FACTS & STATS: Site: Legion Field (83,091) -- Birmingham, Alabama. Television:None. Home Record: Marshall 2-1, UAB 1-2. Away Record: Marshall 1-2, UAB 0-4. Neutral Record: Marshall 0-0, UAB 0-0. Conference Record: Marshall 2-0, UAB 0-3. Series Record: Marshall leads, 3-0.

GAME NOTES: A couple of teams off to vastly difference starts in Conference USA play meet up at Legion Field this weekend, as the Marshall Thundering Herd take on the UAB Blazers. The Herd come into the game well rested having been out of action since dropping a 33-10 decision to Cincinnati on October 3rd. It was the second loss in a row by Marshall, which sits at a level 3-3 for the season. The team however, owns a perfect 2-0 mark within C-USA thanks to victories over Memphis (17-16) and Southern Mississippi (34-27) earlier in the season. As for UAB, its struggles continued this past week with a 45-20 loss to Houston on October 8th. The setback was the third straight and the sixth in seven games this season for the Blazers, whose lone win came over a Football Championship Subdivision program in Alabama State (45-10). UAB has dropped all three of its C-USA games thus far, losing two of them by more than 20 points. The Blazers and Herd have met three times previously, with Marshall winning each encounter, including a 46-39 triumph in last season's showdown.

The Herd hasn't been all that productive on the offensive side of the ball this season and it is currently gaining 135.5 ypg on the ground and 191.5 ypg through the air. Hanging onto the ball has also been an issue for Marshall, which has committed 12 turnovers in six games. In the team's most recent outing, Marshall turned the ball over three times and gained just 268 total yards in a 33-10 loss to Cincinnati. Freshman quarterback Mark Cann struggled in the setback, as he completed only 17-of-36 pass attempts for 178 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. The young signal caller will surely go through some growing pains and for the year he has thrown for 1,121 yards with six touchdowns versus seven picks. Wideout Darius Passmore has been his primary outlet with 37 catches for 559 yards and four scores, but tight end Cody Slate has been getting more looks of late and now has 16 catches for 234 yards and two scores in just four games. Slate led the team with seven receptions for 96 yards and a score against Cincinnati, while Passmore had the same amount of catches for 47 yards. In the backfield, Darius Marshall leads the way with 481 rushing yards and four touchdowns, although he was limited to just 19 yards on 14 carries by Cincinnati.

Marshall has had some issues on defense up to this point, as the team is giving up a way to high 426.8 total ypg. The unit has struggled versus the run (165.8 ypg) as well as the pass (261.0 ypg) and has given up 11 of its 19 touchdowns on the ground. In the team's loss to Cincinnati, the Herd permitted 361 yards of total offense and that includes 203 via the run. On a positive note, Marshall was able to force a pair of turnovers and record three sacks, although that obviously wasn't enough. Mario Harvey turned in a noteworthy effort in the loss, as he logged nine tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble. He now has three of the team's nine sacks on the year and that is to go with 38 stops.

The Blazers are averaging a solid 166.0 ypg on the ground and an equally as good 215.6 ypg through the air, but the offense has turned the ball over 14 times and given up 17 sacks. The inability to protect the ball and quarterback helps explain why the team is scoring just 23.9 ppg despite the success on the ground and through the air. Last week, UAB posted 352 total yards, but gave up four sacks and committed three turnovers in a 45-20 loss to Houston. UAB converted just 2-of-16 third down chances in the game and failed to score a single point in the second half. Quarterback Joe Webb, once again, did it all for the Blazers, although he did throw three picks. Still, Webb not only passed for 234 yards and a score, he also led the team with 72 rushing yards and another touchdown. It was a typical effort by Webb, who has carried the team offensively, but has also made his fair share of mistakes. For the season, Webb has rushed for 588 yards and six scores, in addition to passing for 1,509 yards, with eight touchdowns against nine interceptions. Frantrell Forrest has been his main target and he returned from injury to catch eight balls for 84 yards last week. Despite missing two games, Forrest leads the team with 33 receptions and 419 receiving yards on the year.

Defensively, UAB has struggled greatly this season and that is no more evident than in the 34.7 ppg and 473.9 total ypg it is allowing. The Blazers have been abused on the ground (171.6 ypg) and through the air (302.3 ypg) and has yielded 17 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing. Last week, UAB held a 20-3 lead over Houston before allowing 42-unaswered points in the second half of a 45-20 setback. In that game, the Blazers surrendered 549 total yards, including 417 via the pass. It was a typical effort by UAB, which forced only one turnover in the setback. Joe Henderson had eight stops and two TFLs in the game and he tops the roster with 48 tackles and 7.5 TFLs for the season.

Both teams have had their share of struggles this season, but Marshall has found a way to win some games. The Herd is a little more sound defensively than UAB and that should help it slip by on the road this weekend.