CEDAR CITY, Utah –  Playing its first collegiate football game as a member of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), the University of North Alabama drove 75 yards in the final two minutes of the game to knock off defending Big Sky Conference Champion Southern Utah 34-30 on the road at Eccles Coliseum.
 
UNA trailed 30-27 with 12 seconds to play when Christian Lopez hit Dexter Boykin with a one-yard TD pass to give the Lions a 34-30 advantage.
 
UNA Trailed 23-20 in the fourth quarter, before Lopez hit Boykin with a 31-yard touchdown pass to put the Lions on top 27-23 with just 4:47 remaining in the game.
 
Southern Utah then answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive that was capped by a one-yard James Felila touchdown run with 2:02 remaining.
 
North Alabama then drove 75 yards with Lopez connecting on numerous crucial completions to go with five penalties on Southern Utah for the score.
 
Lopez, in his first start at North Alabama, threw for 350 yards and three touchdowns and also rushed 15 times for 105 yards and another score.  Boykin had eight catches for 135 yards and Jakobi Byrd had six receptions for 95 yards.
 
UNA finished with 554 total yards, passing for 350 and rushing for 204.
 
North Alabama's offense had success moving the ball during the first half, scoring on three of its first four possessions and then just missing on a field goal attempt on its final possession of the half.
 
North Alabama got on the board first after the Lions' defense stalled a Thunderbird drive and then drove 62 yards in seven plays for a score. Chandler Carrera booted a 35-yard field goal and UNA led 3-0 at 9:53 of the first quarter.
 
Southern Utah got its first score at the end of a 17-play, 72-yard drive. The Thunderbirds tied the game with a 22-yard Manny Berz field goal to make it 3-3 at 11:12 of the second quarter.
 
North Alabama went back on top on its next possession with an 85-yard, seven-play drive engineered by quarterback Christian Lopez. Lopez scored the Lions' first touchdown of the season on a two-yard run to cap the drive and Carrera's PAT made it 10-3 with 8:28 left in the half.
 
SUU came right back with a touchdown of its own just six plays later. Chris Helbig hit Ty Rutledge in the back of the end zone and Berz added the Pat to tie the game at 10-10 at 6:47 of the second period.
 
With an 11-play, 50-yard drive, UNA went on top for the third time in the game. Carrera hit a 27-yard field goal with 2:12 left in the half to make it 13-10.
 
Southern Utah went 75 yards in just five plays to take its first lead of the game. Helbig scored from two-yards out on a quarterback keeper to make it 16-13 with 58 seconds remaining in the half. The extra-point attempt was blocked by Marcus Robinson of UNA.
 
The Lions created another scoring opportunity before the half, driving to the SUU 27 before Carrera came on to attempt a 45-yard field goal. The kick hit the left upright and UNA trailed 16-13 at the half.
 
North Alabama took the second half kickoff and quickly drove for its second touchdown of the night. Jakobi Byrd took a pass from Lopez and raced 39 yards down the left sideline for the score. Carrera's PAT gave UNA the lead back at 20-16 with 12:39 remaining in the third quarter.
 
After the two teams exchanged two punts each, SUU put together a drive to regain the lead. Helbig hit Judd Cockett with an 11-yard TD pass at the 3:09 mark of the third period. The PAT gave the Thunderbirds a 23-20 lead.
 
North Alabama plays at Alabama A&M on September 8 at 6 p.m. at Louis Crews Stadium.