HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The Utah Blaze closed out their season with a dramatic, edge-of-the-seat battle with the Alabama Vipers Saturday night. The drama ended, however, with the Blaze falling 68-64 in a game that featured four lead changes in the final three minutes of play.
The Vipers built a 42-28 lead at halftime only to see the Blaze rally in the second half.
Utah (2-14) used a pair of fourth-quarter defensive stops — a fumble forced and recovery by Chris Solomona and another forced by Vaka Manapuna recovered by Labrose Hedgeman — to post a 61-56 lead with less than two minutes to play.
The Vipers drove the length of the field and, after converting a fourth-down play, scored a go-ahead touchdown with 1:19 to play. A two-point conversion was intercepted by Utah's Brandon Taylor and a few plays later Blaze kicker Ben Scott kicked a field goal to put Utah back on top 64-61.
But Alabama (7-9) proved that it only takes a play or two to change the game in the AFL by scoring just two plays later to reclaim the lead at 68-64 with 21 seconds to play — the fourth lead change of the quarter.
A pass from Brett Elliott intended for Aaron LeSue was intercepted by Alabama's Eric Crosby with eight seconds to play, ending Utah's hopes for a dramatic win.