The UAB Blazers are heading in a new direction with Trent Dilfer at the helm. How will the former NFL signal-caller affect the UAB season predictions in 2023?
UAB Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-By-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the American Athletic Conference and across the country.
Find Every AAC Season Prediction per team: Charlotte | ECU | FAU | Memphis | Navy | North Texas | Rice | SMU | Temple | Tulane | Tulsa | UAB | USF | UTSA
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, how do the UAB predictions look for 2023?
Week 1 – UAB vs. North Carolina A&T: Win, 38-10
An easy matchup to ease into his first season as a collegiate head coach at the FBS level, Dilfer and the Blazers can figure out what they want to do offensively and defensively against North Carolina A&T here. Has Landy Lyddy done enough to warrant the QB1 position or are we going to get a clearer answer with this one?
Either way, this game is a good litmus test of the whole roster, not just the quarterback position.
Week 2 – UAB vs. Georgia Southern: Loss, 26-29
The high-flying Georgia Southern Eagles come to town and put to test UAB’s secondary right away. Georgia Southern welcomes in former Tulsa QB Davis Brin at the helm and hopefully will leave his gunslinger attitude in the AAC with him.
Brin is as gifted a quarterback as Kyle Vantrease was for Georgia Southern last year, if not better, and should improve this unit’s aerial assault in the process. How UAB hangs in this one will tell a lot about their fortune for 2023.
Week 3 – UAB vs. Louisiana: Win, 31-25
A clash of two tough-nosed teams, Louisiana’s roster is not where it was under former head coach Billy Napier a few seasons ago. The Ragin’ Cajuns have more questions than answers and UAB should be able to get back on the winning side of things here, back at home.
Week 4 – UAB vs. Georgia: Loss, 9-40
Before AAC play starts, the Blazers have the task of welcoming in the back-to-back National Champion Georgia Bulldogs. This is a matchup to pin, and throw an asterisk next to as this is about money more than anything else.
Come away as unscathed as possible and see how your scripted offense hangs against this talented Georgia front. Take the small victories when you can here before Tulane comes to town.
Week 5 – UAB vs. Tulane: Loss, 20-33
The defending AAC Champion Green Wave are in town here, giving UAB their second straight game against what likely amounts to a double-digit favorite. Tulane is every bit of the talented team they ere last year despite losses to the NFL Draft and transfer portal.
Quarterback Michael Pratt is among the best in the nation and should be able to continue to elevate his talent around him while the defense is a stingy unit in all facets.
Week 6 – UAB vs. USF: Win, 31-16
The Bulls of USF are the reprieve after two tough games in Weeks 4 and 5. USF has some strong pieces in play but their roster is very much being rebuilt after the failed Jeff Scott experiment.
UAB should be able to fly high over an under-performing secondary and their defense has the answers off the edge against USF’s rushing attack.
Week 7 – UAB @ UTSA: Loss, 17-37
UTSA is the top dog in terms of the newcomers to the AAC and should be out to prove that against every opponent in 2023. Frank Harris gives the Roadrunners a chance to win every game and this is no different.
UTSA hosts a bevy of talented playmakers at nearly every position but Harris and Rashad Wisdom lead both sides of the ball in a rout here.
Week 8 – UAB vs. Memphis: Loss, 27-28
A close one, this likely decides a lot in the final AAC standings. Memphis is a tough team to beat on the road and present an equally challenging team even on the road under Seth Henigan at quarterback. Henigan stands tall in the face of pressure better than most and should be able to find his playmakers all over the field to give the Tigers a slight advantage in this game.
Week 10 – UAB vs. FAU: Win, 23-19
Casey Thompson transferred to FAU and immediately gave the Owls a boost in each game this season. However, FAU is still a few pieces short of a full team and Thompson doesn’t have tape to indicate he can elevate a whole team around him.
UAB’s defensive prowess should be on display in this one.
Week 11 – UAB @ Navy: Win, 24-17
Speaking of defensive outings, the UAB defense will certainly be tested against this new-look Navy offense, regardless of personnel or philosophy. UAB’s passing attack should be able to have a field day as the Midshipmen won’t be known for their secondary in 2023, however.
Keeping the ball and playing ground control should be the way to a win here against Navy.
Week 12 – UAB vs. Temple: Win, 25-24
A two-game stretch to end the season should dictate how successful Dilfer’s first season at the helm was for the Blazers. While our projections and predictions are split on both the outcomes, it’s clear just how tough and close these final two games should be.
Against Temple, the UAB secondary gives them the biggest advantage.
Week 13 – UAB @ North Texas: Loss, 23-24
However, against North Texas, their lack of talent upfront gives them the biggest disadvantage. The Mean Green should be able to fly high once again but their rushing attack is as good as any in the conference.
Either way, a point here or a point there in both these final two games will mean just about every for all parties.
