SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg identifies the players to have on your radar this bowl season. USA TODAY Sports
Sizing up the Bahamas Bowl between Ohio (8-4) and Alabama-Birmingham (8-4):
Time, TV: Dec. 22, 12:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Site: Thomas Robinson National Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
Analysis
Alabama-Birmingham went from canceling its program after the 2014 season to the Bahamas Bowl in its first season back.
Not only did the Blazers come back roaring with their first winning season since 2004, they cranked up their first eight-win campaign since joining the Division I/Football Bowl Subdivision ranks in 1996.
And now, they have a chance to win the first bowl game in the program’s history.
So how’d they do it? The running game was solid, the secondary made a slew of big plays and they owned third-down conversions (47.6%, the best in Conference USA). They beat almost all of the teams they were supposed get past — save for an inexcusable midseason hiccup against a bad Charlotte squad — looking like a team that was happy to be playing again.
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One of the Mid-American Conference’s best teams, Ohio handed Toledo one of its two losses in the regular season and it seemingly had the East Division in the bag before it was upset by Akron and Buffalo.
The Bobcats held opponents to 111.4 rushing yards per game (best in the MAC), the offensive line was a killer and the offense was balanced and effective (38.9 points per game, second in the MAC).
Players to watch
LB Quentin Poling, Ohio: One of the MAC’s best linebackers over the last few seasons, he led the team with 102 tackles, 5.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He’s the heart and soul of the run defense, coming up with 19 tackles against Massachusetts. Once he starts getting into the backfield, he can change a game.
QB Nathan Rourke, Ohio: A rushing touchdown machine, the sophomore had 21 scores on the ground and 882 rushing yards. While he had seven interceptions, he threw for more than 2,000 yards on the year. He could be the face of the program for a couple of years.
RB Spencer Brown, UAB: The program that produced Jordan Howard found another big, strong workhorse back. He came up with 1,292 yards and 10 scores, carrying the offense at times over the second half of the season. The 6-0, 235-pounder takes the pressure off of everyone else, good for at least 20 carries and 100 yards when he gets into a groove. He rushed for 100 or more yards six times and 150 or more four times.
QB A.J. Erdely, UAB: The 6-4, 220-pounder is a steady veteran leader. Rushing for 13 touchdowns to go along with 2,077 passing yards and 16 touchdowns. The key? Just four interceptions. He threw for 200 yards or more only twice, but as long as he’s hitting his third-down throws, everything will be fine.
Who wins?
It’s been a memorable season for UAB, but now the run stops.
The ground game won’t be able to get past a fired-up Bobcats defensive front, and they don’t have enough of a passing attack.
Pick: Ohio, 30-24
