PDF GAME NOTES
   FLORENCE, Ala. -- Finally, the University of North Alabama is playing a home football game at Braly Stadium after three weeks and more than 3,000 miles on the road so far in the 2018 season.
    The Lions are off to an impressive start in their first season of NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) football but will face another tough challenge when the Lions host Azusa Pacific at Braly Stadium at 6 p.m. Saturday. The Cougars bring a 3-0 record to Braly along with a No. 24 national ranking in Division II.
    UNA won road contests at FCS members Southern Utah and Alabama A&M to grab some national attention, then held its own on the road last weekend against No. 1 ranked and defending FCS national champion North Dakota State.
    Now the Lions have seven games remaining, with five of those at home, to finish writing the first chapter of their Division I history.
    Unfortunately for the Lions, the 2018 schedule doesn't seem much different than the one North Alabama faced in 2017 when UNA played six nationally ranked teams on its 10-game schedule.
    Coming off a road game against the top FCS team in the country, the Lions now face an unbeaten and nationally ranked Azusa Pacific team that has rolled to wins over West Texas A&M, Simon Fraser and Western Oregon.
    The Cougars are traveling more than 1,900 miles to face the Lions as the first Division II opponent on a UNA schedule since the Lions began competing as a member of the FCS.
    "From what we've seen on film they are a good football team that is well coached and has an explosive offense with a lot of team speed," said UNA head coach Chris Willis. "They are having to travel across the country to get here but it will be a lot like us going to Southern Utah where we came in with nothing to lose and gave it our best shot and got a win. We are going to need a good week of practice to be prepared to face a good football team."
    Azusa Pacific boasts an offense that is averaging 424 total yards and 34 points per game. Quarterback Tyrone Williams, Jr., is a dual threat who has thrown for 738 yards and seven touchdowns and rushed for 140 yards and three scores in the up-tempo attack.
    The Cougars defense has been opportunistic, forcing 12 turnovers with six interceptions and six caused fumbles. APU is allowing just 12.7 points per game.
    North Alabama's offense struggled last week in a tough environment in the Fargo Dome against the top ranked Bison but quarterbacks Christian Lopez and Chris Weaver have both been effective moving the team.
    Lopez has thrown for 549 yards and five TDs and rushed for 68 yards and two scored to pace the attack.
    Damon Cox and Terence Humphrey have both been strong runners for the Lions in the early going and a group of young and talented receivers have emerged to make the Lions a serious offensive threat through the air as well.
    Sophomore punter Joe Gurley of Killen has also been a weapon on special teams and is averaging better than 41 yards per punt.
    UNA's defense has been hampered by injuries already in the 2018 season but sophomore linebackers Christon Taylor and Will Evans, senior linebacker Joshua Amanfo and defensive backs Chris Johnson and K.J. Smith have been formidable.
    Next week the Lions will get their first taste of action in the Big South Conference as the Lions travel to Buies Creek, N.C. to face Campbell University.
        UNA was notified late last week that Incarnate Word was cancelling its contract with the Lions for a game in San Antonio, Texas on November 15. That drops North Alabama back to a 10-game regular season schedule and the athletics administration is looking at its options to possibly replace that contest.