Four seconds, and UAB never recovered
UAB did not rush the passer. Four seconds showed on the clock, Katin Houser had three receivers running into an end zone patrolled by seven defenders, and the Blazers chose to stand off him. Houser threw it up. The ball glanced off two sets of UAB hands before Ty Robinson pulled it down for 54 yards.
That made it 21-13 at the interval in Champaign overnight, and it decided a game UAB had spent the first half controlling. Illinois won 42-23.
Houser finished his Illini debut with 13 completions from 17 attempts, 182 yards, three touchdown passes and a six-yard scramble for a fourth score. Bret Bielema is now 6-0 in season openers at Illinois.
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The numbers say UAB won this game
Ryder Burton went 18 of 32 for 219 yards and accounted for two scores. His team outgained Illinois 413 yards to 332 and held the ball for 41 minutes and three seconds. UAB never led once.
Three trips into scoring range produced three Jonah Delange field goals from 26, 23 and 35 yards. Illinois needed three snaps to score on each of its first two drives, Houser finding Collin Dixon from 18 yards after a 65-yard Mac Resetich punt return, then Ca’Lil Valentine running 51 yards up the middle. Efficiency against possession, and possession lost.
Dixon caught six passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns. Valentine carried 11 times for 88 yards.
Kante closes it out
Burton was under pressure on fourth down with 5:48 remaining when he tried a two-handed push pass. Ismael Kante read it, took it 59 yards the other way, and the margin reached 42-16. Burton ran in a five-yard consolation touchdown in the closing seconds.
UAB fall to 0-1 in their first opener against a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent since 2014. They will point at the yardage and the time of possession for a week. Illinois will point at the scoreboard.
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