Alabama-Birmingham, just seven months after announcing its football program was being terminated, will have Blazers football back on the field in 2017, the school announced Tuesday.
Citing budgetary concerns, UAB president Ray Watts announced late last year that UAB was terminating its football program after a 6-6 season under coach Bill Clark. But after facing heavy criticism about the reliability of the information Watts relied on in determining the program's fate, the school reconsidered.
The NCAA informed the program that the Blazers will be eligible for a bowl and will to return to Conference-USA competition for the 2017 season. According to al.com, the outcry over the school's decision to terminate football led to some $17 million in private donations, though the school is seeking $13 million more to cover the cost of reviving the program.
Watts announced on June 1 that the school would reinstate the football program, but it was unclear when the Blazers would return to the field until Tuesday.
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