After a slow start offensively in the first half of last Saturday’s game, the Lions were able to make adjustments and defeat the Muleriders of Southern Arkansas 42-14 and keep the record perfect at 5-0.

The pressure was on for UNA after No. 1-ranked Northwest Missouri lost to 16th ranked Pittsburg State 38-35, hours before the Lions kicked off. UNA was seated No. 2 before playing Southern Arkansas; therefore, grabbing the victory would likely move UNA to the driver’s seat in Division II rankings.

“We stressed ourselves at halftime,” said Head Coach Terry Bowden “The football team knew what was on hand in this game, and they came back and responded and played like they should. We played up to our expectations the second half.”

The first half, the Lions defense saw more of the field as UNA’s possession time was 9:42 and the Muleriders kept the ball 20:18. The game-changer in the first half was a 42-yard pass to Jason Smith from Lee Chapple, putting the Lions on Southern Arkansas’ three-yard-line.

After three incomplete passes, the Muleriders were off-sides, putting UNA on the one-yard-line, allowing Wes Holland to grab a touchdown with 34 seconds to play in the first half and Nathan O’Jibway hit the extra point, making the score 14-7 Southern Arkansas at halftime.

“We just had to start playing with emotion,” said quarterback Lee Chapple. “Football is an emotional game, and it’s hard to execute with no emotion. We just had to start executing. The plays were there to be made the first and second halves. We just needed to start making them.”

Returning from halftime, the Lions came out ready to play as they scored 35 unanswered points in the third and fourth quarters, however, 42 unanswered points in the game.

The Muleriders did not score again after their one-yard run with 1:35 to go in the second quarter.

Lee Chapple was 21-38 with one interception for the game, throwing for 321 yards and two touchdowns, his third time this season to throw for over 300 yards.

Back-up quarterback Chris Alexander was 3-3 for 44 yards in passing and threw for one 34-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter, his second of the season.

The special teams made their presence known against the Muleriders, too. Janoris Jenkins was named GSC Special Teams Player of the Week for the second consecutive week.

Jenkins had two punt returns for 110 yards, one being an 89 yarder for a touchdown. He also blocked a 44-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.

Defensively, Marcus Dowtin lead in tackles with nine, eight of them being solo tackles, and Tommie Westbrook had eight. Offensively, Chris Coffey carried the ball nine times for 37 yards and a touchdown; Wes Holland had seven carries for 23 yards and a touchdown.

On the receiving side, Mo Miliam had five catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, and Tristan Purifoy had four catches for 56 yards and a 30-yard touchdown.

“The defense didn’t give up a touchdown the second half, and the offense scored 42 unanswered points,” Bowden said. “From the last minute of the first half and the 30 minutes of the second half, we got after it pretty good.”

The UNA Lions will kick-off at 6 p.m. next Saturday at Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark., ranked No. 1 in the nation in Division II.