CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (October 28, 2023) – Never count out the Lions.
The University of North Alabama football team nearly pulled of its largest comeback in school history on Saturday against nationally-ranked Austin Peay, but came up just short in the final moments of a 49-39 loss at Fortera Stadium in Clarksville, Tenn.
The No. 20 Govs knocked the wind out of UNA with a 17-0 lead to start, then later led 32-6 midway through the second quarter. Later in the third quarter, the odds were heavily stacked against the Lions as they trailed 46-18, but three unanswered touchdowns by UNA made it a one score game at 46-39.
Austin Peay controlled the clock late in the fourth quarter, but UNA forced 4th and 4 with 2:17 to go outside of field goal range and had two timeouts in pocket. However, an untimely offside penalty allowed APSU to move the chains and later set up a 45 yard field goal strike to extend the lead and eventually hold off the Lions.
UNA's largest comeback in school history remains a 24-23 win over West Alabama in 2010, where the Lions overcame a 23-3 deficit with 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. The Lions scored 21 unanswered tonight in the effort.
Another record-breaking moment occurred for UNA tonight, as sophomore quarterback
Noah Walters became the first UNA player to throw five touchdown passes in a road game. The only two players to throw for five touchdowns at UNA other than Walters are Harrison Beck in 2009 and Luke Wingo in 2015. Both players did it at Braly Stadium.
With the tough loss, UNA drops to 3-6 overall and 1-4 in the United Athletic Conference against the second-toughest schedule in FCS football (according to NCAA.org). The No. 20 Govs win their sixth straight to improve to 6-2 overall and 3-0 in the UAC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
FIRST QUARTER
Austin Peay 7, North Alabama 0: The Lions started with the ball and punted on the opening drive to put Austin Peay behind its own 20 yard line. After a holding call put them on the 13 yard line, quarterback Mike Diliello lobbed a deep pass to Trey Goodman, who sprinted 40 yards after the catch down his own sideline for the opening score.
Austin Peay 10, North Alabama 0: The Govs extended the lead with 5:28 to go, capping off a 10 play drive with a 37 yard field goal from Maddux Trujillo. On the 3rd and 7 play prior to that, freshman
Jyheam Ingram rushed the passer to force an incompletion.
Austin Peay 17, North Alabama 0: A failed fourth and short run by the Lions put APSU at the UNA 34 yard line. On third and goal, following a pair of stops by UNA, Diliello connected with Jordan Goco on a high jump ball pass.
Austin Peay 17, North Alabama 6: With less than a minute to go in the first quarter, UNA found some much-needed momentum as quarterback
Noah Walters threw a 35 yard pass to
Dakota Warfield to enter enemy territory. On the next play, Walters hit tight end
Kenny Rawls in stride over the seam. Rawls side-stepped one defender and took it to the house. UNA attempted a fake field goal on the extra point, but the conversion fell incomplete.
SECOND QUARTER
Austin Peay 24, North Alabama 6: The Govs extended the lead two plays into the next quarter, dumping a pass to Brenen Hawkins behind the UNA defense for a 59 yard score.
Austin Peay 32, North Alabama 6: Austin Peay scored on third and goal midway through the second quarter and then made the interesting decision to go for two. A trick play pass to the long snapper extended the lead to 27.
Austin Peay 32, North Alabama 12: The Lions did not stop competing despite the deficit, as Walters ran an option play on first and goal to the right side and faked a pitch before running into a host of Govs. Walters muscled his way through and jumped into a defender, flipping over him and into the end zone. The PAT was unsuccessful.
Austin Peay 39, North Alabama 12: Austin Peay's last score of the half came at the 7:57 mark on a 69 yard pass from Diliello to Tre Shackelford out of an apparent full package formation.
Austin Peay 39, North Alabama 18: The Lions salvaged some momentum near the half, stopping the Govs on 4th and short near midfield and then driving 39 yards on 11 plays to score with 44 seconds to go. Walters hit
JJ Evans for Walter's third touchdown of the game — two passing and one rushing.
THIRD QUARTER
Austin Peay 46, North Alabama 18: The nationally-ranked Govs extended the lead in the third quarter with an 11 yard pass from Diliello to Jevon Jackson with 8:45 on the clock. This would mark the largest lead of the game for Austin Peay at 28 points.
Austin Peay 46, North Alabama 26: With 3:58 to go in the third quarter, UNA began mounting its comeback. The momentum started with a 57 yard touchdown catch by
Takairee Kenebrew, who took a screen pass from Walters and followed his blockers before breaking one last would-be tackle near the sideline. The momentum continued with a two-point conversion by
Parker Driggers on a shovel pass.
FOURTH QUARTER
Austin Peay 46, North Alabama 32: UNA ended the third quarter with the ball and started the final frame with a 4th and 1 situation from the APSU 35. Walters rushed up the middle to move the chains, then got aid from a targeting call to move UNA near the goal line. From there, Walters connected with
Kobe Warden for an 11 yard score with 12:38 to go. The two point conversion failed to keep it a 14 point game.
Austin Peay 46, North Alabama 39: Austin Peay was forced to punt from its own 30, giving UNA the ball near midfield. With 10:15 remaining, Walters hit
David Florence for a 22 yard pass to start the new drive. About three minutes later, UNA completed the gutsy drive with a hearty run after catch from Driggers to get near the goal line, then a pass out of motion to Warden to pull within a score.
Sam Contorno drilled the PAT to make it a seven point game.
Austin Peay 49, North Alabama 39: Austin Peay began its rushing attack in an attempt to run the time down, running it seven straight times before calling its own timeout at 2:26 to go. Facing 3rd and 10 at that point, Diliello got six yards to set up a crucial 4th down for UNA. Unfortunately for the Lions, APSU came out in an offensive formation, seemingly to pooch kick, but was able to draw UNA offsides for the daggering first down. UNA used both remaining timeouts and made APSU settle for a 45 yard field goal, which was made by Trujillo despite a valiant effort to block it from UNA. UNA turned it over on downs the next drive to end it.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Noah Walters matched a school record with five touchdown passes, tying Harrison Beck's five touchdowns against Arkansas Tech in 2009 and Luke Wingo's five TD throws against West Alabama in 2015. Walters is the first UNA QB to accomplish this in the FCS era and in a road game.
- Walters also had a rushing touchdown, tying him with Wingo for most touchdowns responsible for in a game by a UNA player at six.
- UNA went a perfect 4-4 on red zone trips today for 25 points and has successfully scored on 11 straight trips over the last four games dating back to the final trip against EKU. Prior to this stretch of red zone drives, UNA was 11 of 20 in the red zone.
- The last time UNA had a stretch at least 11 consecutive redzone scoring drives was in 2021. UNA scored 14 straight times in the red zone over a four game stretch that season.
- Both teams went 4-4 in the redzone with 25 points to show for it.
- The Lions struggled on third down conversions with a 3-of-16 showing, but went 4-of-6 on fourth down while stopping APSU's only fourth down attempt.
- The two sides combined for 928 yards, marking the 10th time in 15 games that UNA and its opponent have combined for at least 900 yards, including back-to-back weeks.
- For the second straight week, UNA did not give up or force a turnover.
- Walters finished 29-for-52 passing for 351 yards and five touchdowns for perhaps his best career road performance. For the second straight week, Walters did not throw an interception. He dueled with APSU's Mike Diliello who threw for 353 yards and six scores.
- Walters was UNA's leading rusher for a second straight week, netting 31 yards and a score.
- Upperclassman Dakota Warfield was the leading receiver for UNA with seven catches for 88 yards. Koby Warden and Takairee Kenebrew combined for six catches, 87 yards and three touchdowns.
- Rush Lansdell led the defense with nine tackles and three solo hits on the day, while truw freshman Jahiem Ingram had eight tackles, three solo and a tackle for loss.
- The Lions had three sacks on the day, all in key moments, including hits from Tyrik Daniels, Kam'ron Green and Edwin White Schultz. Daniel's sack was a strip sack, but was recovered by APSU to set up a long third down.
- Gregory Reddick had a game-high six solo tackles, seven total tackles and one tackle for loss.
- Austin Peay scored on six straight drives, but then punted on five of the next six. UNA scored on its last three drives before the turnover on downs to end the game.
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UNA punter Adam Watford had six punts for an average of 43.3 yards, a long of 52 and two punts inside the 20. UNA did not punt in the fourth quarter and had four of the six punts in the first half.
- UNA has never had a game end in a 49-39 score all-time, marking the fifth unique score in nine games this season.
- The Lions now have an all-time record of 483-304-16.
COMING UP NEXT
Next Saturday, North Alabama returns to Braly Stadium for the final time this season to host Central Arkansas. Kickoff for the home finale is set for 4 p.m. in Florence.
The final home game is Senior Day, as the Lions will honor the following players:
Takairee Kenebrew,
Barry Womack,
Dakota Warfield,
Will Derico,
Gallil Guillaume,
Winston Sweeting,
Jakob Cummings,
Philip Ossai,
Stevie Young,
Tyler Antkowiak,
David Florence,
Makenly Newbill,
Parker Driggers and
Trenton Townsend.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
