BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ( WBRC ) - UAB and Samford are set to play one another on the gridiron in 2026 and 2027, the two universities announced Thursday.

The Blazers and Bulldogs will play both games at UAB’s Protective Stadium for just the second and third matchups ever between the two teams. Samford defeated UAB in the only ever matchup between the two teams 49-3 in 1992 when UAB was still a DIII program.

The two teams will first play each other Oct. 3, 2026 and then again Sept. 25, 2027.

In addition to their games vs. Samford, UAB also announced Thursday that they will kickoff their 2026 season on the road at Illinois Sept. 5. UAB says their original kickoff game vs. Alabama A&M, that was scheduled for Sept. 3, 2026, will no longer be played.

The Blazers game at Illinois will mark their

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