First time Kansas and Alabama-Birmingham met in football back in 1994 the Jayhawks posted a runaway 72-0 triumph.
But the last time KU met the Blazers, the Jayhawks escaped with a 39-37 four-overtime victory. That was two years ago at Legion Field in Birmingham.
Now what? UAB will travel to Kansas for a 6 p.m. game on Sept. 16.
This will be UAB coach Watson Brown’s sixth year at the helm of a program that has been in existence for only 10 years.
“Every year we’ve been in (NCAA) Division One we’ve gotten better,” Brown said. “I think we have a chance to win six games.”
Brown may not be woofing with nine offensive and seven defensive starters returning from last season’s 5-6 club.
“The question mark is whether the secondary can be as good as last year,” Brown said. “If that comes through, we’ll be a better team.”
Brown lost three of his top five defensive backs, but the entire defensive line returns.
Daniel Dixon, who played against Kansas two years ago, returns at quarterback, but has competition from Thomas Cox and Jeff Aaron.
“It’s his job,” Brown said of Dixon, “but he has to hold it.”
Brown also has Percy Coleman, last year’s leading rusher (689 yards) back, as well as Carl Fair who missed half of last season with a broken leg.
Moreover, nine of the top 10 offensive linemen return.
Two of the Blazers’ five 1999 victories came in overtime against Conference USA foes Cincinnati and Tulane. One of the losses was a 31-28 decision at Missouri.
