FLORENCE, Ala. (October 20, 2023) – The University of North Alabama football team makes its return to Braly Stadium this Saturday for a United Athletic Conference matchup against Utah Tech. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. in Florence.
The Lions and Trailblazers are first time opponents. Saturday marks the first time UNA will host a school from Utah, as well as the first time Utah Tech will make a visit to Alabama. In fact, the Trailblazers have made just three trips east of the Mississippi River since 2006.
For the first time since 2011, UNA will wear an alternate black uniform at Braly Stadium to coincide with the Halloween festivities. Saturday also represents one of the last two home games for UNA this season, with the home finale coming Nov. 4 against Central Arkansas.
For a list of "Things to Know" for Saturday's game, including ticket and parking information, promotions, where to watch or listen and how to follow live stats,
click here.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
Game: North Alabama vs. Utah Tech
Date: Saturday, October 21
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: Florence, Alabama
Stadium: Braly Municipal Stadium
Capacity: 14,215
TV: ESPN+
Radio: WLX 98.3 / 103.5 FM
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
Social Media:
@UNAFootball
UNA Game Notes |
Opponent Game Notes |
UAC Website
ABOUT THE LIONS
- The Lions are 2-5 overall and 0-3 in UAC play, including a 30-13 loss to Abilene Christian last weekend in Texas.
- The Lions went down 13-0 in the second quarter at ACU, but scored near halftime to cut the deficit to six. After that, UNA went on its longest drive of the season and ate up nearly nine minutes of game time en route to tying the game. ACU took a 16-13 lead into the final quarter with its third field goal of the game, but pulled away with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns.
- In all three conference losses, UNA has totaled more yards than the opponent. The Lions were balanced last week with 202 passing yards and 191 rushing yards to outgain the Wildcats by a 423-333 margin.
- For the first time all season, UNA did not force a turnover as the Lions left empty-handed at ACU. Prior to that, UNA had forced at least one turnover in every game. The Lions are ranked fifth in FCS in turnovers gained with 14 — tied for the conference lead with Stephen F. Austin.
- Sophomore quarterback Noah Walters ranks 15th in the nation with 1,601 passing yards this season. Walters performed stronger at home with nine touchdowns and just three interceptions at Braly Stadium, compared to two TDs and seven INTs on the road.
- For the second time in conference play, Walters connected with over 10 receivers. In all three home contests and the most recent road game at ACU, the first touchdown was recorded by leading target Takairee Kenebrew.
- Kenebrew caught a six-yard touchdown pass against ACU last week. He ranks third on the all-time career receiving touchdown list at UNA with 22, needing one more to tie Jason Messing (2004-07) for second all-time and three more to tie Dre Hall (2014-17) for first all-time.
- The other touchdown came from redshirt junior tight end Kenny Rawls to cap off an 18 play, 75 yard drive over 8:43 of game time. This marked the first career touchdown grab for Rawls, who is a five year member of the UNA program.
- The Lions totaled 36:43 of possession time last Saturday, setting a new FCS era school record. The previous record of 36:13 was set twice, most recently this season against Tarleton State where UNA ran a school record 106 plays.
- The Lions are in their 75th season of football in 2023 with an all-time record of 482-303-16.
- This season will be the sixth for UNA since transitioning to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the second as a full-fledged FCS member. UNA has an all-time record of 17-36 versus FCS opponents.
- The Lions are charter members of the newly-formed United Athletic Conference, along with Abilene Christian, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, EKU, Southern Utah, Stephen F. Austin, Tarleton State, Utah Tech and UTRGV, who will be joining in 2025. Former Gulf South Conference rival West Georgia announced its move to NCAA Division I and will join the league in 2024.
- The Lions are led by first year head coach Brent Dearmon, an Alabama native and offensive guru who made stops at Kansas, Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic. Prior to those places, Dearmon was the head coach at Bethel (TN), where he led the team to a 10-1 record and a top-five NAIA national ranking in 2018.
- North Alabama remains the second-winningest program in the state of Alabama since 1990 with 255 wins in the last 33 years, ranking second only to the University of Alabama with 301 wins. The Lions boast 21 NCAA playoff appearances, 17 conference championships and three national championship victories.
ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZERS
- Utah Tech enters 2-4 overall and 1-0 in league play after a 37-31 win last time out over Stephen F. Austin. UT is coming off a bye week this week.
- Much like UNA, Utah Tech made a recent transition to FCS, doing so during the shortened COVID-19 season in 2020. The Trailblazers began playing NCAA football in 2006 and completed its final season of NCAA Division II football with an all-time best record of 8-3.
- In the win over SFA, Utah Tech was led by senior linebacker Dondi Fuller with 13 tackles, including 11 solo, and a tackle for loss. He was named UAC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts.
- The Trailblazers are also led by a pair of national award hopefuls in junior defensive lineman Syrus Webster and freshman wide receiver Beau Sparks. Webster was named on the 2023 Buck Buchanan Award preseason list and was voted UAC Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, while Sparks was recently named to the Jerry Rice Award watch list for FCS freshmen.
- Over the past four games, Utah Tech's defense has forced 11 turnovers, highlighted by a season-high five turnovers in its win at NAU on Sept. 16. In fact, 21 of the Trailblazers' 50 points were scored off of those five Lumberjack miscues, including two defensive touchdowns.
- Two weeks ago, quarterback Kobe Tracy threw for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He became the second UT player to throw for over 4,000 career yards during the NCAA era and is 749 yards shy of the record.
- Utah Tech is led by coach Paul Peterson — a former standout quarterback at Boston College. Peterson has a 17-27 record over five seasons at Utah Tech and a 35-31 record overall following two successful years at the junior college level.
SERIES HISTORY
- Saturday marks the first all-time meeting between the two programs.
- UNA will host a team from Utah for the first time in history.
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Since 1949, UNA has only faced two other teams from Utah with road trips to Southern Utah and then No. 8 BYU. The Lions defeated SUU by a 34-30 final in 2018 — the first win of UNA's FCS era. The Lions lost to BYU in 2020, facing a Heisman candidate or finalist for the first time ever in current New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.
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Utah Tech will travel 1,686 miles to Braly Stadium this weekend, marking UNA's most distanced opponent this season. However, this will not be the longest travel for Utah Tech, as the Trailblazers will head to Austin Peay later this season in a trip that spans just over 1,700 miles.
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The Trailblazers will travel 7,636 miles one way to each of its seven opponents this season, including trips to seven different states — Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee and Texas. UNA's road opponents this season total a combined 2,464 miles.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
