University of North Alabama Football Notes November 7, 2020 Vs
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University of North Alabama Football Notes November 7, 2020 vs. Southern Mississippi M.M. Roberts Stadium • Hattiesburg, Miss. 2:00 PM Kickoff LIONS FIRST MEETING WITH THE GOLDEN EAGLES • This will be North Alabama’s first football contest ever against Southern Mississippi, and the first time that UNA has played in Hattiesburg. LIONS HAVE HAD TIME BETWEEN GAMES * North Alabama has at least one week off between each of its 2020 football games, and the Lions have had three weeks to prepare for Southern Mississippi. UNA’s last game was on October 17 against Jacksonville State. NORTH ALABAMA 2020 SCHEDULE Oct. 3 at Liberty 7-28 LIONS VS. SCHOOLS FROM MISSISSIPPI Oct. 17 JACKSONVILLE STATE 17-24 * Southern Mississippi will be the fourth school from the state of Nov. 7 at Southern Mississippi 2:00 PM Mississippi that North Alabama has played in football. UNA is 34- Nov. 14 OPEN 26-1 against Delta State, 19-14-2 against Mississippi College and Nov. 21 at Brigham Young 1-0 against Jackson State. * The four-game fall schedule will be the smallest number of LAST TIME PLAYING IN MISSISSIPPI games ever played by a Lion football team. * The last time that North Alabama played a game in the state of Mississippi, the Lions defeated Jackson State 24-7 at Veteran’s SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI 2020 SCHEDULE Stadum on October 20, 2018. Sept. 3 SOUTH ALABAMA 21-32 * UNA built a 24-0 lead before allowing a JSU fourth quarter Sept. 19 LOUISIANA TECH 30-31 touchdown. The Lions’ defense allowed just 163 total yards, while Sept. 26 TULANE 24-66 UNA rushed for 167 and passed for 212. Christian Lopez threw Oct. 3 at North Texas 41-31 for two touchdowns and ran for another. Oct. 10 FLORIDA ATLANTIC PPD Oct. 17 at UTEP PPD NORTH ALABAMA VS. FBS SCHOOLS Oct. 24 at Liberty 35-56 * This will be just the sixth time that a North Alabama football Oct. 31 RICE 6-30 team has faced an FBS opponent, but the Lions have a 2-3 all- Nov. 7 NORTH ALABAMA time record against FBS schools. Nov. 14 at Western Kentucky * This meeting marks the first time that North Alabama has Nov. 21 UTSA played two FBS schools in the same season, and a third is on the Nov. 27 at UAB slate for Nov. 21 in nationally ranked BYU. 1959 Vanderbilt 42, North Alabama 7 1972 Appalachian State 17, North Alabama 3 1973 North Alabama 21, Appalachian State 7 1997 North Alabama 48, Louisiana-Lafayette 42 (4 OT) 2020 Liberty 28, North Alabama 7 LIONS IN 72nd SEASON OF FOOTBALL • North Alabama is in its 72nd season of football, following the reviving of the sport at the school in 1949. UNA has an overall 476-278-16 record.The school’s .615 winning percentage during its years in Division II ranked 12th best in the Division’s history. ONLY 17 FCS TEAMS PLAYING THIS FALL Following the Lions * North Alabama is one of just 17 FCS schools competing in football this fall. Only nine of those teams, UNA’s football broadcast will be carried over WBCF 97.1 including UNA, are playing four games or more. FM. Banjamin Ray will handle play-by-play duties for the * The 17 schools are playing a combined 57 Lions’, with Bryan Neece providing color commentary. Audio games. Just 15 of those are FCS vs. FCS streaming of the broadcasts will be available at www.wbcf. matchups. com. * Seven of the 57 matchups are FCS vs. You can also download the WBCF App to your android or Division II or NAIA. iphone to listen to the Lions wherever you are. * The remaining 35 games are FCS vs. FBS. The FCS schools are 1-27 so far vs. the FBS in 2020. The UNA vs. USM game will also be broadcast on ESPN3 . 2019 North Alabama Notes NORTH ALABAMA IN THIRD SEASON IN FCS NORTH ALABAMA HAS SECOND WINNINGEST • A charter member of the Gulf South Conference and the NCAA COLLEGIATE FOOTBALL PROGRAM IN ALABAMA Division II, North Alabama is in its third season of a four-year SINCE 1990 transition to the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivi- * The University of North Alabama ranks second only behind the sion (FCS). University of Alabama for football success by a school from the * UNA produced one of the most successful football programs in State of Alabama since 1990. Over the last 30 seasons, North the history of the GSC and Division II, advancing to the Division II Alabama has a combined 249-106-1 record in football for a 70.3 Playoffs 12 times in its final 15 seasons in the division and making winning percentage. 21 total playoff appearances, winning 35 post-season games and * Over the same period of time, Alabama has a 274-99 record for three national championships. The 21 post-season trips and 35 a 73.4 winning percentage. Tuskegee is third at 232-100-1 (69.8) playoff wins rank second in DII history. and Auburn is fourth at 238-117-3 (66.9). * The Lions officially moved to Division I status on July 1, 2018. * UNA went 7-3 in 2018 and then 4-7 last season for an 11-11 LARGEST FACILITIES THE LIONS HAVE PLAYED IN FCS record in its third season. * USM’s M.M. Roberts Stadium seats 36,000 and will rank among the largest stadiums that the Lions have played in. GOLDEN EAGLES USED TO PLAYING AT HOME * This game in Hattiesburg will be Southern Mississippi’s fifth 80,000......... Cowboys Stadium, Arlington, Texas (2011) home game in seven contests played so far in 2020. Unfortunately .................... defeated Abilene Christian 23-17 for the Golden Eagles, they are 0-4 so far at home this season 75,808......... Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala. (1989) and its lone win was on the road at North Texas. .................... defeated Alabama A&M 19-7 71,594......... Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala. (2012 & 2015) OTHER UNA SPORTS VS. USM .................... defeated Miles 31-30 (2012) * In the last head-to-head meeting between UNA and USM in .................... defeated Miles 34-17 (2015) any sport, the UNA women’s basketball team downed the Golden 68,821......... Legion Field, Birmingham, Ala. (1971) Eagles 69-65 in overtime on March 25, 2019 in Hattiesburg in the .................... lost to Jacksonville State 60-7 quarterfinals of the 2019 Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI). 60,492......... Memorial Stadium, Jackson, Miss. (2018) * The North Alabama men’s golf team played in the 2019 Sam .................... defeated Jackson State 24-7 Hall Intercollegiate in Hattiesburg and finished eighth in a 16-team 52,000......... Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla. (1983) field. .................... defeated Central Florida 47-20 52,000......... Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla. (1988) UNA’S LAST OUTING WAS OCTOBER 17 .................... lost to Central Florida 35-33 * Jacksonville State overcame a 17-14 deficit late in the third quar- ter to down North Alabama 24-17 in Florence in the two school’s WILLIS IN 19TH SEASON AT UNA, first meeting at Braly Stadium since 1992. FOURTH AS HEAD COACH * A touchdown pass from Rett Files to Jakobi Byrd with 1:57 left in * After helping lead the University of North Alabama to 12 playoff the third quarter put UNA on top 17-14 but the Gamecocks scored appearances and seven conference championships in his 15 before the end of the quarter on a one-yard Zerrick Cooper run to seasons on the coaching staff, Chris Willis was named as the 10th regain the lead at 21-17 with just four seconds left. head football coach in UNA history on December 22, 2016. * The only score in the fourth quarter was a 36-yard field goal by * An assistant coach at North Alabama under Mark Hudspeth, Terry Alen Karajic to extend the lead to 24-17. Bowden and Bobby Wallace, Willis served the Lions as defensive * UNA had one last chance but a Hail-Mary pass from Blake coordinator for the last five seasons and directed defensive efforts Dever was picked off by JSU’s Nicario Harper at the one-yard line that helped UNA become the first school in Gulf South Conference as time expired. history to win four straight league championships. * UNA finished with 276 total yards, throwing for 213 and rushing * 2017 was his first head coaching position in his 19 seasons as for 63. Dever was 22-of-34 for 202 yards. JSU gained 145 yards a collegiate coach and he led the Lions to a 5-5 record. The Lions rushing and 244 through the air for 389 total. Cooper was 15-of-25 were then 7-3 in 2018 and 4-7 in 2019. for 244 yards, throwing for one touchdown and rushing for two. * Willis now has a 16-17 overall record as a head coach. GOLDEN EAGLES LOST TO RICE LAST SATURDAY LIONS LAST ROAD WIN IN 2019 SEASON-FINALE * Rice beat Southern Miss 30-6 in Hattiesburg last Saturday to * North Alabama got its last road win on November 16, 2019 in drop USM to 1-5 on the season. Southern Miss starting quarter- the season-finale at Gardner-Webb, 34-30. The Lions finished the back Jack Abraham was injured in the first half but the Golden season 1-5 on the road against a rugged schedule that included Eagles got 71 yards rushing from Frank Gore, Jr., and Trey Lowe games at nationally ranked Montana, Jacksonville State, Ken- registered 5 of 6 passing for 57 yards in relief of Abraham. nesaw State and Monmouth.