BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Southern Mississippi couldn’t put away UAB or the division title.

The 22nd-ranked Golden Eagles jumped to a quick two-touchdown lead, cashed in on a couple of gambles and still lost 34-31 on Thursday night after a frantic final try.

Southern Miss (9-2, 5-2 Conference USA) can still secure its first East Division title since 2006 and a spot in the C-USA championship game with a win over Memphis. The Golden Eagles, who had won eight straight, would have preferred getting it over with.

“They knew what was at stake, they knew what had to be done,” Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. “They knew we hadn’t changed anything from the first week to this week, and it’s my job to figure out why they weren’t ready.”

Ty Long kicked a 38-yard field goal with 3:04 left after a drive that consumed nearly half of the final quarter, and UAB held on.

The Blazers (3-8, 3-5 Conference USA) earned their second victory against a ranked team, having beaten No. 17 East Carolina 36-17 in 1999.

“We don’t get down. We just kind of roll,” Blazers coach Neil Callaway said. “Obviously, that’s not a good way to start. But you’ve got the (two) turnovers, you’ve got the fake kick, you’ve got all those things. We give up some yardage but we kind of find a way to keep them out of the end zone.”

The Golden Eagles pushed the ball across midfield twice in the final minutes, but Austin Davis’ fourth-down pass was broken up by Jamie Bender. Davis’ run for what would have been a first down was negated by Jason Weaver’s chop block, setting up third-and-20 from the Southern Miss 41.

UAB ran the clock down to 11 seconds before punting. The Golden Eagles had five laterals before the final play ended inside the Blazers 40.