PDF Game Notes
  The University of North Alabama football team has spent four of the first five weeks of the 2018 season on the road and entertained a team from California in a rain storm on its lone home date.
    This Saturday things should be a little more familiar for the Lions as they welcome a Gulf South Conference member in West Florida to Braly Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
    West Florida is a school that UNA had just begun a football rivalry with two years ago prior to the Lions moving up to the FCS.
    UWF enters the game with a 4-1 record and a No. 11 national ranking in Division II. The Argonauts will be the third nationally ranked team that UNA will have faced in the first six weeks of the 2018 season.
    It is not surprising then, that North Alabama's strength of schedule this season ranks ninth of 125 schools ranked in the FCS. Included on UNA's schedule so far was FCS No. 1 ranked and undefeated North Dakota State, 4-1 Campbell and a 4-1 Azusa Pacific team that is also ranked in Division II.
    The Lions have traveled almost 4,000 miles in five weeks but can now settle in for a stretch of four home games over the final five weeks of the season. The lone remaining road game is in Jackson, Miss.
    UNA begins the home-stand with a tough battle against a school that advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game a year ago in just its second season of collegiate football.
    This will be third meeting between North Alabama and West Florida, with the Argonauts having just begun their program in 2016.
    UNA dominated the initial meeting, 51-3, in 2016 in Florence. UNA gained 528 yards of total offense and held UWF to just 172 yards. The Lions led 34-3 after one quarter and 48-3 at the half.
    Last season the Argonauts turned the tables on the Lions in Pensacola, winning 30-7.
    This year's UWF team is averaging 30.2 points and allowing just 19.2 on its way to a 4-1 start. The Argonauts only loss was a 38-17 blowout on the road at Midwestern State. West Florida has bounced back from that loss in the second game of the season to outscore its three GSC opponents 115-49.
    Quarterback Sam Vaughn has led the way for the Argonauts with 1,407 yards passing and 12 TDs.
    For its part, North Alabama's offense has struggled at times and but is averaging 22 points per game and has engineered three fourth quarter comebacks that led to the Lions' three wins.
    The UNA defense, however, is allowing 30.6 points per game.
    If that trend continues to the end of the season, it would mark the first time since 2002 that UNA has been outscored by its opponent.
    Junior quarterback Christian Lopez continues to be the key to the UNA offense but back-up Chris Weaver has also begun to see meaningful playing time.
    In the backfield, Damon Cox has stepped-up his game as a senior and leads the Lions with 392 yards on the ground.
    The Lions quartet of redshirt freshmen receivers has also been impressive, as Jakobi Byrd, Dexter Boykin, Andre Little and Cortez Hall are the top four receivers on the team and have a combined 63 catches for 797 yards and seven touchdowns.

    Next Saturday, October 13, will serve as UNA's 2018 Homecoming as the Lions host Mississippi College at Braly Stadium at 6 p.m.