Three keys to a Navy Midshipman win over American Conference foe UAB

As much as the Navy loves to run the ball, UAB does as well. The Blazers rushed 35 times for 273 yards, nearly an eight-yard per carry average. At the same time, they also allowed Alabama State to rush for over 200 yards in a close 52-42 win. The Navy needs to review those stats and believes they can dominate UAB, controlling the clock and line of scrimmage to keep UAB's offense on the sideline and their defense gasping for air.

2. Win the turnover battle

UAB tends to throw the ball more than Navy; their quarterback, Jalen Kitna, threw it 23 times in game one, compared to Navy's combined 14 attempts from their two quarterbacks. That means a couple of things: the Navy's secondary will be tested, and it will have a chance at creating a turnover. With the Navy's commitment to the run game, they will have a smaller chance of turning the ball over. It is the oldest cliche in the game, but winning the turnover battle will be crucial for a Navy win.

3. No big plays

With the Navy dedicated to the run, UAB has a chance to swing momentum with big plays. If they can hit a couple of home runs and force Navy to start airing it out in an attempt to catch up, it could be a long day for the Midshipmen. As mentioned above, the Navy secondary will have to remain disciplined and resist the urge to come up on play action or get caught flat-footed looking into the UAB backfield.