FLORENCE, Alabama - The Thunderbirds battled hard to an overtime victory on Saturday afternoon in Alabama, taking down the Lions 36-34. Southern Utah improves to 7-5 on the season with six straight wins in conference play. North Alabama drops to 2-10 on the season and just 1-7 against the UAC. 

Southern Utah rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit to secure the dramatic win. After falling behind 21-7, the Thunderbirds surged back behind Joshua Dye, who scored three touchdowns and, with his performance, climbed to second all-time in single-season rushing yards at SUU. Jayden Rogers also etched his name into the record book, becoming the program's single-season PAT leader with 48 made kicks. The defense delivered in the biggest moments, forcing a critical fumble in the first overtime to extend the game. In the second extra period, Bronson Barron found Gabe Nunez to tie it, and Shane Carr sealed the win with a perfectly executed jet sweep. The comeback victory not only extended SUU's conference win streak to six but also strengthened its case for an FCS Playoff berth as the Thunderbirds now await Sunday's selection show.

Coach DeLane Fitzgerald Said

1st Quarter:

The Thunderbirds' first drive stalled, and they were forced to punt. North Alabama capitalized on the momentum and drove down the field to take the early 7-0 lead. After another short possession for the Thunderbirds, North Alabama added to its lead, scoring again with just over a minute to play in the first. 

2nd Quarter: 

The two teams traded punts to start the second quarter, but the T-Birds got on the board with just under eight minutes to play. Following two big plays by Ran Sawyer, Josh Dye finished the drive with a two-yard touchdown run to cut the lead in half. North Alabama answered quickly with a long touchdown pass to make the score 21-7. Southern Utah drove down the field and, with just over two minutes to play, cut the lead to 21-14 on a tricky misdirection play by Will Burns. The Thunderbirds nearly scored again before the half, but North Alabama's defense held firm in the red zone to turn the ball over on downs. 

3rd Quarter: 

Neither team was able to complete a drive in the third quarter, and the period ended with the score still 21-14. 

4th Quarter: 

North Alabama had the ball to start the final period and took it into the endzone to extend its lead to 28-14 with just under 13 minutes to play. Joshua Dye scored his second touchdown of the game to bring the T-Birds within one score at 28-21 with just under ten minutes to play. The Lions drove the ball down into the red zone, but a missed field goal with just over two minutes to go gave Southern Utah the ball back and a chance to tie. The T-Birds did just that, moving the ball downfield with some accurate passing by Bronson Barron and a big catch by Shane Carr. The drive was capped with another touchdown run by Dye, his third of the day.  

Overtime:

The first overtime was just as tight as the rest of the game. Southern Utah was stopped on a fourth and short for just the second time this season, but the Thunderbirds' defense came up with a huge fumble to turn the ball over. 

Overtime 2: 

The Lions scored on their possession in the second overtime but failed on the two-point conversions, leaving the door open for the T-Birds. Barron found Gabe Nunez to tie the game at 34-34. Two timeouts later, the Thunderbirds ran a perfect jet sweep to Shane Carr, who took it into the endzone for the win. 

Offensive Leaders

​​Southern Utah's offense set the tone in the win over North Alabama with efficient quarterback play, a dominant ground attack, and explosive moments in the passing game. Bronson Barron went 18-for-23 for 236 yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball to nine different receivers, while Will Burns added 27 yards through the air. On the ground, Joshua Dye powered the offense with 108 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries, and Burns provided a major spark with 78 rushing yards and a 45-yard score. The receiving group delivered big-play production, highlighted by Shane Carr's 85 yards on six catches and Ran Sawyer's 76-yard day, fueled by a 56-yard strike, as the Thunderbirds rolled up 436 total yards in a balanced and commanding performance.

Defensive Leaders

Southern Utah's defense delivered under pressure, making key plays throughout regulation and in overtime to help secure the win over North Alabama. Lando Brown was the anchor, finishing with 11 tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks, repeatedly stepping up in crucial moments to stall UNA drives. Mason Stromstad added nine tackles, including a TFL and a half sack, while Josh Dunn and Barron Taylor each posted eight tackles and delivered timely stops as the Lions tried to rally. The T-Birds also got a momentum-shifting sequence from Henry Harper, who recorded a sack and recovered a fumble, and pass breakups from Mikey Allen and Tim Christian helped tighten coverage when it mattered most. With contributions across the board and several late defensive stands, SUU's defense did just enough to push the game into overtime and ultimately finish it.

Next Up

Southern Utah has made its case for the FCS Playoffs, winning its last six games and finishing with a 7-5 record. The T-Birds will await the decision of the FCS Playoff Committee on Sunday morning. The FCS Playoff selection show will air Sunday, November 23, at 10:00 a.m. MT on ESPNU. If Southern Utah earns a spot in the FCS Playoffs, its next game will be on Saturday, November 29. 

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