The University of North Alabama’s football program managed their first-ever win against a ranked Football Championship Subdivision team on Oct. 12. The Lions faced the then No. 10 Abilene Christian University for their homecoming celebration, winning 47-34.
Coming from two consecutive victories against West Georgia and Utah Tech, the Lions increased their winning streak to the sound of the Marching Pride, bringing a large crowd to Braly Stadium.
The Lions received three of the four weekly United Athletic Conference awards. Managing six touchdowns, TJ Smith was named Offensive Player of the Week. Gregory Reddick, who performed a show-stopping interception at the end of the game, received Defensive Player of the Week. Jalen Fletcher, with 128 all-purpose yards, was named Freshman of the Week for a second time.
The Lions also received the title of Stats Perform FCS National Team of the Week for the first time since 2018. Head Coach Brent Dearmon was named FCS National Coach of the Week by Our Coaching Network.
Coach Dearmon’s administration has been changing the way the football program is perceived around the campus, community and conference. Marching Pride baritone player Logan Dye says he used to think the football program was not appreciative of UNA’s band. On the Friday before the homecoming game, Dearmon changed Dye’s mind.
“Coach Dearmon came to [band] practice at Braly Stadium and gave us a speech about how much he appreciates us being at the game and everything we do for the [football program],” said Dye. “He said when we win, not if we win, he wanted us to play the fight song extra loud. So, getting to see the team get a win against a high-ranking team was really inspiring and made me feel a lot of school spirit.”
UNA opened the scoreboard in the first minute of the first quarter, once again, managing a score within their first drive of the game. Sam Contorno was responsible for a 65-yard kickoff, taking the Lions close to ACU’s endzone. The Wildcats fumbled. After a recovery by redshirt senior Jackson Bratton, quarterback TJ Smith completed his first rushing touchdown of the game for one yard.
The Lions increased their lead with another touchdown managed by Smith, who managed a 27-yard pass to Tanaka Scott, with Scott Payne adding the extra point. ACU responded quickly. A 60-yard rush by Isaiah Johnson gave the Wildcats their first touchdown.
UNA failed to advance further than their 16-yard line, resulting in a fourth-down punt by Adam Watford to ACU’s 48-yard line. This following drive earned the Wildcats’ lead with a kick by Ritse Vaes, making the score 14-13 to ACU.
With a 33-yard pass from Smith to Scott, followed by Smith’s second rushing touchdown of 46 yards, it only took the Lions four plays and 85 yards to regain leadership. Payne added the PAT. Smith said that was his favorite touchdown of the game, and it represented his hard work towards mobility.
“I’m willing to lay my body on the line for my guys, and they’re out there doing the same thing,” Smith said. “Each and every day we’re coming out here with that one and only mindset that Coach Dearmon always preaches, and just attacking it with everything I got.”
Back for the second quarter, ACU leveled the scoreboard with a 4-yard rushing touchdown by Sam Hicks and a successful 1-point conversion. The Wildcats reestablished leadership with another touchdown with less than two minutes until half-time, making the score 27-20.
The Lions came back from the locker room good as new. The third quarter’s first drive took the team from their 25-yard line to the opponent’s end zone in three plays. Jayvian Allen rushed for a 27-yard gain, which followed the score’s pass from Smith to redshirt junior Justin Luke. With Payne’s incomplete PAT, the Lions still sat at a disadvantage with a score of 26-27.
ACU’s first drive of the quarter responded to the Lion’s effort, increasing the difference to 34-26 with Johnson’s touchdown and Vaes’ PAT, which was, however, the team’s last chance with the scoreboard.
A few frustrated drives and a nullified ACU touchdown followed, but UNA’s defense had clicked. The offense was ready to go. With almost four minutes to the end of the quarter, Freshman of the Week Fletcher helped drive the ball from UNA’s 28 yardline to ACU’s 40. Allen gained three yards, and, in the second-down, Warden caught an unbelievable 37-yard pass from Smith. Sealing the quarter’s scoreboard, Payne added the extra point, which made the score 33-34.
UNA was sure of its performance, players and imminent victory: the fourth quarter started with the players on fire. Fletcher regained leadership with a 24-yard rushing touchdown, followed by Payne’s successful kicking attempt.
UNA’s defense did not let the Wildcat’s spend much time on their side of the field, resulting in a fourth-down desperate ACU punt caught by Warden.
Smith gained 46 rushed yards to enter Wildcat territory. From then on, UNA progressively turned the drive into a touchdown completed by a pass from Smith to Warden, who rushed towards the end zone. Payne added the PAT.
With a final attempt to reduce the point difference, the Wildcats had less than two minutes to follow-up. At UNA’s 36-yard line, however, redshirt senior Gregory Reddick intercepted ACU’s pass, ending any hope the Wildcats had of progressing, closing the scoreboard at 47-34 for the Lions.
Reddick reminisced on the interception. “I made the call myself as a leader and changed up… not changed up [Coach Caraboa’s] play, but added another covering guy so I could be the free ‘low hole guy’ and actually rob the play. I knew they [were] trying to go back to our slant, so I robbed the slant and, next thing you know, I had the ball in my hands.”
As soon as the clock ran down, players and family joined the field to celebrate this important victory, with sophomore Cade Mansmann giving Dearmon the winning Gatorade shower.
“Huge win over the No. 1 ranked team in our conference,” Mansmann said. “It was a really big game – we had some big time plays by some big time players. It was simply an awesome experience. Roar Lions!”
According to the head coach, “It’s like all the stars aligned, all the dominos kinda fell into place at the right time. […] What I told our team last week, ‘We do the fake punt,’ backed up in our own territory cause we believe in our guys so much. […] The defense responded and gave us momentum in a game that they struggled early but played great late. It was a full team win in front of a great crowd, in front of a great environment. That was the most electric environment, definitely, since I’ve been there. So, awesome job to Florence, awesome job to the band, to the cheerleaders, for everybody involved.”
With a week to rest, the Lions are now focused on taking down the University of Central Arkansas. Center Gage Saint claims the team is ready to face this next challenge. “The win is good for our momentum going forward with the conference. We’re trying to win our conference. […] We can definitely win against Central Arkansas. Abilene beat Central Arkansas, and we just beat Abilene, so I think it’s possible.”
Coach Dearmon agrees. “There’s not a break. We’re focused on whatever we can do right now to handle UCA.”
UNA is set to play their last home game against UCA on Oct. 26.
