LIVINGSTON, Ala. – North Alabama scored early and often in a 45-3 win over West Alabama Saturday at Tiger Stadium to secure the fourth perfect regular-season in school history and earn an out-right Gulf South Conference championship.

UNA, 10-0 overall and 8-0 in the GSC, scored on seven of its first eight possessions in the game and rolled up 440 total yards, despite playing back-ups the majority of the second half. The GSC title is the eight in school history and the second under current head coach Mark Hudspeth. The Lions now await the announcement of the NCAA Division II playoff pairings on Sunday at noon to find out where and when they will continue their season.

A playoff selection will be the 12th in school history and third under Hudspeth. UNA has reached the semifinals of the Division II playoffs in 2003 and 2005. The win over West Alabama was UNA’s 44th in the all-time series with the Tigers in 59 games, but was the Lions first in Livingston since 1999.

Quarterback A.J. Milwee led the Lions, completing 15 of 21 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown and Eric Packer gave UNA its first 100-yard rushing effort of the season with a 12-carry, 113-yard performance.  UNA finished with 289 yards rushing on 41 carries and added 151 through the air. The UNA defense limited West Alabama to 33 passing yards and 168 total yards in the game. The first half was all North Alabama as the Lions scored on five of
their six possessions and rolled to a 31-3 lead at intermission. UNA received the opening kickoff and drove 71 yards in 13 plays for a touchdown. Milwee was 4-for-4 on the drive to move the ball deep into Tiger territory and Eric Packer scored on a one-yard run on a fourth-and-one call to put UNA on the scoreboard. Yuta Fukuda’s PAT made it 7-0 Lions with 9:26 left in the opening quarter.

Jonathan Douglas recovered a Tiger fumble at the North Alabama 41-yard line on the following possession and UNA found the end zone just two plays later. Packer took a pitch and raced around right end 56 yards for the score. Fukuda’s kick made it 14-0 at 7:51 of the first quarter. West Alabama pulled out a 12-play, 70-yard drive on its next
possession but the drive stalled at the UNA 10-yard line. Mitch Warfield kicked a 27-yard field goal to close the Lions’ lead to 14-3 at 3:06 of the first quarter.

UNA scored its third straight touchdown when freshman Tim Hicks of Millry, Ala., took a pitch around the right side and raced 53 yards for the end zone on his first carry of the night. Fukuda added the extra-point and it was 21-3 with 53 seconds still left in the opening period. After forcing a West Alabama punt, UNA moved to the West Alabama 23 before the drive stalled. Fukuda was called on and booted a 40-yard field goal to extend the lead to 24-3 with 8:13 left in the half.

The Lion defense stopped West Alabama on a fourth-and-one play at its own 39, but UNA fumbled the ball back four plays later. Bobby Brooks got the ball back for UNA when he picked off a James Reiter pass and returned it 26 yards to the Tigers’ 26. On the next play Milwee hit Marcus Lewis in the end zone for a touchdown. The 26-yard reception gave Lewis the UNA record for career pass receptions at 152. It broke the mark of 151 by Michael Edwards from 1994-97. Fukuda added the PAT and UNA led 31-3 with 1:50 left in the half. UNA put together a 12-play drive to open the second half, with Packer scoring his third TD of the night on a four-yard run with 5:14 left in the third period. Fukuda’s PAT gave UNA a 38-3 advantage.