The UAB football team defeated its highest ranked opponent in program history as the Blazers topped No. 13 BYU 31-28 in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl on Saturday at Independence Stadium.

The victory was UAB's fourth win over a nationally ranked opponent and its second bowl victory in school history.

UAB finishes the 2021 season at 9-4 overall, marking the third time in the last four seasons UAB has won at least nine games. BYU finishes the season and 10-3.

Quarterback Dylan Hopkins set an Independence Bowl record for completion percentage (19-of-23, .826) and finished the game with 189 yards and three touchdowns. His final touchdown to Trea Shropshire came on 4th-and-7 with 6:17 remaining in the fourth quarter which ultimately proved to be the game-winning score.

Sophomore sensation DeWayne McBride ran for 183 yards and a touchdown, helping UAB outgain the nation's 17-ranked offense 412-394. McBride finished his sophomore campaign with 1,371 rushing yards – the third most in a single season at UAB, and 13 touchdowns – the second most.

UAB's 15th-ranked defense stepped up to the challenge, led by Antonio Moultrie who had a team-high nine tackles and a career-best four tackles for loss. Noah Wilder contributed seven tackles.

UAB raced out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter powered by tight end Gerrit Prince and McBride. Prince got the Blazers on the board with a 10-yard receiving touchdown on UAB's second drive. Following a BYU turnover on downs, McBride ripped off a 64-yard touchdown with 1:50 remaining to give the Blazers a two-touchdown lead.

BYU tied the game in the second quarter with a pair of rushing touchdowns. However, UAB responded with a 9-play, 78-yard drive which was highlighted by a 23-yard touchdown reception from Prince with 3:18 remaining, giving UAB a 21-14 halftime lead.

Hopkins was a perfect 12-of-12 in the first half for 106 yards.

The Cougars evened the game at 21 early in the third as Tyler Allgeier tallied his second touchdown of the season with a 62-yarder down the sideline. UAB regained the lead with 7:27 remaining in the third on a 38-yard field goal from Matt Quinn, moving the Blazers ahead 24-21.

BYU then surged ahead 28-24 with Allgeier's nation-leading 23rd rushing touchdown with 14:33 left.

UAB answered right back and imposed its will on the following drive, putting together a 15-play, 75 yard drive that ate up eight minutes of the clock and scored the winning touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Hopkins to Shropshire.

The Cougars had a chance to tie or take the lead, but UAB's defense once again came up big as Mac McWilliams recovered a fumble with 3:36 left in the game.

BYU had all three of its timeouts remaining following the fumble, but UAB was able to lean on the run game and earned three first downs, allowing the Blazers to line up in victory formation to seal one of the biggest wins in program history.

UAB is now 43-20 overall since returning to action in 2017 and has captured two Conference USA Championships and two bowl victories.