqeel Glass returns at quarterback after throwing for 3,500 yards, 36 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Abdul-Fatai Ibrahim and Dee Anderson are a returning receiving duo that combined 1,500 yards and 20 touchdowns, while Gary Quarles led the Bulldogs with 900 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Defensively, Armoni Holloway returns after leading Alabama A&M with 43 tackles, Phillip Hopkins had 2.5 sacks and Trenell Troutman had 3 interceptions. The Alabama A&M Bulldogs return a ton of key players from a year ago, and that’s great news for a team that won 7 games and ended the year on a 4-game winning streak. Alabama A&M has a chance to be an offensive powerhouse yet again.

The UAB Blazers averaged 29.5 points and 386.5 yards per game last season. UAB allowed an average of 23.2 points and 328.8 yards per game last season. Dylan Hopkins returns at quarterback after throwing for 2,200 yards, 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Trea Shropshire and Jermaine Brown Jr. are a returning receiving duo that combined 900 yards and 7 touchdowns, while DeWayne McBride led the Blazers with 1,300 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Defensively, Noah Wilder returns after leading UAB with 93 tackles, Fish McWilliams had 4 sacks and Grayson Cash had 3 interceptions. The UAB Blazers are another experienced team that should like its chances to build on last year’s performance. With so much returning production, there’s no reason why UAB shouldn’t push for double-digit victories this season for the first time since 2018.

The Bulldogs are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 non-conference games and 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games overall. The Blazers are 19-8-2 ATS in their last 29 home games and 4-0-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The over is 6-1 in Bulldogs last 7 games overall. The over is 5-1 in Blazers last 6 games overall.

The UAB Blazers are the more talented team, obviously, and should roll here, but there’s not a ton of motivation here. The Alabama A&M Bulldogs will be comfortably the more excited team for this matchup and despite a talent gap, they return a decent portion of a roster that won 7 games last season. Alabama A&M isn’t a pushover in the FCS. I’ll take a stab with the free points.