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FLORENCE, Ala. -- The University of North Alabama football team will be away from home for the third straight game this Saturday when the Lions face Eastern Kentucky for the first time in an ASUN Conference battle at CG Bank Field at Roy Kidd Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 2:02 p.m. Central.

North Alabama is 1-5 overall and looking for its first ASUN Conference win after two close calls with Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State. After leading in the fourth quarter at KSU, the Lions lost in double-overtime in their first ASUN game. Last weekend, in a game at Toyota Field in Madison, Ala., the Lions trailed Jacksonville State 31-28 late in the third quarter but couldn't overtake the Gamecocks.

"Our defense has got to continue to get better," said UNA Head Football Coach Chris Willis. "We've had some injuries over there and we are trying to fill some holes. Some other guys are getting a chance now and they have to step up and make the best of it."

Willis said the UNA offense has imporoved weekly as far as moving the ball and scoring points, but turnovers cost the Lions last weekend.

"Coach (Ryan) Held has done a really good job on that side of the ball," Willis said. "They have improved each week and are scoring some points, but we have to eliminate the turnovers. We had four last week that resulted in 20 points."

Sophomore running back ShunDerrick Powell of Hoxie, Ark., continues to be a bright spot, ranking fifth nationally in rushing in the FCS with 122.8 yards per game. He is nationally ranked in the Top 10 in seven offensive categories, including rushing touchdowns (10) and rushing yards per carry (7.60).

Powell already has three games this season with over 100-yard rushing and has top 200 yards in a game twice.

True-freshman quarterback Noah Walters of Lincoln, Neb., has thrown for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in back-to-back games, and freshman receiver/running back Demarcus Lacey of Birmingham, Ala., has become a big play threat.

In EKU, the Lions face a 3-3 Colonels' team that is among the highest scoring units in the FCS and is coming off a tough loss of its own, 25-17 to Sam Houston.

Eastern Kentukcy averages 330.8 passing yards per game to rank seventh nationally in passing in the FCS.

The Colonels are led by quarterback Parker McKinney, who has already thrown for 1,805 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.

EKU avaerges 34.2 points per game to rank 20th in the FCS. UNA's opponent last week, Jacksonville State, ranks 12th in scoring.

"Eastern Kentucky is a really good football team and they throw the ball around," said Willis. "They have a really good quarterback who can throw the ball deep, so we'll get challenged down field a lot. Our secondary has got to be ready to go, and keep the ball in front of them and not give up big plays."

EKU is one of four first-time opponents on UNA's 2022 schedule. The Lions have also faced Virginia-Wise and Indiana State for the first time and will close the season with their first game against Memphis.

North Alabama is 6-3 all-time against schools from the state of Kentucky. The Lions are 1-0 against Kentucky Christian, downing the Knights 39-0 in 2012, and 5-3 all-time against Murray State in a series of games from 1954-61.