JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – Jacksonville State, ranked No. 2 in the FCS, built a 21-0 lead in the first half and held on for a 31-12 win over North Alabama at Burgess-Snow Field.
 
The loss snapped North Alabama's streak of having won 13 straight season-opening games, dating back to 2002.
 
UNA, ranked 15^th in the NCAA Division II, fell behind 21-0 early in the second quarter but outscored JSU 12-10 from that point on.
 
A crowd of 22,116 was on hand for the contest.
 
UNA was out-gained 502 yards to 222, with JSU rushing for 272 and passing for 230. UNA gained just 52 yards on the ground and had 170 passing.
 
UNA quarterback Jacob Tucker carried the ball 23 times for 48 yards and was 14-of-24 passing for 170 yards.
 
Jacksonville State dominated the first quarter, outgaining UNA 178 yards to 12, and scoring on its first two possessions.
 
The Gamecocks used a methodical 17-play, 83-yard drive for the game's first score, with Roc Thomas scoring on a one-yard run at the 9:18 mark of the first quarter. Cade Stinnett's PAT made it 7-0.
 
After a UNA punt, JSU needed just three plays to score as quarterback Eli Jenkins broke free on a 47-yard TD run. Stinnett's PAT made it 14-0 at 6:20 of the first quarter.
 
JSU extended its lead midway through the third quarter with an 80-yard, 13-play drive. Thomas scored on a nine-yard run and Stinnett's extra-point made it 21-0 at 6:03 of the second quarter.
 
North Alabama finally got on the scoreboard late in the half with a seven-play, 71-yard drive led by quarterback Jacob Thomas. Thomas rushed three times for 10 yards, hit Dre Hall with two pass completions for 32 yards and Julius Jones with two for 29. The last one, a nine-yarder to Jones, went for a touchdown at the 3:32 mark of the second period. Kevin Henke's extra-point attempt went wide but the Lions had cut the JSU lead to 21-6.
 
The Lions gained 110 yards of offense in the second quarter.
 
UNA carried its momentum into the second half, scoring on its first possession. UNA drove from its own 35 to the JSU before Henke came on to drill a 47-yard field goal. The kick, with 12:21 left in the third quarter, made it 21-9.
 
Two possessions later, JSU scored after a short punt set the Gamecocks up at the UNA 35-yard line. Thomas scored five plays later on a five-yard run and the Gamecocks led 28-9 with 7:09 remaining in the quarter.
 
North Alabama put together a 12-play, 83-yard drive for its next score. The Lions drove as deep as the JSU two-yard line but had to settle for a 24-yard Henke field goal. The kick, with 10:52 left in the game, made it 28-12.
 
The final score of the night came on a 23-yard Stinnett field goal with 6:25 left in the game to make it 31-12.
 
Jenkins rushed for 101 yards and one TD for JSU and Thomas gained 71 yards and scored three times. Jenkins was 20-of-34 passing for 230 yards.
 
North Alabama will have a week off before hosting Valdosta State in Florence on September 17 at 6 p.m.