UNA football wins season opener against Samford Bulldogs

college football UNA Lions UNI Panthers season opener NCAA football

The University of North Alabama (UNA) football team opened its 2026 season with a 22-10 victory over the Samford Bulldogs at Joe Davis Stadium in Huntsville. This win marks UNA’s first season-opening victory since 2019.

The Lions' defense recorded a significant performance, holding the Bulldogs to 237 total yards and negative eight rushing yards. The defensive unit also tied a Division I record by recording six sacks and 13 tackles for loss.

Offensively, captain Destin Wade connected with freshman Xavier Johnson for a 95-yard touchdown pass, setting a new school record for the longest pass. Johnson finished with 129 receiving yards, earning United Athletic Conference Freshman of the Week honors. Other scoring contributors included Roderick Taylor Jr. and Ty Watkins. UNA is scheduled to face Arkansas in an SEC matchup on September 6.

Entities

Eastern Washington Eagles · Samford Bulldogs · University of North Alabama · University of Northern Iowa

Sources

North Alabama vs Arkansas Prediction 9/5/2026 Today's College Football Picks [pickdawgz.com]

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Top Things To Know: UNA Football vs. Arkansas | Alabama College Athletics [spotonalabama.com]

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Lions open road slate at South Alabama [crescentcitysports.com]

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Panther football opens the 2026 season at Eastern Washington - UNI Athletics [unipanthers.com]

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Arkansas football schedules 2029 opener vs. West Florida | Whole Hog Sports [www.wholehogsports.com]

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