24-point underdogs. An interim coach. A first-time starter. UAB didn’t just win, it healed.
UAB interim Alex Mortensen leads emotional upset of undefeated Memphis originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Nobody saw this coming.
A team without its head coach. A sophomore quarterback making his first-ever college start. And an opponent ranked, undefeated, and favored by more than 23 points.
Yet on Saturday night, UAB stunned No. 22 Memphis 31-24, earning its first win over a ranked opponent since the 2021 Independence Bowl, and doing it under interim head coach Alex Mortensen, son of the late ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen, who passed away in 2024.
“I told you Monday this was going to be a little off the cuff,” Mortensen said. “Not used to this. But I would say, you know, we talked early in the week that this was a tough one, losing our head coach (Trent Dilfer), someone that we all really loved and respected. And I do want to say, too, he’s a very good football coach. That’s important to say.”
More: ESPN legend Chris Mortensen’s son leads UAB
Earlier in the week, Mortensen had reflected on the legacy of his father and the influence he carried into this moment.
“I’ve thought about my dad a lot, I think about him every day,” Mortensen said. “Father-son relationships can be weird. Some people don’t know their father. Some don’t have the best relationship. I hit the lottery. I had an awesome dad.”
The Blazers played with emotion and precision, never looking like a team in turmoil. Sophomore Ryder Burton, in his first collegiate start, completed 20 of 27 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns.
“We wanted to settle him into the game,” Mortensen said. “We wanted to stay ahead of schedule and see if we could make another team beat us first instead of defeating ourselves.”
Sophomore running back Solomon Beebe delivered the knockout punch with an 81-yard touchdown sprint. Beebe had a 106-yard night on just five carries, while the defense held firm late to preserve one of the program’s most memorable wins.
“It was tremendous,” Mortensen said. “We talked about playing with fanatical effort, poise, and staying together no matter what. There were a lot of things that could’ve rattled them, but if anything, you saw the leadership come together and sharpen their focus.”
When asked if he’d had time to take in what the week meant, Mortensen paused. “I feel like until about last night, that was the first time I came up for air,” he admitted. “It’s been one minute to the next since Sunday. So yeah, I’m excited, I’m happy about it, but I told them [let’s] celebrate it for 24 hours. Then let’s refocus.”
When the “Battle for the Bones” trophy was hoisted in celebration, Mortensen simply smiled.
“I did not try to pick it up,” he laughed. “I’m told it’s very heavy. But it was really fun to see the players celebrate. They’ve put in a lot of hard work, and seeing them reap what they sow was really cool.”
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Category: General Sports
