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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans tailgate on September 2, 2017 outside Legion Field in Birmingham, Al. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans cheer as the football team makes their way to Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB football players and staff enter Legion Field on September 2, 2017 for their home opener against Alabama A&M.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB football players and staff enter Legion Field on September 2, 2017 for their home opener against Alabama A&M.
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Sarah Finnegan
Fans check out UAB apparel and various gear inside Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
The UAB Blazer Marching Band performs outside Legion Field prior to the kickoff of UAB's football game against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
The UAB Blazer Marching Band performs outside Legion Field prior to the kickoff of UAB's football game against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans arrive at Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans arrive at Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
The UAB Blazer Marching Band performs outside Legion Field prior to the kickoff of UAB's football game against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
The UAB Blazer Marching Band performs outside Legion Field prior to the kickoff of UAB's football game against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017. The Saturday of Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans arrive at Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB fans arrive at Legion Field on September 2, 2017. The Saturday on Labor Day weekend brought with it the return of UAB Blazer Football to the Birmingham area after a two-year hiatus.
A school-record crowd of 45,212 showed up on Saturday afternoon to celebrate the return of UAB football, a team playing its first game since 2014.
After the program was shuttered Dec. 2, 2014, and resurrected six months later, the day was a long-awaited for students, alumni, supporters and players.
The parking lots surrounding Legion Field filled up long before game time, as fans enjoyed the time tailgating and lining the parking lot for Blazer Walk two hour prior to game time.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
Former UAB players, program supporters and administrators pass the game ball to midfield prior to the start of UAB's home opener against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB's Timothy Alexander takes steps toward midfield to deliver the game ball to the referee for UAB's home opener against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. Alexander, who has been paralyzed since 2006, promised that when UAB's football program returned he would walk onto the field with the team.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB's Timothy Alexander takes steps toward midfield to deliver the game ball to the referee for UAB's home opener against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. Alexander, who has been paralyzed since 2006, promised that when UAB's football program returned he would walk onto the field with the team.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB's Timothy Alexander takes steps toward midfield to deliver the game ball to the referee for UAB's home opener against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. Alexander, who has been paralyzed since 2006, promised that when UAB's football program returned he would walk onto the field with the team.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
Fans enjoy the UAB vs. Alabama A&M football game from the stands on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB celebrates a win against Alabama A&M on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, UAB football made its home-field return to a crowd of record numbers.
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Sarah Finnegan
UAB takes on Alabama A&M for their home opener on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. After a two-year hiatus, fans turned out in record numbers to see the Blazers beat the Bulldogs 38-7.
Prior to the pregame coin toss, the game ball was passed amongst several people on the field, a mix of former players, supporters and administrators. The last in that string was Timothy Alexander, who has long served as an emotional pillar of the Blazer program.
Alexander, who has been paralyzed since 2006, made no secret about his intention to walk onto the field in the program's first game back. He did that on Saturday, walking 10 yards to midfield to hand the head official that game ball before the coin toss.
The Blazers took care of business during the game itself, knocking off Alabama A&M, 38-7.
Check out photos of the pregame festivities and action from the game as well.
