UAB determined to play Rice despite positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing

 Louisiana vs. UAB football

UAB will be without 25 players Saturday against Rice due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing. (Mark Almond | preps@al.com)

UAB’s Bill Clark might be the most superstitious football coach in Alabama this week.

No broken mirrors, no black cats, and especially no stepping over cracks. Only four-leaf clovers, ladybugs and a rabbit’s foot.

The Blazers (4-3, 2-1 C-USA) have one more chance to close out the regular season as they travel to face the Rice Owls (2-2, 2-2 C-USA), Saturday, Dec. 12, at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Kickoff is set for noon on ESPN3.

UAB is in a position to win its third straight division title but must play the Owls this weekend to qualify for the conference title game.

As first reported by AL.com’s Matt Zenitz, UAB is currently down to about 40 scholarship players, due to positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing, and UAB head coach Bill Clark confirmed the report during Wednesday’s press conference.

“Obviously, it’s been a crazy, crazy season and the last few weeks,” UAB head coach Bill Clark said. “There’s been a lot of things since the game (at MTSU) got canceled. Toward the end of the week, we had some positive COVID cases and with contact tracing, ended up knocking out 25 of our guys.”

“I asked the conference if we could move the game (at Rice) to later in the week and get a few of our guys back,” he added. “Understanding that the championship game is on Friday, they said they couldn’t move it. It is what it is and we’ll be going into Rice without some players. Our team is ready to go and play.”

The Blazers last suited up Halloween afternoon, a 37-34 double-overtime loss at Louisiana Tech, and are currently on a two-game losing streak due to the cancelation of games against North Texas, at UTEP and the final home game at Legion Field against rival Southern Miss.

Additionally, a game against Middle Tennessee State, scheduled one week before it was to be played, was canceled two days after it was announced.

“This last one was one of the toughest things I’ve had to do with the team,” Clark said. “When you get emotionally invested, emotionally involved, that’s what it takes to do the things you need to do to win. I’ve told the team the past few weeks, ‘you got to believe, you got to believe this game is going to be played’ and that’s what you’re asking these kids to do.”

Clark also indicated that 12-14 players that either start or play an important role will be out against the Owls. The running backs and defensive backs were the hardest-hit areas

“I had a senior meeting Monday night and this is what it is -- the game is on, we’re playing,” Clark said. “We are going to be shorthanded in some spots. Are we willing to do this with everything we got? They said, ‘Yes coach, we’re in. We want to play and compete’ and I think that’s natural.”

Unfortunately, all-conference receiver Austin Watkins Jr. chose to opt-out of the season and begin preparation for the upcoming NFL draft. The Fort Myers, Florida native finishes his senior season with 34 receptions for 468 yards and three touchdowns while ending his UAB career with 97 receptions for 1,640 yards and nine scores, also becoming only the third UAB player (Derrick Ingram and Roddy White) to account for more than 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

“I won’t mince words,” Clark said. “I was very disappointed that we couldn’t finish up with just a few weeks left. But with that said, what a great job he did for us. To see him grow as a player and a person, worked hard and competed, hopeful for his opportunity as he moves forward. He’s going to get those and we wish him nothing but the best.”

Rice was forced to cancel its entire nonconference schedule due to early COVID-19 concerns within the program and had three conference games canceled because of issues at opponent programs. If not for a miss on a potential game-winning field goal -- against Middle Tennessee State in their season opener -- that saw the ball bounce three times off the upright and crossbar, the Owls and Blazers would be playing in a definitive division title game.

Meanwhile, the Blazers will not have played a game in 42 consecutive days and the bitter taste from two straight losses has turned to gratitude with a chance at a third straight division title and an opportunity for a second conference championship.

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