Coaches and players gathered at Flowers Hall on Sunday, Nov. 17 to hear their playoff fate announced by the Division II football committee.

The Lions were selected as the No. 3 seed in their region and will host Tuskegee University at noon on Saturday, Nov. 23 at Braly Municipal Stadium.

“We didn’t get what (seed) we wanted,” said senior linebacker Brion James.  “We know what we have to do now, and we’ll be ready.”

With the Lions’ sights set on the Tigers, Head Coach Bobby Wallace will coach against one of his former assistants.

“Willie Slater is like family,” Wallace said.  “He knows what I like to do, and I know what he likes to do.”

Slater, now the head coach of Tuskegee, was the offensive coordinator for the Lions during the three national championships that UNA won from 1993 to 1995.

“Players win games, not coaches,” Wallace said.  “So it doesn’t matter what he will do or what I’ll do, it’s going to come down to who can execute.”

This is the first year the Tigers have been eligible for the playoffs. Tuskegee has traditionally played Alabama State University in the “Turkey Day Classic” on Thanksgiving Day.

The rivalry game with ASU made Tuskegee unable to compete in the second round of the playoffs, which is played the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Tuskegee has decided to cancel the traditional rivalry game so they would have a chance to compete in the playoffs.

“This is the first year they have been eligible,” Wallace said.  “Slater has had them competitive for a while, so if they were eligible, I’m sure they would have been here before.”

UNA finished the season on a seven -game winning streak and finished 8-1 against D-II opponents this season.

The No. 2 seed in the region, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, finished 7-1 in D-II games and were awarded the higher seed.

“My understanding is that the criteria of the seeding is the team with the toughest Division II schedule,” said defensive coordinator Chris Willis.  “I guess they’re schedule was tougher than ours.”

The one common opponent between UNC-Pembroke and UNA were defending national champions Valdosta State University.  UNC-Pembroke won by five, while the Lions won by 50 points.

“It might be a good thing that we’re playing (next week),” Wallace said.  “We’re on a roll and we believe we can keep that going.”

UNA’s only D-II loss was in week three against Delta State University, when they fell 37-34.

“We should have beat Delta State, so that’s on us,” Wallace said.

The team has the game plan the coaches believe will help them win the game, he said.

“They have a formula and they have to do the best they can with that formula,” Wallace said.  “Now we just gotta take care of our own business.”

With four regions and six teams from each region making the playoffs, the top two seeds from each region get a bye in the first round.

“We were hoping for the two seed,” quarterback Luke Wingo said.  “But we’re a hot team, so we’ll be fine.”