UAB Rallies to Beat Charlotte 23-12

Ja'Vin Simkins carried the ball for 1 and 5 yards in the final minutes of Saturday night's game to secure a 23-12 victory for UAB over Charlotte in Birmingham.

The Blazers had a quiet start, failing to score on their first two possessions. Jonah Delange finally put points on the board with a 42-yard field goal with two seconds remaining in the second quarter. That kick tied the game at 3-3 heading into halftime.

The third quarter featured a trade of field goals between the teams. Delange then kicked his third of the game to open the fourth quarter, giving UAB a 9-3 lead. Simkins, who also rushed for 101 yards, took over from there.

With eight minutes left on the clock, Simkins crossed the goal line from the one-yard spot. He added his second score with about two minutes remaining, extending the lead to 20-3.

Charlotte's Conner Harrell found Jaden Barnes on a 14-yard pass with 61 seconds left, making the final margin 23-12. The 49ers had been held to 234 total yards of offense, a number below UAB's season average of 306.6 yards allowed per game.

The win improved UAB's record to 5-4 overall and 3-2 in American Conference play. The Blazers are now 5-0 at home this season. They travel to Temple next Saturday, while Charlotte hosts East Carolina.