Telegraph Staff Writer
Starke native DeWayne McBride rushed for 183 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown, in UAB’s 31-28 win over BYU in the Dec. 18 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana.
McBride, who graduated from Ocala’s Vanguard High School, carried the ball 28 times, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. His 64-yard scoring run saw him go untouched until he stiff armed his way past defensive back Malik Moore at the BYU 40-yard line. He then outraced defensive back Matthew Criddle the final 20 yards.
That run, with 1:02 remaining in the first quarter, put UAB up 14-0.
McBride helped the Blazers run out the final 3:36, picking up a pair of first downs on runs of 16 and 9 yards. That enabled UAB to win a bowl game for the second time in school history as well as notch its fourth-ever win over a ranked opponent.
It was the sixth 100-yard game of the season for McBride, who finished his sophomore campaign with 13 touchdowns and 1,371 yards — the third-highest total for a UAB back in a season.
McBride rushed for more than 90 yards in each of the Blazers’ last seven games, including the bowl game. During that span, he had a 210-yard, four-touchdown performance in a 52-38 win over Louisiana Tech on Nov. 6.
Other notable performances included 137 yards and a touchdown in a 34-0 win over Southern Miss on Oct. 16 and 144 yards and a touchdown in a 34-31 loss to UTSA on Nov. 20.
The scoring run against BYU wasn’t McBride’s longest of the season. He had a 67-yard run in a 42-25 win over UTEP on Nov. 26.
McBride’s longest career run covered 75 yards in a 37-34, double-overtime loss to Louisiana Tech on Oct. 31, 2020.
As a freshman, he rushed for 439 yards and four touchdowns in six games.
