A new-look UAB team will visit UConn on Saturday in Hartford, Conn.

The Blazers are under interim head coach Alex Mortensen, who replaced Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer after the latter's firing on Oct. 12.

Mortensen led the Blazers 3-4 (1-3 American Conference) to a 31-24 win over No. 22 Memphis in his head coaching debut. With starting QB Jalen Kitna out with a shoulder injury, Mortensen called on Ryder Burton, who redshirted at BYU in 2023 and transferred to West Virginia.

He didn’t play for the Mountaineers in 2024 before his transfer to UAB in 2025. Prior to his start against Memphis on Oct. 18, he had completed one pass in college for seven yards.

Against Memphis, Burton was 20-of-27 passing for 251 yards with three touchdowns and an interception.

"Obviously, the result was awesome to see our guys play really hard and play poised, right down to the end," said Mortensen, the son of the late ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen.

UAB was a 21 ½-point underdog entering the game.

The Huskies (5-3) are favored by 11 ½ points with UAB on a bye last week.

UConn lost 37-34 in double-overtime loss last week on the road against Rice. All three season losses have come in OT, and the defeat by Rice cost the Huskies a chance to clinch back-to-back bowl berths and the third in four seasons under head coach Jim Mora.

They could accomplish the feat Saturday.

The Huskies stand 20th in the nation with an average of 36.8 points per game but have had trouble in their losses either holding the lead or scoring late in games.

“It’s just the little things; we’ve got to fix the little things and we have to finish games out,” said Cam Edwards, who leads the Huskies with 753 yards gained on 129 carries and eight rushing touchdowns. “We’ve got to put some more points on the board in the second half.”

How to Watch UAB at UConn

• Who: UAB Blazers (3-4, 1-3 American) at UConn Huskies (5-3)
• When: Saturday, Nov. 1, noon
• Where:  Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in Hartford, Conn. (Capacity 36,000)
• TV: CBS Sports Network
• Announcers: Fran Charles (play-by-play), Taylor McHargue (color analyst), Hailey Sutton (sideline)
• Radio: UConn Sports Network - FOX Sports 97.9 FM; SiriusXM Ch. 383
• Radio announcers: Mike Crispino (play-by-play), Wayne Norman (color analyst), Adam Giardino (sideline)
• Live stats: UConn.Statbroadcast.com
• Social Media: X: @UConnFootball; Instagram: UConnFootball

• Series history: UConn won the only meeting between the two schools. In that Nov. 9, 2024, game, the Huskies tied the school record for the largest comeback. The Blazers led 20-3, then were winning 23-10 after three quarters, but UConn scored 21 unanswered points in the fourth for a 31-23 victory on the road. Edwards rushed 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown. Kitna completed 22 of 42 passes for 233 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.