University of North Alabama Football Game Notes September 17, 2011 Vs
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University of North Alabama Football Game Notes September 17, 2011 vs. Abilene Christian 4:00 PM - Cowboys Stadium - Arlington, Texas LONE STAR FOOTBALL FESTIVAL Game 1 - Noon Midwestern State vs. Texas A&M-Commerce Game 2 - 4 PM #3 Abilene Christian vs. #4 North Alabama Game 3 - 8 PM West Texas A&M vs. #5 Texas A&M-Kingsville UNA ONLY NON-LONE STAR TEAM: NORTH ALABAMA SUCCESSFUL AGAINST North Alabama is the only non-Lone Star Conference school com- NATIONALLY RANKED OPPONENTS: peting in the Lone Star Football Festival. This will be North Alabama’s first game this season against a na- tionally ranked opponent. UNA has played a remarkable 80 games FIRST BATTLE WITH ABILENE CHRISTIAN: against nationally ranked opponents since 1992. The Lions are 49- This will be the first meeting ever between North Alabama and 30-1 in the 80 previous meetings wth ranked opponents over the Abilene Christian. last 19 seasons. UNA has played 44 of its last 80 games against ranked teams against Top 10 teams. The Lions are 26-18 in those UNA’S THIRD GAME IN TEXAS: previous 44 games. The UNA Lions have played just two previous football games in UNA won 18 straight games against nationally ranked the state of Texas. The first was the 1985 NCAA Division II Nation- teams at home from 1992-99, dating back to a 14-12 loss to third al Championship Game at the Palm Bowl in McAllen, Texas. The ranked Jacksonville State in the 1992 playoffs, prior to a 28-21 Lions lost that game 35-7 to North Dakota State. UNA defeated loss to Pittsburg State in 1999. Texas A&M-Kingsville in Kingsville 24-7 in 1996. OTHER GAMES WITH GSC VS. LONE STAR: LIONS HAVE HAD SUCCESS AGAINST LONE STAR: GSC member West Alabama defeated LSC member Tarleton UNA has an unbeaten 4-0 all-time record against Lone Star Con- State last Saturday in Livingston, Ala., 42-35. UNA has already ference schools, but all four wins have come against Texas A&M- scheduled two games against Lone Star teams in 2012, hosting Kingsville. The Lions defeated the Javelinas in the semifinals of Tarleton and travelling to Texas A&M-Kingsville. the 1993 Division II playoffs 27-25 in Florence, in the Champion- ship Game in 1994, 16-10 in Florence, in a regular season clash in COWBOYS STADIUM: Kingsville in 1996 (24-7) and in a regular season game in Florence Cowboys Stadium is a domed stadium with a retractable roof in 1997 (17-12). and serves as the home of the National Football League’s Dallas Cowboys. It was completed on May 27, 2009. The stadium seats UNA LOOKING GOOD IN NON-CONFERENCE GAMES: 80,000, making it the third largest stadium in the NFL by seating It has been 11 years since UNA lost a regular-season game to capacity. The stadium is the largest domed stadium in the world, a non-conference Division II opponent. That’s a streak of 15 has the world’s largest column-free interior and the largest high straight wins. UNA’s last regular-season loss to a any non-Gulf definition video screen which hangs from 20 yard line to 20 yard South Conference school was in 2002 to FCS member Samford, line. The stadium’s construction cost was $1.15 billion, making it 24-21 in overtime on the road. UNA’s last regular-season non- one of the most expensive sports venues ever built conference loss to a Division II school was at Pittsburg State in 2000, 28-21. All-time, since the GSC was formed in 1972, UNA is 92-28-1 against non-GSC schools. GAME TO BE TELEVISED LIONS ON TELEVISION UNA is 27-13 all-time in nationally and regionally televised WHDF - Channel 15 games. The Lions defeated Central Oklahoma 31-7 back on Sept. 1 in a game televised on Comcast/Charter Sports South- (Comcast Cable channel 13 in Florence) east (CSS). University of North Alabama Football Game Notes September 17, 2011 vs. Abilene Christian 4:00 PM - Cowboys Stadium - Arlington, Texas UNA IN ITS 63RD SEASON WITH WIN: NORTH ALABAMA This is UNA’s 63rd season of intercollegiate football (since the Sept. 1 ..................................... CENTRAL OKLAHOMA 31-10 sport was revived in Florence in 1949) with a 31-10 win over Cen- Sept. 10 ..................................... GLENVILLE STATE 48-21 tral Oklahoma. UNA has a 36-23-4 all-time record in season open- Sept. 17 ..................................... vs. Abilene Christian ers and has won its last nine straight, dating back to a double- Sept. 24 ..................................... HARDING (Homecoming) overtime loss to Samford in Birmingham in 2002. Oct. 1 ..................................... at Southern Arkansas UNA OPENED THE SEASON AT NO. 6 - NOW NO. 4: Oct. 8 ..................................... at Arkansas Tech The UNA Lions opened the 2011 football season ranked No. 6 in Oct. 13 ..................................... *DELTA STATE the NCAA DIvision II by the American Football Coaches Associa- Oct. 22 ..................................... OPEN tion. It was the 13th time since 1991 (or in the last 21 years) that Oct. 27 ..................................... *at West Alabama the Lions have been nationally ranked in the Top 14 in the pre-sea- Nov. 5 ..................................... *WEST GEORGIA son. In seven of those years UNA went on to finish the year in the Nov. 12 ..................................... *VALDOSTA STATE Top 10 as well. This marks the sixth straight year (since 2003) that UNA has opened a season ranked in the Top 6. The Lions moved up one spot last week to No. 5 and this week to No. 4. ABILENE CHRISTIAN Sept. 1 .................................... at Tarleton State ... 27-24 PRE-SEASON HONORS: Sept. 17 ..................................... vs North Alabama Several UNA Lions have received recognition in pre-season Sept. 24 ..................................... ANGELO STATE publicatons. Defensive back Janoris Jenkins and offensive Oct. 1 ..................................... WESTERN OREGON lineman Kyle Thornton are pre-season All-American picks by Oct. 8 ..................................... at Eastern New Mexico D2Football.com. Thornton, center Jamie Dixon, defensive Oct. 15 ..................................... WEST TEXAS A&M lineman Jarrod Jefferson, linebacker John Ware, defensive back Oct. 22 ..................................... at Midwestern State Rod Woodson and long snapper Josh Roberts were all pre- season All-GSC selections. Oct. 29 ..................................... TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE Nov. 5 ..................................... at Texas A&M-Kingsville 2011 GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE HONORS: Nov. 12 ..................................... INCARNATE WORD GSC Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 1 Marcus Dowtin vs. Central Oklahoma UNA QUICK FACTS GSC Special Teams Player of the Week LOCATION: Florence, Alabama Sept. 10 Janoris Jenkins vs. Glenville State FOUNDED: 1830 UNA’S SENIOR CLASS OF 2011: ENROLLMENT: 7,300 UNA’s senior class of 2011 carries a 34-8 record into the season PRESIDENT: Dr. William Cale with records of 12-2, 11-2 and 9-4. There have been six previous ATHLETIC DIRECTOR: Mark Linder UNA senior classes have won 40 or more games. The list of alma mater: Wayne State (Neb.) (1991) players who will become four-year lettermen at UNA in this class are Robbie Burdine, Jamie Dixon, Ernest Duren and Thomas office phone: (256) 765-4397 Glenn. NICKNAME: Lions COLORS: Purple and Gold BOWDEN FIRST UNA COACH WITH 20 WINS IN JUST CONFERENCE Gulf South TWO YEARS: AFFILIATION: NCAA Division II With a 20-6 record in his first two seasons in Florence, Terry Bowden is the first UNA coach to win 20 games in his first two FACILITY: Braly Municipal Stadium years at UNA. Bowden is now 22-6 at UNA and has a career 133- Built: 1940’s 59-2 record in 17 years as a collegiate head coach for a 68.8 win- Capacity: 14,215 ning percentage. HISTORY ALL-TIME RECORD: 409-243-16 GSC CHAMPIONS: 1980, 1983, 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2009 NCAA PLAYOFFS: 1980, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 NCAA CHAMPIONS: 1993, 1994, 1995 University of North Alabama Football Game Notes September 17, 2011 vs. Abilene Christian 4:00 PM - Cowboys Stadium - Arlington, Texas ALL-TIME NON-CONFERENCE RECORD UNA HAS SIX NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: UNA hasn’t lost a regular-season game to a non-GSC school since a 24-21 over- The University of North Alabama has won six NCAA Division II National Champi- time loss at Samford on Aug. 29, 2002. That gives the Lions a 15-game regular onships - with two in men’s basketball (1979, 1991), three in football (1993, 1994, season winning streak against non-GSC schools. UNA is 92-28-1 all-time in non- 1995) and one in women’s volleyball (2003). conference games since joining the Gulf South Conference in 1971. The Lions are 57-14 at home against non-GSC schools over that time period and 34-13 on LION SUPERLATIVES: the road and 2-1-1 on neutral fields. UNA has made 16 all-time playoff appearance and has won nine Gulf South Con- ference football crowns. Regular-Season Games vs. Non-GSC Schools Gulf South Conference Champions 2002 at Lambuth 24-17 1980, 1983, 1985, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2009 2003 Stillman 68-7 NCAA Playoffs 2003 at Jacksonville State 28-16 1980, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2004 at Tusculum 26-7 2008, 2009, 2010 2005 Tusculum 33-7 2006 at Tusculum 22-10 UNA’S GAME CAPTAINS 2007 Tusculum 43-24 Opponent 2008 at Carson-Newman 20-13 Central Oklahoma: Lee Chapple, Lucas Darr, Wes Holland, Bryan Thomas 2008 at North Greenville 52-7 Glenville State: Antwan Ivey, Tristan Purifoy, Tommie Westbrook, Jarrod Jefferson 2009 Carson-Newman 31-14 2009 North Greenville 50-3 COIN TOSS 2010 at Glenville State 54-10 Opponent 2010 at Lambuth 31-0 Central Oklahoma: UCO wins toss and defers / UNA received and was forced to 2011 Central Oklahoma 31-10 punt 2011 Glenville State 48-21 Glenville State: UNA wins toss and defers / GSC threw interception, UNA forced to punt 2011 SENIOR CLASS RANKS AS ONE OF UNA’S BEST The Lions’ Senior Class of 2011 ranks as one of the best in school history with a CURRENT LIONS WITH 100 + YARD GAMES combined 34-8 record over their collective careers (12-2, 11-2, 9-4, 2-0).