FLORENCE, Ala. (October 4, 2024) – The University of North Alabama football team will welcome home the 1994 national championship team for a 30-year reunion Saturday, as the Lions will play host to Utah Tech at 4 p.m. inside Braly Stadium.
For a list of "things to know" for Saturday's game,
click here.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
North Alabama vs. Utah Tech
Date: Saturday, October 5
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Florence, Alabama
Stadium: Braly Stadium
Capacity: 14,215
TV: ESPN+ ("Voice of the Lions" Benjamin Ray, Bryan Neece)
Radio: WLX 98.3 / 103.5 FM (Jordan Campbell, Jacob Tucker, Chase Glover)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Tickets: Click Here
Social Media:
@UNAFootball
UNA Game Notes |
Opponent Game Notes |
UAC Website
NOTABLES
ABOUT THE LIONS: North Alabama won its first game of the season last week, defeating West Georgia 25-16 in Carrollton, Ga. This snapped a five-game skid to open the season, as the Lions possessed the ball for 43:16 to set a new FCS school record and limited the Wolves to just 223 yards. The UNA defense is allowing the third-fewest yards per game in the United Athletic Conference (365.0) and leads the UAC with the fewest passing yards allowed per game (178.8).
ABOUT THE TRAILBLAZERS: Utah Tech seeks its first win of the season this week following an 0-5 start. All five opponents for Utah Tech are currently ranked in the national polls, including FBS No. 25 UNLV. The other four opponents are No. 3 Montana State, No. 25 Northern Arizona, No. 8 UC Davis and No. 16 Abilene Christian. Utah Tech averages 298 yards per game while allowing 554, marking the worst totals in the UAC.
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday will be the second meeting between UNA and Utah Tech. Last year's meeting was a thriller in Braly Stadium, as the Lions won 31-30. Redshirt senior
Dakota Warfield caught the go-ahead touchdown pass to make it 31-24 in the final two minutes, but the Trailblazers stormed down the field and found paydirt with 31 seconds to go. Instead of going for the tie, Utah Tech gambled and went for two. Redshirt senior
Gregory Reddick stepped up for UNA with a pass breakup on the final play, and the Lions recovered the onside kick to secure the win.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE: Both UNA and Utah Tech can claim two of the most difficult schedules in FCS football this season, as both are ranked within the top-30 of the Massey Ratings for strength of schedule. The Trailblazers are 10th, while the Lions are 28th. With 129 teams in FCS, both UNA and Utah Tech have a harder schedule than over 100 teams.
OFFENSIVE OPPORTUNITY: UNA and Utah Tech are at the bottom of the league in offensive scoring, as UNA averages 16.5 points per game and Utah Tech averages 16.4. However, both teams showed promise last week, as the Lions had 354 yards and went 10-21 on third downs in a win at West Georgia, while Utah Tech put up 508 yards in a 55-30 loss against ACU. Defensively, UNA is allowing 16 points less than Utah Tech per game.
PAYNE FOR GAIN: Graduate transfer
Scott Payne has been a bright spot at the kicker position this season, as he ranks 10th in the nation and first in the conference with 1.6 field goals per game and an 88.9 field goal percentage. He is 8-for-9 this season, making his first seven attempts. Payne was named UAC Specialist of the Week after going 3-4 at West Georgia, accounting for over nine points in a nine-point win.
KENEBREW KEEPS CRUISING: Seventh year senior
Takairee Kenebrew tacked on another touchdown to his career school record last week, as he enters this week with 29 touchdowns, including three this season. TK currently has the fifth-most single-game receiving yards in FCS this season, totaling 174 yards at UT Martin. He is currently 12th in all-time receptions at UNA and needs just two to move into the top-10. Kenebrew is also third in career receiving yards, needing 654 to tie Michael Edwards for second all-time. Edwards was a member of the 1994 national championship team.
TOP TACKLERS: Reddick, who was the hero in the Utah Tech game last season, is currently second in the UAC with 44 total tackles, including 25 solo to tie for the league-best. Not far behind is redshirt senior and Muscle Shoals native
Jackson Bratton with 40 tackles, tied for fourth in the league.
NO TURNOVERS: The Lions have 15 turnovers allowed for the second-highest total in FCS, but remedied that last week at West Georgia with a turnover-free game. On the flip side, UNA forced a turnover last week as
Marlon Krakue poked out a fumble recovered by
Garrick Ponder.
A TEAM POSSESSED: UNA set a pair of FCS school records for time of possession in back-to-back weeks, possessing the ball for over 37 minutes against Tarleton State and over 43 minutes the following week at West Georgia. The Lions have shot up to 17th in the nation for season time of possession, averaging 32:25 per game. This is second in the league to EKU at 33:14.
TJ FINDING RHYTHM: The UNA offense has been engineered by redshirt senior
TJ Smith the last two weeks, who has totaled 380 all-purpose yards with zero turnovers. Exactly 100 of those yards have been on the ground, including 72 rushing yards the last time at home against Tarleton State. He has completed 31-of-52 passes the last two games for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
WHAT A UNA WIN WOULD DO: A win over Utah Tech would give UNA its first back-to-back wins since 2021. Both of those wins came at home against Robert Morris and Charleston Southern. A win would also mark the first 2-1 start to conference play since 2016, although no conference games were played in 2018, 2019 and 2020.
WHAT A UTAH TECH WIN WOULD DO: The Trailblazers are on a 10-game losing streak since last season, which started with last year's loss to UNA at Braly Stadium. Utah Tech's last win came against Stephen F. Austin on Oct. 7, 2023. Saturday will mark 364 days since that win.
NEXT ON THE DOCKET: The Lions remain at home next week for Homecoming and Hall of Fame weekend, welcoming Abilene Christian for a 6 p.m. kickoff inside Braly Stadium.
For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
