FLORENCE, Ala. – Christian Lopez threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to lead the University of North Alabama to a 41-14 win over Shorter at Braly Stadium.
 
The win was UNA's third straight and pushes the Lions' record to 6-3 in their first season in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Shorter is now 0-10.
 
Lopez threw for two quick scores in the first six minutes of the game and staked UNA to a 28-0 halftime lead. The Lions then played virtually their entire roster in the second half on the way to the win.
 
North Alabama finished with 471 total yards, rushing for 220 yards and passing for 251. Shorter was held to 282 total yards as the Hawks passed for 145 and ran for 137.
 
Lopez finished the game 18-of-27 passing for 240 yards and rushed for 48 yards on seven carries. He has now thrown a school-record 241 consecutive passes without an interception.
 
Cortez Hall led UNA's receivers with seven catches for 107 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Lions are now 7-0 all-time against Shorter and have outscored the Hawks 290-28 in those seven meetings.

UNA honored the members of its 1968 football team at the game as a 50-year celebration of the integration of college football in the state of Alabama. The 1968 Florence State (now UNA) team was the first in the state to play African-Americans in a college football game. The current Lions wore the letter "F" on their helmets Saturday and the year 1968 on the back in honor of the 1968 team.
 
North Alabama scored on its opening possession of the game for the fourth straight time as Lopez led a 36-yard, four-play drive for a touchdown after a 60-yard kickoff return by K.J. Smith. Lopez threw a 24-yard pass for the score to Jakobi Byrd and Chandler Carrera's PAT made it 7-0 at 13:14 of the first quarter.
 
On UNA's next possession, Lopez capped a 41-yard, five-play drive with an 11-yard TD pass to Hall on a fourth down call. Carrera's kick made it 14-0 at 9:26 of the first quarter.
 
In the second quarter, Byrd caught a one-yard touchdown pass from Lopez at the 13:25 mark and C.J. Sturdivant scored on a 23-yard run at 8:10 and UNA led 28-0 at intermission.
 
UNA missed on two 40-plus-yard field goal attempts in the third quarter before Carrera booted a 34-yarder at 7:10 of the quarter to make it 31-0. Shorter then got a 56-yard touchdown run from Tupac Lanier and the Hawks cut the lead to 31-7 at 6:03 of the third.
 
Lopez scored on a six-yard run at 3:42 of the third period to push it back to 38-7 and Carrera added a 20-yard field goal with 12:28 left in the game to push the advantage to 41-7.
 
Shorter added a late score with 1:42 left in the game on a two-yard TD run by Coey Watson to make the final count 41-14.
 
North Alabama hosts North Greenville on November 10 at Braly Stadium.


Members of UNA's 1968 Football team held a 50-year reunion Saturday. The team was the first integrated collegiate football team in the state of Alabama to have African-Americans play in a college football game.


1968 Team Reunion


Will Evans (44) and the Lions wore the letter "F" on their helmets Saturday in honor of the 1968 Florence State team's 50-year reunion.