TK
Drew Barton
28
North Alabama UNA 0-4 , 0-0
43
Winner UT Martin UTM 1-2 , 0-1
North Alabama UNA
0-4 , 0-0
28
Final
43
UT Martin UTM
1-2 , 0-1
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UNA North Alabama 18 7 3 0 28
UTM UT Martin 10 10 16 7 43

Game Recap: Football |

Kenebrew sets career-highs in loss to UT Martin

Lions erupt early, Skyhawks soar ahead in second half

MARTIN, Tenn. (September 14, 2024) – The opening 13 minutes of North Alabama's first visit to Hardy M. Graham Stadium in 35 years couldn't have been scripted any better for the Lions.

With quarterback Ari Patu in street clothes due to an injury sustained last week against Illinois State, the Lions turned to redshirt junior DC Tabscott to direct the offense against Big South-Ohio Valley Conference alliance foe UT-Martin Saturday night. Tabscott hit his first five passes and led UNA (0-4) on three consecutive scoring drives in the first quarter before the Skyhawks rallied for a 43-28 victory in the Lions' final non-conference matchup.

Seventh-year senior wide receiver Takairee Kenebrew continued to etch his name in UNA's record book with a career-best 173 yards and two more touchdown catches, extending his school record career TD mark to 28.

Kennebrew caught a career-long 78-yard touchdown pass from Tabscott and added another for eight yards as UNA raced to a 15-0 lead less than five minutes into the game. The Skyhawks (1-2) found themselves trailing 18-0 after just over eight minutes when Scott Payne nailed a 45-yard field goal.

Tabscott, a transfer from New Mexico, finished with 149 yards and two touchdowns but was replaced after a second interception. Redshirt junior Ben Harris took the majority of the snaps in the second half, completing seven-of-19 passes with one interception.

UNA carried a 25-20 lead to the locker room at intermission, but only managed another Payne field goal in the second half.

Redshirt senior Gregory Reddick and true freshman Josh Anglin anchored UNA's defense with 10 tackles each.

HOW IT HAPPENED

FIRST QUARTER
North Alabama 8, UT Martin 0: After winning the coin toss and choosing to receive, the Lions covered 80 yards in just three plays with Tabscott hitting "TK" Kenebrew, who hauled in the pass near the sideline and out-ran the Pacers defense for a 78-yard touchdown. Ben Harris then passed to long snapper Nathan Curry for the two-point conversion.
 
North Alabama 15, UT Martin 0: An interception and short return by defensive back Ike Rowell halted UT Martin's first series and gave the Lions possession at its 46. Following a penalty against UNA, Tabscott connected with Kenebrew again, this time for 51 yards to UTM's 8. The Lions capitalized on the next play when Kenebrew hauled in an eight-yard TD pass from Tabscott and Scott Payne added the extra point with less than five minutes elapsed.

North Alabama 18, UT Martin 0: UNA tacked on a Scott Payne field goal after Kaden Cooper ran 23 yards to the UTM 21. But three plays resulted in a loss of six yards and Payne came on to kick a 45-yarder, his second FG in a UNA uniform.

North Alabama 18, UT Martin 3: The Skyhawks got on the scoreboard late in the first after a 56-yard burst through the Lions' defense. After their drive stalled, Jaren Van Winkle kicked a 38-yard field goal at the 1:51 mark.

North Alabama 18, UT Martin 10: UT Martin capitalized on Tabscott's first interception to add its first touchdown just before quarter's end. After returning the pickoff to UNA's 8, Kinkead Dent tossed a three-yard TD to Trevonte Parker and Van Winkle's PAT trimmed UTM's deficit to eight points with seven seconds left.
 
SECOND QUARTER
North Alabama 18, UT Martin 17: UNA lost a fumble and Charles Perkins came up with the miscue at the Lions' 30. The hosts covered the distance in only three plays with Patrick Smith finishing off the drive with a five-yard drive. Van Winkle's PAT made it a one-point game, the closest UT Martin got in the first half.

North Alabama 25, UT Martin 17: The Lions' offense regained a spark and pierced together their longest drive of the half. UNA alternated quarterbacks in and marched 60 yards in nine plays, moving into the UTM red zone via a 25-yard razzle-dazzle throw from TJ Smith to Logan Collier. Jayvian Allen took the direct snap and ran the last two yards for a touchdown with 1:19 to go in the quarter.

North Alabama 25, UT Martin 20: The Skyhawks covered 46 yards in eight plays as the clock wound down before halftime and wrapped up the first-half scoring with Van Winkle's 46-yard field goal as time expired.
 
THIRD QUARTER
North Alabama 25, UT Martin 22: Disaster struck after UNA's defense forced a UT Martin punt on the first possession after halftime. A Skyhawks' punt pinned the Lions at their 3 and Allen was pulled down for a safety on first down at the 13:22 mark.

UT Martin 29, North Alabama 25: Following the free kick after the safety, the Skyhawks took their first lead with a six-play, 53-yard scoring drive, the touchdown coming on a 10-yard pass.

UT Martin 29, North Alabama 28: With Ben Harris at the helm of the offense, UNA went 68 yards in 14 plays before the drive stalled at UTM's 7. Payne's second field goal, a 23-yarder, came with 6:03 remaining in the third quarter.

UT Martin 36, North Alabama 28: The Skyhawks answered UNA's field goal with a touchdown of their own that ate up almost four minutes and covered 75 yards. Patrick Smith's one-yard TD run and the extra point gave UT Martin its largest lead.
 
FOURTH QUARTER
UT-Martin 43, North Alabama 28: Another turnover while trying to answer the UT Martin score put the game out of reach. Tevin Shipp intercepted Harris' pass over the middle and raced 34 yards untouched to the end zone with 5:28 on the clock.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
  • Tabscott's 78-yard touchdown pass to Kennebrew and the subsequent two-point marked the first time since the second quarter of the FCS Kickoff vs. Southeast Missouri that the Lions had led.
  • Four Lions took snaps at quarterback during the game – Tabscott, TJ Smith, Ben Harris and running back Jayvian "Juice" Allen. Tabscott, Smith and Harris all attempted passes. 
  • Kenebrew's receiving yardage was the most by a UNA pass catcher since Andre Little had 183 yards vs. Gardner-Webb on Nov. 16, 2019.
  • Kenebrew moves into third place on UNA's career receiving yardage list with 2,144. He's 700 yards behind second-place Michael Edwards (2,844 from 1993-96).
  • UNA's 14-play possession that resulted in Scott Payne's 23-yard field goal in the third quarter was its longest scoring of 2024.
  • Payne's 45-yard field goal was the fourth-longest of UNA's NCAA Division I era. The longest was kicked by Joe Gurley in 2019 against Western Illinois, a 48-yarder.
  • Reddick's 10 tackles – including three solo – gives him a team-best 35 through four games. He also was credited with two pass breakups. Jackson Bratton contributed nine tackles and now has 29 stops this season.
  • Safeties Ike Rowell and Barry Womack recorded the Lions' second and third interceptions of the season.
  • Dennis Moody was UNA's top rusher for the second time in four games with 53 yards. Kaden Cooper had a career-long 23-yard run.
  • The Skyhawks are the Lions' seventh consecutive opponent that has either been ranked or received votes in a national poll. UNA's final three opponents in 2023, Austin Peay (FCS #20), Central Arkansas (FCS #25) and Florida State (FBS #4) were ranked, respectively, while Southeast Missouri, Memphis (FBS Coaches Poll #25), Illinois State (FCS #18) and UT-Martin are currently ranked or gained votes this year.
  • Sam Contorno punted once for 43 yards in the first quarter. Starting punter Adam Watford also kicked it three times for a 37.7 average.
  • The safety the Lions allowed in the third quarter was their first since Central Arkansas recorded one on Oct. 29, 2022.
  • UT-Martin has been UNA's most frequent rival from the state of Tennessee. The Skyhawks (previously known as the Pacers) and Lions have met 34 times – most of those meetings coming while both programs were members with Division II Gulf South Conference. UNA leads the series 19-14-1.
  • The Lions are 26-22-2 against current Big South-Ohio Valley Conference alliance members. 
  • UT-Martin is the seventh-most frequent opponent the Lions have faced, and fourth-most frequent opponent among current FCS or FBS programs. UNA has met Division II West Alabama 71 times, followed by Division II Delta State (61), Jax State (50), Troy (44), Division II Valdosta State (42) and West Georgia (35).
 
COMING UP NEXT
Next Saturday, the Lions begin the United Athletic Conference portion of the schedule at home against Tarleton State. The Texans are 2-1 and had an open date this week.

Kickoff at Braly Stadium is scheduled for Sept. 21 at 6 p.m. with television coverage on ESPN+. The UAC opener marks the fifth meeting between the Lions and Texans and will serve as UNA's family weekend.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 
 
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