UAB to play Samford in 2026, 2027 at Protective Stadium

After a 34 year hiatus, the UAB Blazers and Samford Bulldogs will play on the gridiron against each other in 2026 and 2027 at Protective Stadium.

The last time the two Birmingham area teams played each other was in 1992, when Samford defeated the Blazers, who at the time was playing its second season as a Division III team.

Both schools have a history of playing major powerhouse programs on their non-conference schedule. For example, this year UAB played the Tennessee Volunteers, while Samford is taking on #3 ranked Texas A&M on November 22nd. The two-game deal between the cross-town rivals is a nice departure.

UAB-Samford Basketball 3 games 

In addition to the football games, both schools also announced last week they are playing each other in Men’s Basketball in 2026, 2027 and 2028. 

What do you think of the budding rivalry between UAB and Samford in football and basketball? Tell us what think on social media by tagging us at @bhamnow