UNA to recognize 2000s era at Braly Stadium in game with Central Arkansas

FLORENCE – The University of North Alabama will recognize an important era of the football program’s history — the 2000s — during Saturday’s game against a current and traditional rival, Central Arkansas.

The Lions and Bears will battle Saturday at 3 p.m. at historic Braly Stadium in Florence. Braly has been home to the football program since restarting the football program in 1949. UNA and Central Arkansas had some instant classics in the mid-2000s and have been back together in the same conference since 2022.

Saturday will mark the 24th meeting between UNA and Central Arkansas, dating back to 1951.

The Lions have a 15-8 record against the Bears. Neither team has won four in a row in this series, as the Bears will look to do that Saturday.

On the other side, UNA will look to start a winning streak against the Bears. The last three-game win streak for UNA in the series spanned from 2002-04 — which were the only three seasons UNA wore the “Scratch Marks” logo on the helmet.

This season, UNA will celebrate the “Final Season at Braly” by recognizing an era of UNA football for select games. In doing so, the UNA football team will wear five different helmet decals to represent each era while inviting members of those teams to a special pre-game tailgate one hour prior to kickoff.

Members of UNA teams from 2000-2010 will be recognized Saturday. The Lions will wear the UNA “Scratch Marks” logo on their helmets as worn from 2002-2004.

This era of UNA Football enjoyed immense success, combining for an impressive 93-40 overall record. UNA won three Gulf South Conference championships during this timeframe in 2003, 2006 and 2009. The Lions made the NCAA Division II Playoffs seven times during this era, winning all seven first round games. UNA advanced to the national quarterfinals in 2003 and 2008 and the national semifinals in 2005.

There are already seven players from this era enshrined in the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame, including defensive backs Evan Oglesby (2001-04) and Blake Farris (2002-05), offensive lineman Lance Ancar (2002-05), linebacker Michael Johnson (2006-09), Harlon Hill winning quarterback Will Hall (2002-03), specialist Will Batson (2006-09) and running back DeMarcus Blount (2002-05) — a posthumous induction.

This era of UNA Football has produced a Hall of Famer in seven of the last 11 induction classes.

The Lions had three coaches during this timeframe, including the late Bill Hyde (1998-01), Mark Hudspeth (2002-08) and Terry Bowden (2009-11). Hyde was the defensive coordinator for all three of UNA’s Division II National Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995 and took over as head coach after the departure of Bobby Wallace to FBS Temple in 1998. Hyde was inducted into the UNA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2002.

Hudspeth led the Lions to one of the greatest four-year runs in school history from 2005-08, going 44-8. The only four-year stretches with more success were from 1992-95 and 1993-96. Hudspeth led the Lions to five playoff appearances and won nine playoff games. He finished with a 66-21 record over his seven seasons, going unbeaten in the regular season with a 13-1 record in 2003 and 11-1 record in 2006.

The 2005 season was perhaps the most successful, as the Lions finished 11-3 but made a run to the national semifinal. The Lions lost a double overtime heartbreaker on the road to Central Arkansas — Saturday’s opponent — but got the final laugh in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs with a 41-38 overtime win on a walk-off field goal from Yuta Fukuda. The Lions fell 25-24 against Northwest Missouri State in the semifinal.

As Hudspeth departed for a job at Mississippi State in 2009, Terry Bowden took over the program and continued UNA’s run of success for three seasons. The Lions went 29-9 under Bowden, including an 11-2 record in 2009 and a 9-4 record in 2010. UNA won both of its first round playoff games those seasons and won the GSC title in Bowden’s first season.

Things to know

• KICKOFF: The Lions and Bears — oh my — will kickoff from Braly Stadium at 3:02 p.m.
• TICKETS: Single game tickets, as well as other bundle options, are available by calling 256-765-5466 (LION) or at the UNA Athletics Ticket Office. Tickets to the game are available starting at $20. For more information or to purchase online, click here.
• PARKING: Due to ongoing construction at Braly Stadium, the parking lot at the baseball field will not be accessible as it was in years past. However, parking will be available in the grass lot across the street behind the south end zone, as well as limited parking in the grass lot by the Royal Avenue Center. Fans are also encouraged to take advantage of the shuttle lots, free of charge. For more information, click here.
• SHUTTLE BUS PARKING: UNA will have four parking lots available for fans to park and shuttle to the stadium — three of which are on UNA’s campus. The shuttle lots include Jackson Heights Church of Christ, the front of CB&S Bank Arena (Flowers Hall), Appleby Hall and the Wendall Gunn Commons parking lot. The shuttles will run throughout the day, including two hours before the game and one hour after the game. For more information, click here.
• KNOW YOUR GATE: Due to ongoing construction at Braly Stadium, entry points will be slightly different from years past. Gate 5 and Gate 8 facing the south end zone will no longer be available for entry, but all other gates are still accessible.
• CASHLESS VENUE: Braly Stadium is a cashless venue. Fans are encouraged to prepare accordingly to make purchases by card.
• BAG POLICY: Fans are encouraged to review the bag policy before arriving to the stadium, as many bag types are prohibited inside Braly Stadium. Approved bags include clear totes, resealable freezer storage bags, small clutch bags, seat cushions with no pockets and small diaper bags with the accompaniment of a child. For more information on which types of bags are approved and which types are prohibited, click here.
• LION WALK: One of UNA’s most storied traditions, the Lion Walk, will take place at 12:45 p.m. starting at Spirit Hill and ending when the team enters the stadium through the North end zone — the side with the videoboard. During Lion Walk, UNA’s cheer and dance teams will be throwing out T-Shirts courtesy of Martin’s Family Clothing. Fans are encouraged to cheer on the Lions as they walk toward the stadium.
• DOWNLOAD OUR APP: Fans are encouraged to download the Roar Lions app, available on Google Play and the Apple App Store. The app was launched in 2023 and includes ticket information, team shop, game programs, schedules, rosters and links to watch and listen to the games online.
• GAME PROGRAM: This season, game day programs are free of charge and are only available in electronic format. Fans can use the app or the QR codes in Braly Stadium to download the program, which includes rosters, depth charts, players to watch and more. Fans can also access game programs at roarlions.com.
• WATCH ON ESPN+: Saturday’s game will stream on ESPN+ with “Voice of the Lions” Benjamin Ray, color analyst Bryan Neece and sideline reporter Arielle Schafer on the call. Fans can tune in at 3 p.m. at this link or on the ESPN app.
• NEW RADIO HOME: This season, the Lions are on the fastest growing digital radio platform in college football, The Varsity Network. Fans can listen free of charge to all UNA football games on the Varsity Network app or on roarlions.com/watch. The broadcast is also available on Facebook, X, YouTube and Twitch. Jordan Campbell will provide play-by-play alongside former UNA quarterback Jacob Tucker and sideline reporter Chase Glover. The Countdown to Kickoff Presented by Bank Independent begins at 2 p.m. followed by kickoff at 3 p.m. To find your preferred listening platform, click here.