Memphis vs UAB Odds
| Memphis Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-7 -110 | 61.5 -110o / -110u | -275 |
| UAB Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+7 -110 | 61.5 -110o / -110u | +210 |
Trent Dilfer and his UAB Blazers were crushed by the UTSA Roadrunners, 40-21, last Saturday. Dilfer can't manage a game clock properly, but nonetheless, the Blazers fell to 2-5 on the season.
This week, the Memphis Tigers will head to Birmingham as they look to rebound from their 31-21 home loss to Tulane. The Tigers managed to nearly equal the Green Wave in total yards, but they simply ran out of steam in the second half.
There's a mismatch on defense, and that's the basis of my Memphis vs. UAB betting pick, preview and prediction.
Memphis Tigers
I couldn't figure out what was wrong with Memphis quarterback Seth Henigan in the first quarter last week, but I felt like I was watching a toddler learning how to throw for the first time. I thought for sure the Tigers quarterback was injured, but he quickly ramped things up into gear and threw the ball well for the majority of the evening.
The Tigers left last Friday night with a bitter taste in their mouths, as they easily could have come out victorious. Henigan's two interceptions ended up costing the Tigers big time, so he will look to rebound this week in a tasty matchup.
This offense continues to rely on the passing attack, as it's 110th in Rush Rate. Henigan should have plenty of chances to carve up this miserable Blazers secondary, a unit that has struggled mightily all season long.
On the other side of the ball, this Memphis defense is an underrated unit. It's 13th in Pass Success Rate and 17th in Havoc Created, which is precisely what you need against this pass-heavy Blazers offense.
Although the Blazers love to go lightning quick, I could see this Tigers defensive front causing major issues all afternoon long. Expect the Blazers' offense to have multiple third-and-long situations, which will allow the Tigers' pass rushers to let loose.
UAB Blazers
Yes, we lost the over last week, but, if you watched the entire game, you'd play that over again. The Blazers and Roadrunners both had critical mistakes at the goal line, and of course, when we needed Dilfer to step up, he failed miserably.
Dilfer decided to pull quarterback Jacob Zeno down three scores with about eight minutes left in the game. His offense managed to methodically move down the field, which is uncommon for its lightning-paced nature.
Of course, the Blazers failed to punch it in the end zone. It gets better as Dilfer then decided to burn his timeouts with the game completely out of reach and fewer than three minutes to go.
You can imagine the profanities that were going off in my head, but my god Dilfer — this is why you will always be my mortal enemy.
Anyway, the Blazers' offense will have to be much more efficient if it's going to defeat the Tigers at home. The Blazers managed to outgain the Roadrunners last week, but their key errors in the red zone cost them the game.
This Tigers defense is excellent against the pass and creates a ton of Havoc, so this will be a huge test for Zeno. If Zeno is for real, he will dice up this Tigers secondary and keep his team in the thick of it until the end.
I won't waste a ton of breath on this defense because I write about how awful it is each week. The unit still remains in the bottom 15 of the majority of defensive categories, and it manages to get worse each week.
Watching last week, I've seen better tackling in the local pee-wee league down the street. The Blazers' defense looked confused and undisciplined, which is pretty standard at this point in the season.
God bless if you're going to continue to watch this miserable defense get torched every week.
Memphis vs UAB
Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Memphis and UAB match up statistically:
Memphis Offense vs. UAB Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 94 | 131 | |
| Line Yards | 85 | 127 | |
| Pass Success | 36 | 88 | |
| Havoc | 72 | 78 | |
| Finishing Drives | 25 | 111 | |
| Quality Drives | 92 | 130 | |
UAB Offense vs. Memphis Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 21 | 65 | |
| Line Yards | 15 | 58 | |
| Pass Success | 28 | 13 | |
| Havoc | 107 | 17 | |
| Finishing Drives | 58 | 65 | |
| Quality Drives | 56 | 33 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 124 | 92 |
| PFF Coverage | 65 | 110 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 83 | 133 |
| Middle 8 | 11 | 86 |
| Seconds per Play | 26.2 (56) | 24.6 (24) |
| Rush Rate | 47.4% (110) | 47.0% (111) |
Memphis vs UAB
Betting Pick & Prediction
Nobody in the market believes in the Blazers this week, and rightfully so. This is usually a spot where I hold my nose and take the Blazers, but the strong Memphis secondary and defensive front are giving me reasons not to do so.
This is absolutely terrifying, but I like the under a lot in this game. I know that Dilfer will end up hurrying with fewer than three minutes to go down 42-14 and blow it for me, but I will live with that.
I know the Blazers' defense is awful, but I really think their offense will take a step back this week. The Tigers defense should continue to cause a ton of Havoc and shut down this strong Blazers passing attack.
Considering the Tigers don't explode too often on offense, I could see a lot of time-consuming scoring drives in this game. If Henigan takes a bit to get going again, that only helps our chances.
This number continues to tick down — despite the love for the over in the market — so I would grab this now before it continues to drop.
Let's hope the Tigers' defense causes Dilfer to have another meltdown on the sideline.
