Playoffs arrive for UNA

FLORENCE - The disappointment from Saturday night's 31-28 four-overtime loss to West Alabama still lingered as the North Alabama players and coaches gathered Sunday afternoon to learn of their postseason fate at the Guillot University Center.

That disappointment soon turned to excitement as the Lions learned they remained the No. 1 team in Super Regional II and will get a week off before hosting a second-round Division II playoff game. UNA (10-1) will host the winner of Saturday's Arkansas Tech vs. UNC-Pembroke game Nov. 21 at noon.

"I'm not going to lie. That loss was sickening for us," quarterback Harrison Beck said. "All we want to do is to get that nasty taste out of our mouth. We're going to use this bye week to get better and prove that we are a much better team that we showed against West Alabama."

Although the loss ruined UNA's hopes of an unbeaten season, it did little to hurt the Lions in the playoffs. As the No. 1 seed, UNA gets the first-round bye and would have home field advantage at least through the playoff quarterfinals.

"It hurts to lose because we wanted to finish undefeated," linebacker Michael Johnson said. "We may not be ranked No. 1 in the nation now, but that doesn't really matter. We've just got to regroup and come back strong. We just need three more wins to get to that championship game."

Coach Terry Bowden said Saturday's loss should not take away from what the team has accomplished this season.

"We need to appreciate the incredible job these players have done this season," Bowden said. "We have appreciate going 10-1, being the No. 1 team in the region, getting a bye and home field advantage and not get so caught up in the loss to West Alabama. We also understand that the real season starts now."

Carson-Newman, which lost to UNA in the second week of the season, is the No. 2 seed and Arkansas Tech is No. 4. West Alabama vaulted to No. 6 in the region and will face No. 3 in this week's first round.

Bowden said Saturday's loss could actually help UNA as it begins its playoff preparations.

"The loss comes at a time when we need to have our best two weeks of preparation and grounding," Bowden said. "Now that we are in the playoffs it gives us a chance to look at it and see that we can be beat and we have to get better. It does grab your attention because sometimes you start taking things for granted."

The Lions return to practice Tuesday. They will also practice Wednesday and Thursday before taking the next two days off and returning Sunday.

While several players have been through the playoffs before, others will be experiencing it for the first time since high school.

"It's super exciting to be in a playoff," Beck said. "It's unique because everybody in the playoffs has a chance. If you keep winning, you get to the championship game. If you lose, you go home. That's the way it should be."

Jeff McIntyre can be reached at 740-5737 or jeff.mcintyre@TimesDaily.com.