BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The University of North Alabama gave up 23 points in the first quarter and could never recover as the Lions dropped a 30-7 road decision to Campbell at Baker-Lane Stadium.
 
It was UNA's first game against a future Big South Conference opponent and the Lions' defense was on its heels in the opening period, allowing three touchdowns on the Camels' first four possessions. North Alabama finally got a score in the third quarter but couldn't close the gap any further.
 
With the loss, North Alabama falls to 3-2 overall. Campbell improved to 4-1.
 
Campbell put up 352 total yards as quarterback Matt Smith threw for 163 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 115 yards and one TD.
 
UNA finished the night with 322 total yards. Damon Cox rushed for 95 yards on 12 carries and Jakobi Byrd had eight receptions for 73 yards.
 
Nothing went North Alabama's way in the first half as the UNA defense gave up three scores on Campbell's first four possessions of the game and a pair of bad snaps on offense cost the Lions a safety and a scoring opportunity inside the Camels ten yard-line.
 
Campbell went 73 yards in seven plays on the opening possession of the game for a touchdown with Daniel Smith hitting Aaron Blockmon with a 24-yard TD pass. Colin Gary's PAT made it 7-0 at 12:28 of the first quarter.
 
The next score came at 7:39 of the first quarter as UNA quarterback Christian Lopez had to fall on a bad snap in the end zone for a safety to extend Campbell's lead to 9-0.
 
Following the free kick, Campbell covered 66 yards in nine plays with Smith scoring on a 22-yard keeper. Gary's kick made it 16-0 with 3:16 left in the opening period.
 
The Camels added another touchdown before the period ended as Caleb Snead pulled in a 21-yard pass from Smith with just 45 seconds left in the quarter. Gary's PAT made it 23-0.
 
While the North Alabama defense held the Camels scoreless in the second quarter, the UNA offense couldn't put points on the board either.
 
UNA was out-gained in the first half 253 yards to 135 and the Lions managed just eight first downs.
 
Late in the third quarter, UNA's offense began clicking as Lopez engineered a 12-play, 82-yard drive that took 5:23 off the clock. Damon Cox got the touchdown on a 13-yard rush and Chandler Carrera added the extra-point to close the gap to 23-7 with 5:33 left in the third period.
 
Lopez connected with Jakobi Byrd three times on the drive for 34 yards and he rushed three times for 23 yards.
 
With the touchdown, UNA extended its streak of having score in the last 92 consecutive games.
 
Campbell answered immediately with a touchdown drive of its own, capped by a nine-yard TD pass from Smith to Zach Roderick. Gary's extra-point made it 30-7 with 1:01 left in the third.
 
Back-up quarterback Chris Weaver engineered a drive in the fourth quarter that had the ball at Campbell's one-yard line but a fumble on a first-and-goal play was picked up by CU's Dorian Jones to stop the threat. It was UNA's second lost fumble of the night with Campbell's goal-line in sight.
 
 
North Alabama returns home for just the second time this season when they host West Florida at Braly Stadium on October 6 at 6 p.m.