Drew Barton
TJ Smith calls for the snap before scoring a touchdown during last year’s FCS kickoff against Mercer.
football
Lions open college football season on Saturday at FCS kickoff
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (August 22, 2023) – It’s August and there’s football this Saturday.
For the second consecutive year, the University of North Alabama will play in the FCS Week 0 Kickoff Game when the Lions face Southeast Missouri at 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 24 at the historic Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama. The football game will be nationally televised and will be broadcast in prime time on ESPN.
Whether fans make the trek to the state capital, watch on ESPN’s flagship station or listen to UNA’s local broadcast team live on WLX Radio (98.3 FM and 103.5 FM), here are some things to know.
1. START EARLY: Last season, UNA and Mercer were the first two FCS teams to play each other in the 2023 season. This year, UNA will play the third game of the FCS season. McNeese will play Tarleton State, also a member of the United Athletic Conference, at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN2, and Montana State will face New Mexico at 3 p.m. on FS1. UNA will be the ESPN main channel’s first primetime game of the season.
2. BACK ON TV: For the third time in a full calendar year, the Lions will play on national television, something very few FCS programs can claim. That includes last year’s FCS Kickoff on ESPN and ESPNU on Aug. 26, 2023, and on The CW against Florida State on Nov. 18, 2023. The game against Florida State drew 1.3 million viewers, breaking the six-year-old primetime record for The CW. Outside of the last two years, the Lions have been on ESPN three other times, including the 1985 national title game and the 1993 and 1995 national championship victories.
3. MORE FACTS ABOUT THE GLOBAL LEADING COMPANY: Although this is the fifth time UNA has been featured on the main channel, the Lions have also played three times on ESPN2 and twice on ESPNU. The most recent ESPN2 game was the 2016 Division II National Championship game against Northwest Missouri State. The other was the 1994 National Championship game on ESPN2, where North Alabama defeated Texas A&M Kingsville.
4. ABOUT THE FCS KICKOFF: The FCS Kickoff has been a national stage for the top FCS schools since its inception in 2014. ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, has assumed ownership of the game and will host it at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Saturday will mark the 10th edition of the game and the seventh consecutive Kickoff game to be played in Alabama’s capital city.
5. TICKET INFORMATION:. Tickets for the FCS Kickoff are on sale now, starting at $20 for general admission. The UNA section is located on the east side of the stadium in the NS sections. UNA also offers premium packages, including the Field Suite and ESPN Zone. For more information on tickets for Saturday’s game, click here or call 256-765-5466.
6. STADIUM INFORMATION: A stadium map of the Cramton Bowl and a list of items that are and are not allowed to enter the stadium can be found on the Camellia Bowl website. More information on stadium policies and a stadium map can be found here.
7. PARKING: Parking information, including a map and tailgating information, can be found here.
8. GARBAGE PANDAS IN THE CITY: UNA won’t be the only team representing North Alabama in Montgomery this weekend, as the Montgomery Biscuits host the Rocket City Trash Pandas for a six-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 6:35 p.m. at Riverwalk Stadium. Click here for a list of things to do in Montgomery.
9. WATCH ON ANY DEVICE: Fans can watch Saturday’s game on ESPN and online at this link. Jay Alter will provide live game commentary, Rocky Boiman will be the analyst and Morgan Uber will be the sideline reporter.
10. LISTEN TO WLX RADIO: “Voice of the Lions” Benjamin Ray and color analyst Bryan Neece will be the radio broadcast team for Saturday. Lions fans can catch all the action on WLX Radio – 98.3 FM and 103.5 FM in the Shoals or worldwide on the WLX app or online at this link. Broadcasts begin at 5 p.m. with pregame coverage and 6 p.m. with kickoff.
For more information about North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on on facebook., Þjórsárdalur And Instagram.
