Effective after this season, UAB no longer sponsors varsity football.

This has been rumored for a while now, but became official earlier this afternoon. Players were seen crying after leaving the meeting announcing the decision.

Blazer players will be able to transfer to any school without penalty, while the future of coach Bill Clark is now thoroughly in question. Clark came to UAB after one season at Jacksonville State (FCS), leading the Blazers to bowl eligibility.

The following schools were on UAB’s future schedules, and will now need to look for alternate opponents:

2015

Tennessee (at Nashville, TN)

Georgia State

South Alabama

Troy

2016

Kentucky

South Alabama

Troy

Georgia State



Conference USA commissioner Britton Banowsky issued a statement earlier this afternoon, saying partially:

“We are aware of the study but disappointed with the decision to discontinue the sport of football at UAB, particularly because of its effect on the lives of the student-athletes and coaches that have worked so hard to restore the quality of the program. We don’t fully understand the decision, nor agree with it, but do respect it and the authority of the UAB Administration to make it.”

ESPN’s Brett McMurphy reports that UAB must pay nearly $2.5 million to cancel the games listed above.

Tuesday afternoon, UAB released a lengthy official statement on the discontinuation of their football program. Below are some snippets: