FLORENCE
-- A 99-yard fumble return that halted
Southern Arkansas' opening drive set the
tone for the night as the third ranked North
Alabama Lions downed the Muleriders 27-8 at
Braly Stadium.
UNA, now 3-0
overall and 2-0 in the Gulf South
Conference, watched SAU take the opening
kickoff and march deep into Lion territory
before Craig Fox picked off a fumble and
went the length of the field for a
touchdown. Before the night was over UNA
would return four other SAU turnovers for 78
yards and the Lions had their sixth straight
win over Southern Arkansas.
It was UNA's
15th straight regular-season win and 11th
straight regular-season win at home.
Following Fox's
fumble return, Scott Shurden made the PAT to
give UNA a 7-0 lead at 9:26 of the first
quarter.
In the second
quarter, a one-yard David McCants run and
Shurden kick made it 14-0 at the 9:52 mark
of the first half.
In the second
half, Tim Hicks extended UNA's lead with a
three-yard TD run. Shurden's kick missed but
UNA led 20-0 with 10:59 left in the quarter.
A two-yard TD
pass from A.J. Milwee to Jason Messing with
2:11 left in the game gave UNA's its final
score. Yuta Fukuda's kick made it 27-0. It
was Messing's 19th career TD catch, which
tied him on UNA's all-time list with Harlon
Hill. He is one shy of the school record of
20 by Michael Edwards. Messing also caught a
pass for the 27th straight game, leaving him
one shy of that record held by Marcus Lewis.
SAU finally got
on the scoreboard when Keundric Loucious
caught a nine-yard pass from Quintin Porter
with just eight seconds left in the game.
The Muleriders converted a two-point
conversion after a bobbled snap and made the
final count 27-8.
SAU outgained
UNA 327 total yards to 313. UNA completed 18
of 31 passes with two interceptions, while
the Muleriders were 14 of 33 with four
picks. Tim Hicks rushed for 71 yards on 17
carries for UNA and A.J. Milwee was 18-of-30
for 183 yards and one score.
UNA travels to
Arkansas Tech next Saturday.
Printable Game
Statistics - Game 3 - Southern Arkansas
