2011 games of the year: Southern Miss versus UAB

UAB 34, No. 20 Southern Miss 31             

In the Conference USA stunner of the year, 2011 doormat UAB shocked Southern Miss in Birmingham, Alabama.

UAB started the game with the ball and proceeded to move the ball 17 yards before losing the ball on a fumble by Jonathan Perry at the 44-yard line. Khyri Thornton returned the fumble to the UAB 34-yard line to start the first Southern Miss drive of the game.

The Golden Eagles went straight for the throat with quarterback Austin Davis hitting Ryan Ballentine for a 34-yard touchdown pass on the first offensive play for Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles caught UAB off guard and tried an on-side kick following the touchdown.

The Golden Eagles recovered the on-side kick and this time started at their own 43-yard line. It only took three plays for Southern Miss to find the end zone again with Davis finding Kelvin Bolden for a 38-yard touchdown pass to extend to lead following the extra point at 14-0 in favor of Southern Miss.

Many believed that the game was over only 3 1/2 minutes into the game with Southern Miss sporting a 14-0 lead over UAB. UAB was not finished and came up with a 12-play, 79-yard drive that culminated with DJ Vinson catching a Jonathan Perry touchdown pass from 3-yards out to cut the lead to 14-7. UAB was not done yet with Marquis Colman intercepting Davis and returning the ball to the Southern Miss 19-yard line. 5 play later, Darrin Reaves scored from 2-yards out to cut the lead to 1 pending the extra point. After a successful extra point attempt, the game was all new, tied at 14 all with 2:38 left in the first quarter.

Southern Miss moved the ball methodically back down the field to the UAB 8-yard line before losing a fumble that was recovered at the UAB 5-yard line. UAB got pinned down at their own 1-yard line and got off a punt that gave Southern Miss the ball at the UAB 33-yard line. This time the Golden Eagles were successful with a 4th-down fake field goal that found Ryan Hanks for a 10-yard touchdown. The extra point was good giving Southern Miss the lead again at 21-14.

Again, UAB stepped up and responded to the Southern Miss touchdown with a 10-play, 62-yard drive that saw quarterback Jonathan Perry find the end zone from 3-yards out to tie the game at 21. Southern Miss could not respond after an initially successful drive that ran out of gas at the UAB 38-yard line. The punt went into the end zone giving UAB the ball at their own 20-yard line with 4:27 left in the half.

UAB went 68 yards in 13 plays culminating with Ty Long making a 30-yard field goal to give UAB a 24-21 lead going into halftime.

Southern Miss started the second half with a 9-play, 59-yard drive that stalled out at the UAB 4-yard line. Hrapmann made the 22-yard chip shot field goal to tie the game again at 24. UAB could not respond this time but an excellent punt by Trey Ragland pinned Southern Miss at their own 15-yard line.

Southern Miss again moved the ball easily but stalled at the UAB 19-yard line forcing a 37-yard field goal attempt. This time the kick was no good leaving the game tied at 24 points with 2:02 left in the third quarter. UAB responded this time with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that saw Greg Franklin make it in from 3-yards out to give the Blazers the lead at 31-24 with 13:29 left in the game.

Three minutes later, Southern Miss tied the game back up with an 8-play, 59-yard drive that was accelerated by Jamal Woodyard's 47-yard run on the opening play of the drive. The game was again tied, this time at 31, with 10:27 left in the game.

UAB then took control of the game with a 12-play, 49-yard drive that took up 7:23 of the clock ending with a 38-yard field goal by Ty Long that gave UAB the unexpected late lead at 34-31 with only 3:04 left in the game.

Southern Miss had one last chance to come back but saw those hopes fall to the ground with a failed 4th-down pass at the UAB 45-yard line with 1:08 left in the game. UAB ran the clock down and punted the ball to the Southern Miss 19-yard line with :03 left in the game. A wild final play that saw two laterals get the ball to the UAB 39-yard line came just short, giving the Blazers an amazing 34-31 win over nationally ranked Southern Miss.