UAB Blazers 2026 Preview
The College Football Experience (@TCEonSGPN) on the Sports Gambling Podcast Network continues its 138 college football team preview series with the UAB Blazers 2026 Season Preview. Pick Dundee aka (@TheColbyD) & Ryan McIntyre (@Moneyline_Mac) break down the 2026 UAB Blazers roster and what to expect in the American Conference this season. Can Alex Mortensen make good on his first full season as head coach after taking over midway through a rocky 2025? Was that 4-8 record more competitive than it looked on paper?
Can West Virginia and BYU transfer quarterback Ryder Burton build on his upset heroics and steady a rebuilt offense? Does new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham fix a unit that ranked among the worst in the country a year ago? How does a non-conference slate that opens at Illinois before ULM, Louisiana and Samford set up? Can the Blazers navigate an American Conference gauntlet that runs from Memphis to North Texas? And where’s the betting value on the UAB Blazers win total, American Conference odds and College Football Playoff chances? We talk it all and more on this episode of The College Football Experience.
Alex Mortensen Enters His First Full Season
This UAB Blazers 2026 preview opens with a coach on a warm seat. The deck rates Alex Mortensen a 3 out of 10. He took over midway through last year and went 2-4 as the interim. So 2026 is his first full season in Birmingham. First, UAB finished 4-8 overall in 2025. Then the record looked better than it reads, because the Blazers went 3-1 in one-score games. Also, Mortensen calls the offense himself, which ties his seat to the unit. From there, the deck frames real pressure to win now.
Ryder Burton Takes Over A Rebuilt Offense
UAB’s offense ranked 49th nationally in total offense in 2025. The passing game was a bright spot at 28th, while the scoring offense sat at 78th. Mortensen runs the offense as his own coordinator, so the system carries over. First, the deck hands the keys to Ryder Burton. Then the redshirt sophomore transferred in from West Virginia by way of BYU. He flashed his ceiling last year, going 20 of 27 for 251 yards and three scores against ranked Memphis. Also, the unit returns just 32 percent of its production. Meanwhile the rushing offense sat at 87th, which gives Burton plenty to fix.
Todd Grantham Inherits A Defense In Need Of Repair
Todd Grantham arrives as the new coordinator to fix a UAB defense that struggled in 2025. First, the unit ranked 119th nationally in total defense a season ago. Then the scoring defense finished 135th, the weakest number on the roster. Also, the rushing defense sat at 120th, so stopping the run is job one. Because that group returns just 38 percent of its production, Grantham rebuilds the back seven almost from scratch. Meanwhile his track record at Georgia and Florida gives UAB fans a reason to expect a jump.
The Schedule, The AAC Gauntlet And The Win Total
UAB opens the 2026 season on the road at Illinois before a home date with ULM. First, the non-conference slate rolls through a trip to Louisiana, a visit from Navy and a matchup with Samford. Then the American Conference gauntlet begins with Memphis and the Battle for the Bones. Also, East Carolina, South Florida, Charlotte, Temple, UTSA and North Texas fill out the league schedule. Because the conference is loaded, the deck sets the UAB win total at 3.5 wins. The Blazers sit at plus 30000 to win the AAC and plus 50000 to reach the College Football Playoff. From there, the hosts weigh the over against a first-year staff and a rebuilt roster.
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Podcast Chapters
00:00 Download the SGPN App Today!
02:05 Welcome To The UAB Blazers Preview
04:37 2025 Season Recap: The Deceiving 4-8
08:36 Alex Mortensen’s Hot Seat Rating
14:05 Ryder Burton And The Offense’s 2026 Outlook
20:55 Todd Grantham Takes Over The Defense
26:33 NIL Beer, Protective Stadium And Program Legends
33:06 State Of The Program And Early Predictions
37:50 Non-Conference Slate: Illinois, ULM, Louisiana & Samford
43:31 American Conference Gauntlet: Memphis Through North Texas
48:11 Locking In The Win Total
55:42 Dream Schedule Additions
57:41 Sign-Off And Next Week’s Stanford Preview
