ACU Win
Drew Barton
34
Abilene Christian ACU 4-3 , 3-1
47
Winner North Alabama UNA 3-5 , 3-1
Abilene Christian ACU
4-3 , 3-1
34
Final
47
North Alabama UNA
3-5 , 3-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
ACU Abilene Christian 14 13 7 0 34
UNA North Alabama 20 0 13 14 47

Game Recap: Football |

North Alabama defeats No. 10 Abilene Christian for landmark win, 47-34

UNA wins first game against ranked FCS opponent in school history to extend three-game win streak

FLORENCE, Ala. (October 12, 2024) – Homecoming 2024 produced a historic victory as North Alabama scored the game's last 21 points to stun United Athletic Conference leader and nationally-ranked Abilene Christian 47-34 before a rollicking Braly Stadium crowd Saturday night, giving the Lions their first three-game conference win streak since 2016.

The Lions (3-5, 3-1 in UAC) trailed the No. 10 Wildcats by eight points late in third quarter, but TJ Smith threw a pair of touchdown passes to fellow redshirt senior Kobe Warden sandwiched around a highlight-reel run by Jalen Fletcher down the stretch to give UNA its first victory over a ranked Division I opponent in program history.

Smith accounted for six touchdowns as UNA's offense erupted for more than 500 yards for the second week in a row. Warden had career highs in receptions (nine) and receiving yards (112) while Fletcher carried 10 times for 123 yards — all after halftime.

The first quarter saw a flurry of points as the teams traded touchdowns in the first 13 minutes. UNA raced to a 13-0 lead in the opening five minutes, then saw Abilene Christian (4-3, 3-1) respond with two touchdowns in four and a half minutes to take its first lead.

The Wildcats led 27-20 at halftime and went ahead 34-26 with 12:23 remaining in the third quarter. The Lions' defense tightened from that point on, shutting out Abilene Christian's potent offense the rest of the way and sealing the monumental win when safety Gregory Reddick intercepted a pass with 47 seconds remaining.

Reddick finished with a game-high 12 tackles, while Edwin White Schultz contributed nine tackles and blocked an extra point attempt.

Seventh-year receiver Takairee Kenebrew was limited to one catch for a single yard, but it moved him past UNA Athletic Hall of Fame member Roger Ralph for ninth place on the career receptions list with 127.

The game featured four lead changes and one tie.


HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER
North Alabama 6, Abilene Christian 0: Disaster struck the visitors from Texas on their first play when they fumbled on first down after receiving the opening kickoff. UNA's Jackson Bratton pounced on the fumble at ACU's 6 yard line only six seconds into the game. Two plays later, TJ Smith rushed left for a one-yard TD run. Ben Harris was stopped on a two-point conversion attempt, leaving the Lions in front at the 14:15 mark.

North Alabama 13, Abilene Christian 0: Kobe Warden's 27-yard punt return to the Abilene Christian 37 put the Lions in position to extend their lead. After a penalty and two Jayvian "Juice" Allen runs moved UNA to the 23, Smith found Tanaka Scott open in the back left corner of the end zone for a 23-yard touchdown. Scott Payne tacked on the extra point with 10:06 left.

North Alabama 13, Abilene Christian 7: Abilene Christian cut into UNA's lead just over a minute later when Isaiah Johnson broke free up the middle for a 60-yard touchdown run. Ritse Vaes kicked the extra point for the Wildcats.

Abilene Christian 14, North Alabama 13: After forcing UNA to punt, ACU drove 52 yards in seven plays as quarterback Maverick McIvor completed five straight passes, the last one going to Blayne Taylor for 16 yards for a touchdown at the 4:22 mark. Vaes' extra point gave Abilene Christian its first lead.

North Alabama 20, Abilene Christian 14: Smith rushed for his second score of the game a little more than two minutes later by breaking loose for a 46-yard run to the end zone, capping a four-play, 85-yard drive. Smith's TD run was set up by a 33-yard completion to Scott on the previous play.

SECOND QUARTER
North Alabama 20, Abilene Christian 20: The Wildcats pulled even after a 32-yard punt return to UNA's 28. Sam Hicks finished off the six-play drive to tie the game, but Vaes' extra point attempt was blocked by Edwin White Schultz and recovered by Bratton. 

Abilene Christian 27, North Alabama 20: Hicks found his way to the end zone again – this time with a 38-yard run – as Abilene Christian regained the lead before halftime. 

THIRD QUARTER
Abilene Christian 27, North Alabama 26: The Lions started the second half quickly, using only three plays to score. "Juice" Allen raced 27 yards into Wildcats' territory, with a subsequent horse-collar penalty advancing the ball to ACU's 23. Smith then connected with Justin Luke over the middle for a 23-yard TD, but Scott Payne's extra point attempt was blocked and returned 55 yards before Mickel Clay made a diving tackle to prevent the conversion return.

Abilene Christian 34, North Alabama 26: Hicks' 56-yard kickoff runback started ACU's ensuing drive at the Lions' 42. Johnson's one-yard run completed the four-play, 42-yard scoring drive and Vaes' extra point gave Abilene Christian its largest lead.

Abilene Christian 34, North Alabama 33: Back roared the Lions after an Abilene Christian punt. Smith's third TD pass of the night was hauled in by Kobe Warden, who was interfered with in the back of the end zone but held on for a 37-yard touchdown. Payne added another extra point with 2:07 left on the clock.

FOURTH QUARTER
North Alabama 40, Abilene Christian 34: A pair of plays worthy of the "SportsCenter Top 10" gave UNA its first outright lead since the opening quarter. Warden made a spectacular leaping catch of a Smith throw for a 23-yard gain, then Jalen Fletcher finished off the go-ahead drive with a 24-yard touchdown run, spinning away from ACU defenders and running backward into the end zone with 11:36 remaining for what proved to be the decisive score.

North Alabama 47, Abilene Christian 34: The biggest win in UNA's Division I history was sealed by the Lions' longest drive of the night. UNA went 94 yards in nine plays, consuming almost five minutes, with Smith sealing the Wildcats' fate with an eight-yard TD pass to Warden with 1:51 on the clock.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

  • UNA won its first game over a ranked FCS opponent at the time of play. Last season, UNA defeated Chattanooga for the first win under second year head coach Brent Dearmon, but Chattanooga was receiving votes at the time and later finished No. 14 in the national polls. UNA's last ranked win at any level came in 2018 over Division II No. 24 Azusa Pacific.
  • UNA has scored 100 points over two games for the first time in eight years when the Lions beat North Greenville 52-21 on October 22, 2016, and routed Delta State 49-19 a week later. Last week, UNA defeated Utah Tech 60-14 to give UNA 107 points the last two weeks.
  • Linebacker Jackson Bratton from Muscle Shoals recovered an Abilene Christian fumble to set up the Lions' first score. It was the first fumble recovery for Bratton at UNA and second of his college career, the first coming at Georgia Southern in 2023 while playing for UAB.
  • Returner Kobe Warden from Killen had a 27-yard punt return in the first quarter that got the Lions into Wildcats' territory. It was the second-longest of Warden's career, just behind a 28-yard return in 2023 at Florida State that remains the longest of UNA's FCS era.
  • UNA's second straight offensive effort with more than 500 yards marks the fifth time to achieve the milestone under Coach Dearmon.
  • UNA has won three consecutive league games for the first time since 2016, when the Lions closed the season with five straight victories in the Division II Gulf South Conference.
  • TJ Smith's 46-yard touchdown run in the second quarter was the longest rush of his career, nearly doubling the previous career-long of 24 yards at West Georgia on Sept. 28, 2024.
  • Smith has totaled 923 all-purpose yards with 13 touchdowns since taking over as starting quarterback four weeks ago.
  • UNA's 20 points in the first quarter marked the Lions' second-most in a single quarter this year. The Lions posted 21 points the previous week in a 60-14 rout of Utah Tech.
  • None of the seven combined scoring drives in the first half lasted more than three minutes; four of the seven lasted less than two minutes, including three from the Lions.
  • Justin Luke's 23-yard reception in the third quarter was the junior receiver's first career touchdown and the longest catch of his career.
  • UNA's offense has produced points on its first series in six straight games; the Lions defense hasn't allowed a score on the opponents' first possession in five consecutive games.
  • UNA improved to 53-21-1 all-time in Homecoming games, including wins in 17 of the last 19. The victory over Abilene Christian halted a two-game skid in Homecoming games.
  • No. 10 Abilene Christian is the third ranked FCS team the Lions have faced in 2024. UNA is now 1-19 against ranked Division I opponents.
  • The Lions have a 22-45 record against FCS division programs.


COMING UP NEXT

The Lions have their first open date next Saturday after playing eight straight weeks to begin the season. UNA's next game will be on Saturday, Oct. 26, when it travels to No. 12/13 Central Arkansas (5-2, 2-1).

Kickoff at "The Stripes," 10,000-seat First Security Field at Estes Stadium, is scheduled for 4 p.m. with television coverage on ESPN+.
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