CARROLLTON, Ga. (November 13, 2026) – The University of North Alabama football team is in the hunt for its first-ever FCS playoff bid and has been in "win-or-go-home" mode for the last few weeks. This stretch continues on Saturday with the regular season road finale at West Georgia.
UNA currently sits at a 6-4 record and is widely considered a bubble playoff team, needing to win the next two games to strengthen its resume. The Lions look to extend their current win streak to three games coming off back-to-back wins over Central Arkansas and West Florida.
Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. CT in Carrollton, Ga. Fans can purchase tickets
at this link or watch at home on ESPN+.
Fans can also listen to the hometown radio call on Roar Lions Productions with "Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray and Bryan Neece in the booth. Studio host and sideline reporter
Chase Glover will lead The Countdown to Kickoff presented by Bank Independent beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Fans can tune in on all
Roar Lions Productions platforms.
For a list of "things to know" for Saturday's game,
click here.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
North Alabama vs. West Georgia
Date: Saturday, November 14
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Location: Carrollton, Georgia
Stadium: University Stadium
Capacity: 10,000
TV: ESPN+ (Patrick Eidson, Alvin Delve)
Radio: Roar Lions Productions ("Voice of the Lions"
Benjamin Ray, Bryan Neece,
Chase Glover)
Live Stats: SIDEARM
Tickets: Click Here
Social Media:
@UNAFootball
UNA Game Notes |
Opponent Notes |
UAC Notes
NOTABLES
LAST TIME OUT: UNA played in a one-possession game for the sixth-straight week last Saturday, defeating West Florida 28-21. With 49 seconds left, UWF went for it on 4th and goal. UNA's
Dallas Johnson made a game-saving tackle at the two-yard line to end the drive, then UNA quarterback
Destin Wade was able to move forward on one play and run out the clock.
NATIONAL NOTABLE: UNA is currently 6-4 this season, which guarantees at least a .500 or better season for the first time UNA's first season at the FCS level in 2018. This is also the most FCS wins for the program in any season all-time. UNA is also receiving votes in both national FCS polls this season for the first time since 2019, including 11 in the AFCA Coaches Poll and seven in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 this week.
THE REMAINING ROAD AHEAD: With a 6-4 record and only three quality FCS losses, the Lions are still likely in the hunt for their first FCS playoff berth but have little room for error with two games remaining. A win on Saturday will set up a much-anticipated game against top-ranked Tarleton State, which enters the week unbeaten with a 10-0 record. A win over both UWG and Tarleton would help UNA build a strong playoff resume with a quality ranked win. A loss in either game could put the postseason in jeopardy.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT: West Georgia enters with a 1-9 record and is still on the hunt for its first win in United Athletic Conference play at 0-5. West Georgia is a young team with 30 true or redshirt freshman taking snaps this season. The Wolves have a 49-7 win over Fort Valley State but have lost five straight since then. In those five games, UWG has turned the ball over 15 times, but only fell by two possessions to EKU and Austin Peay. Last week, UWG lost to Central Arkansas by a 35-14 final in Conway.
SERIES HISTORY: This will be the 38th all-time meeting between the two former Gulf South Conference rivals, but only the third since West Georgia joined the UAC in 2024. UNA leads with a 23-14 record. UNA has won six of the last 10 meetings dating back to 2010. The Wolves won last season's meeting 24-17, while the Lions won the last matchup in Carrollton two seasons ago 25-16.
PEACH STATE SUCCESS: Saturday marks the 104th meeting between UNA and a school from the state of Georgia. Of those meetings, 79 are against West Georgia or Valdosta State.This will also be the 10th different state UNA has played against this season. North Alabama is 66-36-1 against the Peach State.
ROOKIE SENSATION: Redshirt freshman
Xavier Johnson — a transfer from Memphis — is ranked fourth in all of FCS with 942 receiving yards. Johnson was recently named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List as one of the nation's top freshman players. He is also one of just two players in FCS this season with a 75+ yard rush and 75+ yard catch this season along with Eli Gillman from Montana.
RECORD WATCH: Two Lions have already broken FCS school records and are on all-time record watch in the final two regular season games. Both were also voted Phil Steele Midseason All-Americans —
Xavier Johnson and redshirt junior edge rusher
Avery Howard. Johnson is now just 13 yards away from second and 237 yards away from tying Dre Hall for the all-time single season record at 1,179 yards, set in 2016. The other FCS school record was for single season sacks set by Howard with nine. He is two away from tying Reginald Ruffin's record of 11 set in 1994.
WE HAVE A LEADER: Quarterback
Destin Wade has been instrumental for the Lions this season, ranking fourth in the UAC with 195.9 yards per game passing this season. He is also second in the UAC in rushing touchdowns this season with 10. Wade ranks ninth in the country when it comes to passing yards per completion, totaling 14.3 yards per throw on average. This has been the result of a number of deep passes to
Xavier Johnson. Wade is also 17th in FCS for fewest interceptions thrown with just five in 10 games this season.
DEFENSE ON LOCKDOWN: UNA has one of the top defenses in FCS, ranking fifth in the nation in sacks per game (2.9), eighth in tackles for loss per game (7.2) and 16th in rushing defense at 112.9 yards per game. UNA is also 17th in red zone percentage defensively, thanks in part to three red zone stops at UCA two weeks ago and a major red zone stop against West Florida to end last week's game.
NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT: UNA ranks second among FCS teams in win improvement so far this season with four more wins than last year, including five more FCS wins — one of last year's wins was against NCAA Division II opponent Northeastern State. The national leader is Campbell with a six-win improvement, while UNA is tied with UAlbany at four. Seven others are tied with three-win improvements.
LAST TIME THIS IMPROVED: With a win over West Georgia, UNA will improve its record by five wins for the first time since 2013. That season, UNA went from a 5-5 record to a 10-3 record. Those were the first two seasons in the second stint of Hall of Fame head coach Bobby Wallace.
UAC ROUNDUP: All eight UAC teams are in action this week, including a major showdown between No. 6 ranked Austin Peay and No. 24 Abilene Christian in Clarksville, Tenn. The top-ranked Tarleton State Texans will host West Florida, while Central Arkansas travels to Eastern Kentucky.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
