North Alabama fell to No. 9 Austin Peay, 27-21, after twice taking the lead in a back-and-forth UAC game. The Lions outgained the Govs but lost a late fumble that ended their potential game-winning drive.

By the Numbers
  • North Alabama: 381 total yards and 20 first downs; Austin Peay: 320 yards and 18 first downs.
  • Xavier Johnson: 8 catches, 135 yards and 2 touchdowns.
  • Destin Wade: 247 passing yards, 2 touchdowns and a game-high 68 rushing yards.
  • Attendance: 12,008, the largest crowd in Bank Independent Stadium history.
Yes, But

North Alabama’s offense and defense matched up well with the ranked Govs, including limiting them to 105 rushing yards. But a missed field goal before halftime and the late fumble proved costly in a six-point loss.

What's Next

The Lions visit Central Arkansas next Saturday for a 4 p.m. Halloween game in Conway, Arkansas, opening a three-game stretch against teams below them in the standings.

Bottom Line

North Alabama showed it can compete with top UAC opponents, but converting that performance into a win will require avoiding the late mistakes that have tipped close games against them.