The 2025 North Alabama Lions football team represented the University of North Alabama as a member of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Lions were led by third-year head coach Brent Dearmon and played their home games at Braly Municipal Stadium in Florence, Alabama. The season marked the final season for the Lions at Braly Municipal Stadium.
Offseason
Transfers
Outgoing The Lions lost twenty-three players to the transfer portal. PlayerPositionNew school Zach Aird K Kentucky Wesleyan Travelle Anderson RB Arkansas–Monticello Josh Anglin LB Tulsa Philjae Bien-Aime DB Robert Morris Christopher Burnett DB Alcorn State Mickel Clay OL West Virginia Chris Cotton LB Albany State Ethan Cunningham RB Tennessee State Tyrik Daniels DL Unknown Kendrick Davis LB Holmes CC JJ Evans WR Norfolk State Anthony Faiivae OL Unknown Ben Harris QB Emporia State Ryan Madison DB Unknown Dennis Moody RB North Texas Jayme Motley-Simmons OL Akron Shaun Myers LB Colorado Garrick Ponder LB Southern Miss A.J. Seay DB Furman TJ Smith QB Unknown La'Charles Taylor OL Western Carolina Edwin White Schultz S Keiser Ashaad Williams CB Wake Forest
Incoming The Lions added thirteen players from the transfer portal. PlayerPositionPrevious school Lance Bassett DT Kansas Noah Bolticoff OL Indiana Christian Burkhalter TE Georgia Tech Boubacar Diakate DL Vanderbilt Brian Dilworth DB Kansas Drew Lawson OL Southern Miss Davon Martin DB Murray State Jamari Payne EDGE Purdue Justin Pegues WR Bowling Green Demarcious Robinson LB Georgia Southern LT Sanders RB Western Kentucky Ian Vachon PK Auburn Destin Wade QB Colorado
Recruiting class
Schedule North Alabama's 2025 schedule features twelve games, five at home and seven away. The season started with the Lions' first ever meeting against Western Kentucky on August 30. The schedule also sees UNA's first matchup against Northeastern State on September 13. Other notable games include conference matchups against Utah Tech and West Georgia. On November 1, UNA will play their first ever away game against Utah Tech as both the 2023 and 2024 games were played in Florence, Alabama. The next week, on November 8, the Lions will host the West Georgia Wolves at Braly Municipal Stadium for the first time since 2016, when both were still NCAA Division II programs and members of the Gulf South Conference.
The November 22 matchup against Southern Utah is slated to be the Lions' last game at Braly Stadium before moving to Bobby Wallace Field at Bank Independent Stadium in 2026.
Game summaries
at Western Kentucky (FBS)
Statistics UNAWKU First downs 17 26 Plays–yards 74–258 72–563 Rushes–yards 37–153 33–164 Passing yards 105 399 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–37–0 30–39–0 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 32:21 27:39 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Ari Patu 11/20, 86 yards Rushing Destin Wade 5 carries, 34 yards Receiving Justin Pegues 5 receptions, 52 yards Western Kentucky Passing Maverick McIvor 24/31, 305 yards, 5 TD Rushing Jaden McGill 9 carries, 46 yards Receiving K.D. Hutchinson 5 receptions, 113 yards, 2 TD
at Southeast Missouri State
Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner Score0–1August 24, 2024Southeast Missouri State15–37
Statistics UNA SEMO First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving Southeast Missouri State Passing Rushing Receiving
Northeastern State (DII)
Statistics NEOS UNA First downs 16 19 Total yards 379 500 Rushing yards 17 301 Passing yards 362 199 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 23–51–2 14–22–0 Time of possession 25:18 34:42 Team Category Player StatisticsNortheastern State Passing Donnie Smith 18/35, 222 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT Rushing Ramon McKinney Jr 8 carries, 36 yards Receiving Ramon McKinney Jr 5 receptions, 94 yards, 1 TDNorth Alabama Passing Destin Wade 11/15, 161 yards, 1 TD Rushing Jayvian Allen 8 carries, 91 yards, 2 TD Receiving Kaleb Heatherly 3 receptions, 68 yards
at No. 6 Illinois State
Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner Score0–1September 7, 2024Illinois State17–24
Statistics UNA ILST First downs 24 29 Total yards 409 506 Rushing yards 144 217 Passing yards 265 289 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 22–37–1 21–37–0 Time of possession 30:30 29:30 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Ari Patu 17/31, 243 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing Ari Patu 14 carries, 60 yards Receiving KJ Fields 7 receptions, 94 yards, TDIllinois State Passing Tommy Rittenhouse 20/36, 250 yards, 3 TD Rushing Tommy Rittenhouse 9 carries, 89 yards Receiving Daniel Sobkowicz 10 receptions, 150 yards, 2 TD
at No. 19 Abilene Christian
Overall record Previous meeting Previous winner Score2–1October 7, 2024North Alabama47–34
Statistics UNA ACU First downs 15 24 Total yards 297 499 Rushing yards 133 230 Passing yards 164 269 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–31–0 23–33–1 Time of possession 24:20 35:39 Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing DC Tabscott 12/25, 144 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jayvian Allen 11 carries, 102 yards, 1 TD Receiving Tanaka Scott 4 receptions, 60 yards, 1 TDAbilene Christian Passing Stone Earle 22/32, 261 yards, 4 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jordon Vaughn 4 carries, 84 yards, 1 TD Receiving Javon Gipson 3 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD
Central Arkansas
Statistics CARK UNA First downs 26 25 Total yards 486 290 Rushing yards 254 93 Passing yards 232 197 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–22–0 19–42–2 Time of possession 29:47 30:13 Team Category Player StatisticsCentral Arkansas Passing Austin Myers 11/22, 232 yards, 3 TD Rushing Landen Chambers 24 carries, 184 yards, 3 TD Receiving Malachi Henry 5 receptions, 119 yards, 2 TDNorth Alabama Passing Ari Patu 12/19, 111 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Jayvian Allen 13 carries, 69 yards Receiving Jayvian Allen 5 receptions, 81 yards
Eastern Kentucky
Statistics EKU UNA First downs 17 25 Total yards 296 412 Rushing yards 134 285 Passing yards 162 127 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–32–1 11–18–0 Time of possession 24:41 35:19 Team Category Player StatisticsEastern Kentucky Passing Myles Burkett 14/26, 133 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Brayden Latham 10 carries, 76 yards Receiving Marcus Calwise Jr 4 receptions, 63 yards, 1 TDNorth Alabama Passing Destin Wade 11/18, 127 yards, 2 TD Rushing Destin Wade 21 carries, 109 yards Receiving Justin Pegues 3 receptions, 37 yards
at No. 25 Austin Peay
Statistics UNA APSU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving Austin Peay Passing Rushing Receiving
at Utah Tech
Statistics UNA UTU First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving Utah Tech Passing Rushing Receiving
West Georgia
Statistics UWG UNA First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsWest Georgia Passing Rushing Receiving North Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving
at No. 6 Tarleton State
Statistics UNA TAR First downs Total yards Rushing yards Passing yards Passing: Comp–Att–Int Time of possession Team Category Player StatisticsNorth Alabama Passing Rushing Receiving Tarleton State Passing Rushing Receiving
Southern Utah
Statistics SUU UNA First downs 19 22 Total yards 436 342 Rushing yards 173 115 Passing yards 263 227 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 20–27–0 15–22–0 Time of possession 26:39 31:36 Team Category Player StatisticsSouthern Utah Passing Bronson Barron 18/23, 236 yards, 1 TD Rushing Joshua Dye 23 carries, 103 yards, 3 TD Receiving Shane Carr 6 receptions, 85 yardsNorth Alabama Passing John Austin Wood 15/22, 227 yards, 2 TD Rushing Jalyn Daniels 11 carries, 39 yards Receiving Tanaka Scott 6 receptions, 114 yards, 1 TD
Roster
Rankings
References