FLORENCE, Ala. – The University of North Alabama built a 30-9 lead at the half and rolled to 44-19 win over Valdosta State in the Gulf South Conference opener for both schools.
 
The Lions, ranked 20^th in the NCAA Division II, forced four turnovers by the 22^nd ranked Blazers in the half and returned one for a touchdown. UNA then pushed its lead to 28 points in the second half before settling for the 44-19 win.
 
UNA quarterback Jacob Tucker rushed for 108 yards on 14 carries and scored one touchdown and completed eight-of-12 passes for 117 yards to lead the Lions. UNA finished with 369 total yards with 199 rushing and 170 passing.
 
Valdosta State gained 433 total yards but was forced to settle for five field goal attempts and just one touchdown. Andrew Gray hit four of his attempts from 25, 35, 30 and 30 yards.
 
UNA opened the scoring with a five-yard touchdown run by Terence Humphrey with 3:13 left in the first quarter. Kevin Henke's PAT made it 7-0.
 
Gray hit two field goals to make it 7-6 but Humphrey scored from 31 yards out to make it 13-6 at 8:35 of the first half. Henke's kick failed.
 
Eddquerion Harris picked up a VSU fumble, forced by E.J. Parnell, and took it 28 yards to the end zone to make in 20-6 at 8:19 of the second quarter. After Gray hit his third field goal to make it 20-9, Tucker scored on a one-yard run with 2:18 left in the half to make it 27-9. Maurice Carnell then picked off a Valdosta State pass and Henke hit a career-long 49-yard field goal on the final play of the half to make it 30-9.
 
North Alabama's Damon Cox scored on a one-yard run with 4:58 left in the third quarter to extend it to 37-9.
 
VSU scored its only touchdown with 2:02 left in the third as Dallas Baldner pulled in a 10-yard pass from Adam Robles to make it 37-16.
 
UNA freshman quarterback Blake Hawkins threw his first collegiate touchdown pass as Jacob Thomas pulled in a pass over the middle and raced 41 yards to the end zone. That score, with 13:27 left in the game, made it 44-16.
 
The final score came on Gray's fifth field goal of the day.
 
UNA travels to West Alabama next Saturday to take on the Tigers at 6 p.m.