UNA aims to cap perfect season against W. Alabama

JOHN ZENOR Comments 0
Published: November 4, 2009

North Alabama is aiming for perfection, and West Alabama has some history in its sights.

When these two in-state rivals meet Saturday at 6 p.m., Division II No. 1 North Alabama (10-0, 7-0 Gulf South Conference) will try to complete its fifth perfect regular season. West Alabama (6-4, 4-3) is seeking to reach seven wins for the first time since 1975 led by the coach, Bobby Wallace, who was the architect of two of UNA's unbeaten seasons.

UNA's first-year coach Terry Bowden knows how hard perfect seasons are to come by, and how long they stick in the memory.

"It's huge. There's only one goal more important than this one and that's the national championship," said Bowden, who was 11-0 in his first season at Auburn 16 years ago. "Winning a conference and going undefeated in the regular season, they're both huge. I don't know which one's more important to me."

Bowden hadn't won a conference championship since leading Salem College to West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference titles back in 1984-85. His new team has already secured the GSC title.

"It's been a long time," he said.

West Alabama has locked up its first winning season since 2006 and was still in the Division II playoff hunt until a 10-9 loss at West Georgia two weeks ago.

"Anytime you have an opportunity to play a team that's No. 1 in the country, that just gives you a great opportunity," said Bobby Wallace, who guided North Alabama to three straight national titles in the 1990s.

UNA quarterback Harrison Beck could get a chance to feast on West Alabama's secondary. UNA ranks seventh nationally in passing offense at 325 yards a game. West Alabama is 119th in pass defense and allows 235 yards a game.

"They've got a lot of talent, they've got a lot of speed, especially on offense with their skill players," Wallace said. "Everybody on the field can run, and speed kills. It's very difficult to defend when you have so many people who can run so fast."

UNA's seniors have never lost a regular-season home game and are 43-5 during the past four years.

Bowden knows an upset would be big for West Alabama, too.

"Bobby Wallace knows how to win football games," he said. "When he comes to town, he's one of the great names in Division II football. He is the guy that had three national championships here. When I was at Auburn, he was up here tearing it up.

"He'll bring his team in ready to play. They're not looking to the playoffs but this would make their season special."

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It could be a big offensive day for Jacksonville State (5-3, 3-1 Ohio Valley Conference). Southeast Missouri (1-7, 0-6) is giving up league-highs in rushing and total yards and must face the OVC's top offense.

Southeast Missouri has lost seven straight since an opening 72-3 win over Quincy.

Jacksonville State, ranked 15th in the FCS Coaches Poll, has won six of the last seven meetings.

Southeast Missouri quarterback Matt Scheible is a dual threat, coming in with 1,176 yards passing and 313 yards rushing.

Jacksonville State has also been playing well on defense and held Austin Peay to 129 total yards last week.

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Samford (3-5, 1-4 Southern Conference) is trying to snap a three-game losing streak. Georgia Southern (4-4, 3-2) would like to return the favor from last season and hand Samford a homecoming defeat.

This could be the game when Samford's Chris Evans breaks Jerome Russell's 10-year-old school mark of 3,122 rushing yards. Evans needs 105 yards.

Georgia Southern is giving up 154 rushing yards a game and has allowed 16 touchdowns on the ground.

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Tuskegee (7-2, 7-1 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) can secure its fourth consecutive league title with a victory. Tuskegee has won three straight games and would win the head-to-head competition courtesy of a victory over Albany State.

Stillman (3-6, 2-6) and the SIAC's top runner Quinn Porter face a big challenge offensively. Tuskegee's defense is second in the league giving up 116.9 yards a game. Porter has already racked up 1,005 yards rushing.

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This could be a preview of the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game.

Alabama AM (5-3, 2-2) is tied with Jackson State for the East Division lead after beating Alabama State for the fifth straight year. Prairie View (5-1, 4-0) is leading the West, riding a four-game winning streak and coming off an open date following its first win at Southern since 1963.

For AM, quarterback Deaunte Mason threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns against ASU in his first career start.

The game features two of the league's top three rushers; AM's Ulysses Banks is No. 1 and Prairie View's Donald Baber is third.

Prairie View has won the last three meetings.

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This could be a defensive struggle. Jackson State (2-5, 2-2 SWAC) has the league's No. 9 offense but ranks second in total defense and first against the pass.

Alabama State (4-4, 1-4) is second in run and scoring defense.

Anthony Speight took over at quarterback against Alabama AM for Chris Mitchell, who was nursing a hip pointer and sprained ankle. Speight was held to 99 yards passing and 40 yards rushing.

Jackson State coach Rick Comegy said Dedric McDonald will start at quarterback after coming off the bench to lead a comeback win over Mississippi Valley State. Alabama State is last in the league in pass defense, but Jackson State has the lowest pass efficiency rating as a team, producing only five touchdown passes.

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Miles (4-6, 3-5 SIAC) just snapped a four-game losing streak with a 34-6 win over Concordia-Selma. This game does provide some hope for the Miles offense, which is ninth in the league averaging just 16.6 points. Morehouse (6-3, 5-3) is allowing 23.3 points a game, eighth in the SIAC.

Miles is tops in pass defense and has racked up 16 interceptions, while Morehouse quarterbacks have thrown 15 picks.