North Alabama ends first FCS season with 31-28 win

Nov 10, 2018, 07:17 pm

FLORENCE, Ala. -- Chandler Carrera kicked a 44-yard field goal with 1:24 to play and A.J. Bracey picked off a pass in the closing seconds and North Alabama wrapped up its first season at the FCS level on Saturday with a 31-28 win over North Greenville.

The Division-II Crusaders tied the game on a 14-yard pass from Donny Baker to Kyle Belack with 3:13 to play. After the field goal, North Greenville went from its 31 to the South Alabama 28 and on third-and-10 Bracey picked off Baker at the 7.

Christian Lopez was 21 of 34 for 321 yards for the Lions (7-3) with Cortez Hall catching six for 115. Damon Cox ran 15 times for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Lopez was intercepted once, his first pick since the opening game of the season, snapping a streak of 253 passes with an interception. That also snapped a streak of 289 plays from scrimmage without a turnover. The Lions also fumbled away a punt return but still only had nine turnovers for the season.

North Georgia (4-6) took a 7-5 lead in the final minutes of the first quarter on Jarvion Miller-Norman's 50-yard run. A 24-yard run by Demajiay Rooks with 30 seconds left in the half put the Crusaders up 14-12.