PROVO, Utah – Facing the most formidable opponent in school history in eighth ranked BYU, the University of North Alabama fell 66-14 to the Cougars to close an abbreviated 2020 football season.
UNA, completing its third season of transition to the FCS level, faced the unbeaten (8-0) FBS Cougars at LaVell Edwards Stadium. BYU built a 42-7 halftime advantage and cruised to the win.
North Alabama closed its season at 0-4, having faced three FBS opponents.
The 66 points were the most ever allowed by a UNA football team in 72 seasons and 772 total games.
BYU finished with 555 total yards.
UNA had 354 total yards and turned the ball over three times.
North Alabama was able to move the ball on its opening possession, gaining two first downs and advancing from its own 25-yard line to the BYU 42 before the Lions were forced to punt.
Following the punt, BYU went 80 yards in six plays and scored on a two-yard pass from Zac Wilson to Isaac Rex with 9:24 left in the opening quarter. The big play in the drive was a 50-yard pass from Wilson to Gunner Romney on the Cougars' first play,
The score was the first allowed by the UNA defense in the first quarter this season.
BYU scored again on its second drive, going 91 yards in eight plays as Tyler Allgeier scored on a two-yard run. Jacob Oldroyd added the PAT to make it 14-0 at 4:32 of the first quarter.
The Cougars made it 21-0 early in the second quarter as Allgeier score on another two-yard run and Oldroyd added the PAT at the 13:24 mark.
BYU scored on its fourth straight possession when Wilson passed 19 yards to Pau'u Neil with 6:39 left in the half to make it 28-0. The score came after UNA was stopped short on a fourth-and-three call at the BYU 38-yard line.
North Alabama was on the move on its next possession, moving into BYU territory before
Tyler Price fumbled on what would have been a first down run and BYU's Isaiah Kaufusi returned the fumble 50 yards to the UNA six-yard line.
The UNA defense held the Cougars out of the end zone on three run attempts but Wilson hit Rex with a three-yard TD pass on a fourth and goal call to make it 35-0 with 2:59 left in the half.
North Alabama responded quickly with a six-play, 75-yard drive for a touchdown of its own.
Rett Files had completions of 11 yards to
Cortez Hall, 18 to
Corson Swan and 28 to
Dexter Boykin to get the Lions in scoring position.
Ja'Won Howell then scored on a two-yard run with 1:36 left in the half.
Grayson Easterling added the PAT to make it 35-7.
The score extended UNA's streak of having scored in its last 113 consecutive games. UNA also extended its streak of having not been shutout in a road game since 2001.
Wilson then threw a 58-yard completion on the first play following UNA's score to set up the Cougars deep in UNA territory. BYU got its sixth straight score when Wilson hit Kavika Fonua with a 22-yard TD pass with 40 seconds left, making it 42-7.
Wilson was 10-of-17 for 21 yards and four touchdowns in the half and BYU had 394 total yards in the first half. UNA had 221 yards and intermission.
UNA's defense forced a three-and-out on the first possession of the second half but Files was intercepted on the Lions' first play of the half at the UNA 39. The Cougars scored five plays later on a TD pass from Baylor Romney to Fonua, making it 49-7 with 10:50 left in the third quarter.
Miles Davis scored on a seven-yard run with one second left in the third period to make it 56-7.
Files threw a 29-yard TD pass to
Jakobi Byrd to cap a six-play, 69-yard UNA drive with 12:09 left in the game. Easterling's PAT made it 56-14.
Oldroyd added a 53-yard field goal with 3:36 left in the game to make it 59-14.
Following a UNA turnover, Davis scored on a 26-yard run with 2:36 left to extend the lead to 66-14.
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