UAB 35, Memphis 29

10/7/2006 10:06 PM

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) -Corey White ran for 129 yards on 28 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead UAB to a 35-29 victory over Memphis.

White's 11-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter proved to be the decisive points for UAB (3-3, 2-0 CUSA).

Martin Hankins completed 22-of-30 passes for 303 yards and two touchdowns to lead Memphis (1-4, 0-2). Ryan Scott and Duke Calhoun each caught six passes for the Tigers.

UAB has beaten Memphis seven times in a row and was the winner in the inaugural ``Battle of the Bones.'' As the final seconds ticked off, UAB players gathered around the trophy, a 100-pound bronze rack of ribs. The trophy is in honor of the reputations the two cities have for serving tasty barbecue.

The two teams combined for almost 800 yards of total offense and the tone was set on the first play from scrimmage. Hankins threw a pass down the left sidelines for Scott, who grabbed it near midfield and raced into the end zone for an 82-yard scoring play.

UAB responded with an 11-play, 75-yard drive, capped by White's two-yard touchdown run. A 28-yard field goal by Matt Reagan put Memphis in front at the end of the first quarter.

Memphis tried a faked punt on fourth-and-one from it's own 29, but UAB's Will Dunbar stopped the play short. The Blazers took over and drove 28 yards to score on a one-yard run by quarterback Chris Williams.

Memphis took a 17-14 lead when Hankins hit Calhoun for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 1:55 left in the half. But Williams drove UAB into scoring position and with eight seconds left in the half hit Willie Edwards with a pass at the Memphis 2 and Edwards dragged a defender into the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown as time expired, giving UAB a 21-17 lead at halftime.

A 28-yard field goal by Reagan and a six-yard touchdown pass from Hankins to Carlos Singleton gave Memphis a 26-21 lead with less than six minutes to play in the third quarter.

But a 63-yard run by Marculus Elliott set up White's two-yard scoring run to give UAB a 28-26 lead.

Memphis' T.J. Pitts fumbled the ensuing kickoff and UAB's B.J. Steed recovered at the Tigers 23. Four plays later, White scored on an 11-yard run to put UAB in front 35-26. Reagan kicked a 23-yard field goal with 9:10 left in the game to bring Memphis to within 35-29.

The Blazers stayed in front the rest of the way and a late interception by Kevin Sanders sealed the victory.