PDF Game Notes
FLORENCE, Ala. -- For the first 41 straight weeks of their collective football playing careers at the University of North Alabama, the members of UNA's senior class of 2017 were featured in the NCAA Division II Top 25 rankings. The group has helped UNA win three Gulf South Conference Championships, make three NCAA Playoff appearances and has a 33-12 record.
    But the 2017 season has not gone according to plans for the Lions and when the 16 seniors lineup for their final game at UNA Saturday against Mississippi College at 1:30 at Braly Stadium, they hope to go out on a winning note and prevent the first losing season at the school since 2002.
    UNA, 4-5 overall, hosts a 1-8 Mississippi College team that is coming off its only win of the season last Saturday over Shorter, 30-29.
    UNA returned just five starters from 2016, had more than 60 new players on its 2017 roster and has seen that squad devastated by injuries, losing more than a dozen players during the season. The Lions have also faced the toughest schedule of any team in Division II this season with an opponent's winning percentage of .685 or an overall 50-23 record. Four of UNA's five losses this season have come against teams currently ranked in the Division II Top 25.
    The Lions have continued to fight on, however, and were still in contention for a possible Gulf South Conference title before last Saturday's loss at West Florida.
    North Alabama has not had a losing season since the 2002 Lions went 4-7 in their first season under Mark Hudspeth. Since then, UNA has enjoyed 12 winning seasons and had .500 seasons in 2004 and 2012. The 2012 Lions went 5-5 in their first season with Bobby Wallace back at the helm of the UNA program.
    Both the Lions and Choctaws are struggling on the offensive side of the ball. UNA has lost its top two quarterbacks and has been hampered heavily with injuries in the backfield and on the offensive line. The Lions are averaging just 21.3 points per game and have failed to score an offensive touchdown in two games this season.
    UNA hopes to improve those numbers against a Mississippi College defense that is surrendering 34.5 points and 402 yards per game.
    Mississippi College averages just 12.8 points per game and has been held under 10 points four times this season. The Choctaws and Lions are both averaging less than 300 total yards per game.
    Tiberias Lampkin leads MC's offensive attack with 549 rushing yards and one touchdown. Quarterback Ty Jobe has thrown for 795 yards and three TDs and rushed for 174 and four scores.
    UNA quarterback Matt Markham completed 13 of his 20 pass attempts for 94 yards last Saturday at West Florida, but he was under constant pressure and was sacked seven times.  
    Defensively, UNA's secondary continues to rank among the best in the nation. The Lions are fifth nationally in Division II in interceptions with 18, 10th in fewest passing yards allowed and 16th in pass efficiency defense.

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    Chris Willis represents the 10th head coaching change in UNA football history and only two of the previous nine coaches enjoyed winning seasons in their first year at UNA. Bill Hyde was 8-2 in 1998 and Terry Bowden was 11-2 in 2009, but the other seven Lion head coaches went .500 or worse in their first season as head coach at UNA. Hal Self was 4-5 in 1949, Durell Mock 5-5 in 1970, Mickey Andrews 4-6 in 1973, Wayne Grubb 5-5 in 1977, Bobby Wallace 2-8 in 1988, Mark Hudspeth 4-7 in 2002 and Wallace 5-5 in 2012.