Group of Five Power Rankings 2019: Mountain West rising in Week 3

After the dust settled on Week 2, UAB found itself standing as the only remaining undefeated team in Conference USA. The Blazers took down Akron 31-20 on the road in an intersectional contest that helped tamp the MAC down below C-USA in the Group of Five conference pecking order, a game that was even more lopsided than the final score thanks to two late Zips touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

Tyler Johnston III had a great day at quarterback for the Blazers, finishing with four touchdowns and 319 yards through the air on 15-of-24 passing. Johnston’s arm was critical in this contest, as UAB averaged only 2.4 yards per carry as a team.

That as at least better than how the Zips fared on the ground, as the UAB defense held Akron to 1.2 yards per carry with only 34 yards on 19 carries. They gave up 359 yards and a pair of touchdowns to Zips quarterback Kato Nelson — but he needed 44 attempts to compile those stats.

With a second win under their belt, UAB heads on a bye week in Week 3. After the time off, the Blazers return to the field on September 21 for a showdown at home against South Alabama. Still looming down the road on the schedule is a November 2 date at Neyland Stadium with a Tennessee team that has been crumbling over the early part of the 2019 season.