The City of Birmingham hosted a parade for the University of Alabama at Birmingham football program to celebrate its historic season. On Friday, Jan. 18, fans gathered along University Boulevard to cheer on the Conference USA championship and bowl game victories. Marching alongside the UAB Blazers were the Marching Blazers, Mayor Randall Woodfin, city council representatives and marching bands from Birmingham city schools. A pep rally with UAB football players, Coach Bill Clark, UAB President Ray Watts and Mayor Woodfin culminated the celebration.
After securing a berth in the C-USA title game with a 26-23 victory against Southern Miss on Nov. 10, the Blazers traveled to Middle Tennessee on Dec. 1 and defeated the Blue Raiders 27-25 to win their first C-USA Championship in school history.
UAB then capped its storybook season with a decisive 37-13 victory over Northern Illinois in the Cheribundi Boca Raton Bowl on Dec. 18, its first bowl victory in school history.
For leading the Blazers to national prominence in 2018, head coach Bill Clark was named the 2018 Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year, as well as the CBS Sports and Sporting News National Coach of the Year.
Clark accepted the National Coach of the Year award Jan. 5 in San Jose, California, in conjunction with the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.