FLORENCE, Ala. (October 7, 2025) – The University of North Alabama football team will recognize an important era of the program's history — the 2000s — during Saturday's game against a current and traditional rival, Central Arkansas.
 
The Lions and Bears will battle Saturday at 3 p.m. at historic Braly Stadium in Florence. Braly has been home to the football program since restarting the football program in 1949. UNA and Central Arkansas had some instant classics in the mid-2000s and have been back together in the same conference since 2022.
 
This season, UNA will celebrate the "Final Season at Braly" by recognizing an era of UNA football for select games. In doing so, the UNA football team will wear five different helmet decals to represent each era while inviting members of those teams to a special pre-game tailgate one hour prior to kickoff.
 
Members of UNA teams from 2000-2010 will be recognized Saturday. The Lions will wear the UNA "Scratch Marks" logo on their helmets as worn from 2002-2004.


 
This era of UNA Football enjoyed immense success, combining for an impressive 93-40 overall record. UNA won three Gulf South Conference championships during this timeframe in 2003, 2006 and 2009. The Lions made the NCAA Division II Playoffs seven times during this era, winning all seven first round games. UNA advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2003 and 2008 and the national semifinals in 2005.
 
There are already seven players from this era enshrined in the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame, including defensive backs Evan Oglesby (2001-04) and Blake Farris (2002-05), offensive lineman Lance Ancar (2002-05), linebacker Michael Johnson (2006-09), Harlon Hill winning quarterback Will Hall (2002-03), specialist Will Batson (2006-09) and running back DeMarcus Blount (2002-05) — a posthumous induction.
 
This era of UNA Football has produced a Hall of Famer in seven of the last 11 induction classes.
 
The Lions had three coaches during this timeframe, including the late Bill Hyde (1998-01), Mark Hudspeth (2002-08) and Terry Bowden (2009-11). Hyde was the defensive coordinator for all three of UNA's Division II National Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and took over as head coach after the departure of Bobby Wallace to FBS Temple in 1998. Hyde was inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.
 
Hudspeth led the Lions to one of the greatest four-year runs in school history from 2005-08, going 44-8. The only four-year stretches with more success were from 1992-95 and 1993-96. Hudspeth led the Lions to five playoff appearances and won nine playoff games. He finished with a 66-21 record over his seven seasons, going unbeaten in the regular season with a 13-1 record in 2003 and 11-1 record in 2006.
 
The 2005 season was perhaps the most successful, as the Lions finished 11-3 but made a run to the national semifinal. The Lions lost a double overtime heartbreaker on the road to Central Arkansas — Saturday's opponent — but got the final laugh in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs with a 41-38 overtime win on a walk-off field goal from Yuta Fukuda. The Lions fell 25-24 against Northwest Missouri State in the semifinal.
 
As Hudspeth departed for a job at Mississippi State in 2009, Terry Bowden took over the program and continued UNA's run of success for three seasons. The Lions went 29-9 under Bowden, including an 11-2 record in 2009 and a 9-4 record in 2010. UNA won both of its first round playoff games those seasons and won the GSC title in Bowden's first season.
 
Each recognition this season includes former football student-athletes, coaches, staff members and spirit squad members. More information will become available after registration.
 
To register for the "Final Season at Braly" celebration, click here.
 
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.