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FLORENCE, Ala. -- The road doesn't get any easier for the University of North Alabama football team this weekend as the Lions travel to Kennesaw, Ga., to face fourth ranked Kennesaw State (6-1) at Fifth Third Bank Stadium. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.

The Lions are coming off back-to-back losses and stand at 2-5 overall with four games remaining. North Alabama has not had a losing season in football since 2002 and must win all four of its remaining games to avoid breaking that streak. The Lions will also be trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2012 when the UNA lost its last four games after a 5-1 start to the season.

This will be the first meeting between North Alabama and Kennesaw State in football. The Owls are the two-time defending Big South Conference champions.

"This will be a big challenge for our football team," said UNA head coach Chris Willis. "We're facing the top team in the Big South, the defending champion and a top five team in the nation. We are trying to put a game plan together that, if we play hard and execute, will give us a chance to be in the game late and try and pull off an upset."

This is North Alabama's second season of transition to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and the first where the Lions are playing 11 FCS opponents. Kennesaw State will be third ranked team that UNA has faced on the road this season and overall the Lions are 0-3 away from home in 2019. This will also be UNA's sixth game all-time against a nationally ranked FCS opponent and the Lions are 0-5 in those previous meetings.

The Lions have had near misses this season, as three of the team's losses have been by a touchdown or less. The Lions lost to Alabama A&M 31-24, Hampton 40-34 and Charleston Southern 25-20. UNA's only two losses by more than seven points were to nationally ranked teams on the road.

Turnovers have been an issue for North Alabama as the Lions have turned the ball over in five of their seven games this season. UNA is  2-0 in the two games where they did not lose a turnover. Overall, the Lions have lost 11 turnovers through seven games after turning the ball over just nine times during the 2018 season.

Another area where the Lions are looking to improve is in time of possession, both in sustaining drives and getting off the field defensively on third down. UNA is averaging just 26:40 in time of possession through the first seven games of the season, while the Lions'  opponents have had the ball an average of 33:20. UNA has only led in time of possession in one game this season and that was in the opener against Western Illinois - by 34 seconds. As a result, the North Alabama defense has had to defend for more than 80 plays in four games this season.

Willis said that is a particular concern for the Lions this weekend.

"Kennesaw State runs a triple option, which is hard to defend, and eats up a lot of time off the clock," Willis said. "We won't get a lot of opportunities on offense so we'll have to make the most of the ones we get."

Kennesaw State is averaging 352 rushing yards and 41 points per game this season. UNA is averaging 24.9 points per game but has struggled running the football, picking up just over 100 yards per outing.

Following the trip to Kennesaw, UNA will host its final home game of the season on Nov. 2 against Campbell at 1:30 at Braly Stadium. The Lions will then close out the season with road games at Monmouth and Gardner-Webb.