North Alabama–West Alabama football rivalry

The North Alabama–West Alabama football rivalry is a college football rivalry game between two public universities in the U.S. state of Alabama, the University of North Alabama Lions and the University of West Alabama Tigers. The current winner is West Alabama, who won 38–17, on September 23, 2017.[1] North Alabama leads the all-time series, 52–18–1.[2][3][4]

The North Alabama–West Alabama Rivalry

North Alabama West Alabama
Sport	Football
First meeting	1949 West Alabama 14, North Alabama 13
Latest meeting	September 23, 2017 West Alabama 38, North Alabama 17
Statistics
Meetings total	71
All-time series	North Alabama leads 52–18–1
Largest victory	North Alabama, 62 (2005)
Longest win streak	North Alabama, 14 (1988–2001)
Current win streak	West Alabama, 1 (2017–present)

University of North Alabama

University of West Alabama

Locations in Alabama

The 71 previous meetings mark the most games each team has played against another school and the 52 wins of North Alabama are also its most against an opposing institution.

History

North Alabama and West Alabama first met in 1949 and have played every year. West Alabama is the only program that North Alabama has faced in every season since the Lions restored their football program in 1949, after a 21 year long hiatus since 1928.

Gulf South Conference: 1970–2017

North Alabama and West Alabama have been in the same conference since 1970, and were both founding members of the Mid-South Conference in 1970 and their current conference, Gulf South Conference a year later. The Lions and Tigers have played ever since 1970 for 49 match ups. In fact, the Lions and Tigers even played twice in the regular-season in 1986. In 2011, the Lions and Tigers met in the regular-season and post-season.

West Alabama upset North Alabama in both 2002 and 2004 in Livingston, and in 2009 in four overtimes in Florence when the Lions were ranked No. 1 in the nation. That was West Alabama's first win in Florence since 1987. The Tigers were led in that game by former North Alabama head coach Boby Wallace.

Bobby Wallace has coached at both schools, coaching at North Alabama from 1988–97, West Alabama from 2006-10 and returning to the Lion's from 2012-16.[2][5]

The 2017 season will likely be the last for the rivalry for the foreseeable future, following UNA's announcement that it would upgrade its athletic program to NCAA Division I, joining the ASUN Conference for non-football sports in 2018 and eventually the Big South Conference in football.[6][7]

Game results

North Alabama victories

West Alabama victories

Tie games

No. Date Location Winner Score 1 1949 Florence West Alabama 14–13 2 1950 Livingston West Alabama 19–0 3 1951 Florence North Alabama 12–9 4 1952 Livingston North Alabama 34–6 5 1953 Florence North Alabama 40–6 6 1954 Livingston North Alabama 32–0 7 1955 Florence North Alabama 52–0 8 1956 Livingston North Alabama 32–6 9 1957 Florence North Alabama 47–7 10 1958 Florence North Alabama 32–14 11 1959 Florence North Alabama 19–0 12 1960 Florence North Alabama 23–6 13 1961 Florence North Alabama 49–0 14 1962 Livingston North Alabama 27–7 15 1963 Florence North Alabama 35–7 16 1964 Livingston Tie 6–6 17 1965 Florence North Alabama 42–28 18 1966 Livingston North Alabama 10–0 19 1967 Florence North Alabama 28–7 20 1968 Livingston West Alabama 27–23 21 1969 Florence North Alabama 17–13 22 1970 Livingston North Alabama 21–14 23 1971 Florence West Alabama 31–0 24 1972 Livingston West Alabama 17–6 25 1973 Florence North Alabama 13–12 26 1974 Livingston West Alabama 28–16 27 1975 Florence West Alabama 14–7 28 1976 Livingston West Alabama 27–24 29 1977 Florence North Alabama 42–9 30 1978 Livingston North Alabama 19–7 31 1979 Florence North Alabama 6–0 32 1980 Livingston North Alabama 20–3 33 1981 Florence West Alabama 19–9 34 1982 Livingston West Alabama 14–3 35 1983 Florence North Alabama 15–12 36 1984 Livingston West Alabama 35–28 No. Date Location Winner Score 37 1985 Florence North Alabama 17–0 38 1986 Hamilton North Alabama 14–3 39 1986 Livingston North Alabama 21–17 40 1987 Florence West Alabama 12–10 41 1988 Livingston North Alabama 10–7 42 1989 Florence North Alabama 30–0 43 1990 Livingston North Alabama 54–10 44 1991 Florence North Alabama 14–0 45 1992 Livingston North Alabama 20–13 46 1993 Florence North Alabama 65–13 47 1994 Livingston North Alabama 50–7 48 1995 Florence North Alabama 42–10 49 1996 Livingston North Alabama 38–24 50 1997 Florence North Alabama 56–14 51 1998 Florence North Alabama 38–24 52 1999 Livingston North Alabama 51–33 53 2000 Florence North Alabama 21–14 54 2001 Florence North Alabama 30–0 55 2002 Livingston West Alabama 31–24 56 2003 Florence North Alabama 44–10 57 2004 Livingston West Alabama 28–27 58 2005 Florence North Alabama 76–14 59 2006 Livingston North Alabama 45–3 60 2007 Florence North Alabama 49–20 61 2008 Livingston North Alabama 41–9 62 2009 Florence West Alabama 31–28 63 2010 Florence North Alabama 24–23 64 2011 Livingston West Alabama 31–26 65 2011 Livingston North Alabama 43–27 66 2012 Livingston West Alabama 42–27 67 2013 Florence North Alabama 30–27 68 2014 Livingston North Alabama 24–16 69 2015 Florence North Alabama 52–14 70 2016 Livingston North Alabama 45–7 71 2017 Florence West Alabama 38–17 Series: North Alabama leads 52–18–1

See also

• List of NCAA college football rivalry games

References

1. "UNA cruises past UWA 45-7 in Tigers home opener". AL.com. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
2. "LIONS AND TIGERS MEET FOR 70TH TIME SATURDAY". North Alabama University. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
3. "Football Game Preview - UWA vs UNA". University of West Alabama. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
4. "Rivalry game between UNA and UWA brings award-winning quarterback back as coach". AL.com. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
5. "A Lot Riding on This One". University of West Alabama. Retrieved October 11, 2016.
6. "UNA Accepts ASUN Division I Invitation" (Press release). North Alabama Lions. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
7. "North Alabama To Join Big South Football in 2019" (Press release). Big South Conference. December 6, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.