UWF Falls Short in Final Seconds to North Alabama
The Argos trailed by 14 points in the fourth quarter before a late surge ended with a stop at the two-yard line in a 28-21 loss.
By Ricardo Alvarez ·
The University of West Florida football team finished its first season in the Football Championship Subdivision with a narrow loss that came down to the final play of the game. North Alabama defeated the Argos 28-21 on Saturday at Bank Independent Stadium in Montgomery, Alabama.
The contest began with UWF taking an early lead. On the second offensive possession, quarterback Ty’Ray Davis found Kei’Shawn Smith on a screen pass. Smith carried the ball 16 yards for a touchdown, putting the visitors ahead 7-0. North Alabama responded immediately. Quarterback Destin Wade threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Snap Reed, erasing the deficit and giving the Lions a 14-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
The Lions extended their advantage with two more long strikes. Roderick Taylor Jr. broke through the defensive line for a rushing touchdown, and Xavier Johnson caught a 45-yard pass to score with 12:13 remaining in the third quarter. These plays gave North Alabama a 28-14 lead with 12:13 left in the game, a margin that seemed large given the time remaining.
UWF shifted momentum late in the third quarter. Cornerback Rod Webb intercepted a sideline pass from Wade and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown. The Argos defense then held the Lions to a punt, setting up the final offensive drive. UWF took over at its own 20-yard line with 2:42 left on the clock.
The final drive featured three touchdowns. Luc Carroll caught a 28-yard pass from Davis to cut the lead to seven. A defensive facemask penalty extended a 22-yard gain to the North Alabama 16. Davis then completed a pass to Jake Robinette, who was tackled at the one-yard line with 1:24 remaining. A brief injury to Robinette led to a timeout.
The Argos struggled to convert in the final minute. A handoff to Smith lost three yards, and a trick play resulted in an incomplete pass. Davis tripped on the turf on third down, forcing a fourth-down attempt from the one-yard line. Davis threw a pass to Carroll at the five-yard line, but North Alabama’s Leo Glover tackled Carroll at the two-yard line as time expired.
UWF coach Kaleb Nobles noted the team’s effort despite the result. “Obviously, not happy with the result, I don’t like losing, but I am very proud of guys, proud of the fight they had,” Nobles said. The loss drops the Argos to 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the United Athletic Conference. It is the third straight conference loss for the team.
North Alabama improved to 6-4, marking its most wins since joining the FCS in 2018. The Lions moved into their new 10,000-seat on-campus stadium this season, a venue that opened after groundbreaking in June 2024. The rivalry dates back to 2016 when both teams were in Division II. UWF won its first Division I game against North Alabama in 2018.
The Argos will play their final home game on November 14 against No. 1 Tarleton State. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Tarleton State is 10-0 and defeated Abilene Christian 40-27 on Saturday night. The Argos have played only two home games this season due to weather disruptions from Hurricane Isaias.
UWF’s defense allowed 438 total yards, including 305 in the first half. The team led the conference in yards allowed per game before this contest. Davis completed 22 of 35 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Carroll had six receptions for 85 yards, while Gage Armbruster had five for 69 yards.
