The UAB Blazers are setting up a true Magic City showdown.

Over the weekend, UAB announced a two-game nonconference football series with cross-town foe Samford, pairing the Birmingham programs at Protective Stadium in 2026 and 2027 – their first meetings in 34 years.

The Blazers and Bulldogs will square off on October 3, 2026, and again on September 25, 2027, with both games taking place at UAB’s downtown home, Protective Stadium.

The 47,100-seat venue has quickly become a centerpiece for major events in Birmingham since opening in 2021, hosting UAB football, the Birmingham Bowl and the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

Despite being separated by only a few miles, UAB and Samford have met just once before in football.

That lone matchup came in October 1992, when UAB was still a Division III program and the Bulldogs rolled to a 49-3 win at home.

These 2026 and 2027 games will mark only the second and third all-time meetings – and the first chance for the Blazers to even the score in front of a home crowd.

These should each be fantastic events for the city of Birmingham and give Protective Stadium a great crowd to watch the two historic schools face off in rare head-to-head showdowns.

Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.