FLORENCE, Ala. (October 5, 2024) – With members of North Alabama's 1994 national championship team watching intently from the north end zone, the 2024 edition of the Lions thrusted themselves into the thick of the United Athletic Conference title race with a 60-14 rout of Utah Tech Saturday evening at Braly Stadium.

The Lions (2-5, 2-1 UAC) established an FCS era record for points in a half and game, sprinting to a 39-0 halftime lead while forcing three turnovers. It was a defensive performance that no doubt brought smiles to the faces from the vaunted '94 Purple Swarm defense as the Trailblazers (0-6, 0-2) were limited to 240 total yards and only managed to drive into UNA territory just four times. Utah Tech had only 104 yards through the first three quarters.

Both Utah Tech touchdowns came in the fourth quarter with UNA's starters watching from the sideline after building a 60-0 cushion. The 46-point margin of victory also a set a school record for the Division I era.

Redshirt senior quarterback TJ Smith had a career-high four touchdown passes as the Lions played mistake-free football for the second week in a row. Smith completed 13-of-17 passes for 207 yards, another career-best. He spread the wealth with TD tosses Kaleb Heatherly, Dakota Warfield, Jayvian Allen and Jalen Fletcher, and also ran five times for 22 yards with a two-yard TD to give him five total.

The Lions torched the Trailblazers for a season-high 501 total yards. Fletcher, a true freshman, paced the rushing attack with 73 yards. Four players – Fletcher (73), Ben Harris (51), Dennis Moody (49) and Allen (40) – had at least 40 yards on the ground.

Seventh-year senior Takairee Kenebrew caught a game-high five passes and continued his move up the UNA career receptions list. He passed Marcus Lewis and Jason Messing into a tie for ninth-place with UNA Hall of Famer Roger Ralph (1973-75) with 126.

Kenebrew, who was recently named to the UNA Promising Alumni list by the university, needs 592 yards in UNA's final five games to surpass Michael Edwards for second place on the career receiving yards list. Kenebrew now stands at 2,255 yards.

True freshman linebacker Josh Anglin again led the Lions defensively with seven tackles. Redshirt junior defensive back Ashaad Williams had his first career interception in the second quarter and was also credited with two pass breakups and a tackle for loss. Sophomore Jyheam Ingram also had a key play with a 40-yard scoop-and-score in the second quarter.
 

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER
North Alabama 7, Utah Tech 0: For the fifth straight game, the Lions' offense produced points on the opening drive. UNA received the kickoff and swiftly moved 75 yards in seven plays, with "TK" Kenebrew (10 yards) and Dakota Warfield (35 yards) snagging Smith passes. Jayvian "Juice" Allen got UNA on the scoreboard first with a four-yard TD run and Scott Payne tacked on the extra point with less than 2:30 minutes elapsed.

North Alabama 10, Utah Tech 0: Scott Payne kicked a 37-yard field goal after the Lions' second series stalled at the Trailblazers 20. Payne's field goal was his ninth in 10 tries this season.

North Alabama 18, Utah Tech 0: Following another Trailblazers punt, UNA covered 47 yards in six plays to pad the lead. Five rushing plays moved the Lions to Utah Tech's 8, where TJ Smith found tight end Kaleb Heatherly wide-open in the end zone with 4:03 left in the quarter. Ben Harris then completed the two-point conversion pass to Marlon Krakue, the senior defensive lineman's first career catch.
 

SECOND QUARTER
North Alabama 25, Utah Tech 0: The defense produced set up UNA's next score when linebacker Ashaad Williams picked off Utah Tech quarterback Reggie Graff's pass and returned it to 40 yards deep into Trailblazers territory. Smith connected with Warfield for a 23-yard touchdown on first down and Payne tacked on the extra point at the 12:46 mark.

North Alabama 32, Utah Tech 0: Graff was sacked by Rush Lansdell at his own 40 and fumbled, with defensive lineman Jyheam Ingram picking up the loose football and rumbling 40 yards as the Lions extended their lead with 9:43 still on the clock. It was the first fumble return for a touchdown by a UNA player since 2021.

North Alabama 39, Utah Tech 0: Another lost fumble by Utah Tech's Graff put the Lions in prime position for one more score before halftime. Philjae Bien-Aime recovered at the Trailblazers 24 and UNA needed just three plays to get into the end zone with Smith hooking up with "Juice" Allen for a 19-yard touchdown. Payne's fourth PAT of the first half was the Lions' 21st point in a span of 4:30 minutes.

THIRD QUARTER
North Alabama 46, Utah Tech 0: The onslaught continued into the second half when UNA struck quickly after forcing a Utah Tech punt. Jalen Fletcher took in a short pass from Smith and did the rest himself, out-running the defense for a 55-yard touchdown.

North Alabama 53, Utah Tech 0: Smith did it himself with his arm and his legs as the Lions drove 79 yards in nine plays, maintaining possession for more than five minutes. Smith's two-yard TD run came after he completed all five of his passes on the drive.

FOURTH QUARTER
North Alabama 60, Utah Tech 0: Backup quarterback Ben Harris rushed for a one-yard touchdown on the second play of the final stanza, capping a 10-play, 75-yard drive by the Lions.

North Alabama 60, Utah Tech 7: With all the starters resting on the sideline, Bronson Barben got the visitors from Utah on the scoreboard with a 39-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Alec Burton.

North Alabama 60, Utah Tech 14: Barben connected with Bryce Parker for a 75-yard TD pass for the game's final points.
 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• The 46-point margin of victory was UNA's largest of the Division I era and its biggest win since a 51-3 defeat of West Florida in 2016.

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  The win over Utah Tech gives the Lions their first two-game win streak since 2021, when they beat Robert Morris and Charleston Southern on back-to-back Saturdays at Braly Stadium.

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  UNA is above .500 in conference play for the first time since 2017, its final year as a member of the NCAA Division II Gulf South Conference. In 2019, UNA won its first Big South Conference game against Presbyterian, but the Lions' games against conference teams did not count in the league standings.

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  UNA improved to 21-45 against FCS competition. It also marked the first time since 2021 the Lions have knocked off FCS opponents in consecutive weeks.

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  Smith has totaled 609 all-purpose yards with seven touchdowns since taking over as starting quarterback three weeks ago.

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  This was the Lions' fourth game with more than 500 total yards under second-year head coach Brent Dearmon.

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  UNA's offense has produced points on its first series in five straight games; the Lions defense hasn't allowed a score on the opponents' first series in four consecutive games.

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  Defensive lineman Jyheam Ingram's 40-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the second quarter was the first by a Lions defensive player since Will Evans picked up a fumble and scored vs. Charleston Southern in 2021.

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  Ben Harris' pass to Marlon Krakue in the second quarter was UNA's fourth successful two-point conversion this season. The Lions previously converted two-point plays against Southeast Missouri, UT Martin and Tarleton State.

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  UNA's 39 points in the first two quarters vs. Utah Tech established an FCS era record for most points in a half. The previous record was 32 vs. Eastern Kentucky in 2022.

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  Utah Tech is slated to travel 10,518 total miles for its six road games this season, which includes a pair of bus trips. The trip to Florence for Saturday's UAC matchup was a 3,818-mile round trip journey. The Trailblazers travel to Tarleton State in Stephenville, Texas, next week (2,162 round trip miles) and go to Eastern Kentucky (3,227 round trip miles) on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Next Saturday is Homecoming in Florence, as the Lions host No. 16 Abilene Christian (4-2, 3-0). Kickoff at Braly Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m. with television coverage on ESPN+.

The all-time series is tied at 1-1, with UNA's victory coming in front of a crowd of 24,387 at Cowboys Stadium in 2011. ACU won last year's UAC matchup in Abilene, Texas.