Utah Tech could not overcome the southern heat, and a hot Lion first half, as the Trailblazers were handed a 60-14 road loss at North Alabama on a hot and steamy late Saturday afternoon at Braly Stadium.  

UNA (2-5/1-1 UAC) pounced on the Trailblazers from the get-go, scoring on each of its first three possessions to open up an 18-0 first quarter lead.

The Lions took the opening kickoff and drove 75 yards on seven plays, ending with a Jayvian Allen 4-yard touchdown run. UNA tacked on a Scott Payne 37-yard field goal and an 8-yard TJ Smith-to-Takairee Kenebrew touchdown toss and a two-point conversion.
 
Meanwhile the Trailblazers (0-6/0-2 UAC) were held to two three-and-outs and only eight yards of total offense through the first 15 minutes. 
 
However Utah Tech was able to pick up a pair of first downs on its third chance with the football, though that drive was tripped up by an Ashaad Williams interception at the UNA 37. Williams would scamper 40 yards on the pick before being run out of bounds at the Blazers 23.

North Alabama cashed in the Utah Tech miscue one play later when Smith found Dakota Warfield over the middle at the Blazer 10. Warfield then broke a pair of tackles and rambled into the end zone as the Lions opened up a commanding 25-0 lead with 12:46 to play in the first half. 
 
Unfortunately things did not get better for the Trailblazers as they lost two fumbles on their next two possessions, which UNA turned into touchdowns, and found themselves down 39-0 at the halftime intermission. 
 
The Trailblazers avoided the shutout with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns, both of which came off the throwing arm of true freshman quarterback Bronson Barben.

Facing 4^th and 1 and the UNA 39, Barben lofted a pass to a wide open Alec Burton, who caught the ball at the 15 and sprinted to the end zone with 11:52 to play.
 
Then after a Lion three-and-out, Barben found a streaking Bryce Parker down the near sideline on his very next throw, and the speedy wide receiver sprinted to pay dirt for a 75-yard catch-and-run. 
 
Utah Tech finished with 240 yards of total offense, with 230 of those yards coming from the passing game. 

Barben, who came on late in the third quarter, finished with 137 yards on 5-of-8 passing to go with his first two collegiate touchdown tosses. Barben also became the first true freshman to throw a touchdown pass in a game during the program's brief NCAA FCS era, and was the first to do it since the 2016 season, when former Blazers signal caller Josh Thompson achieved that feat.

Parker finished with a career-high 98 yards receiving on three catches, while the tight end tandem of Burton (1 rec., 39 yds) and Jay McEuen (4 rec., 36 yards) combined for 75 yards on five catches. 

UNA racked up 501 yards of total offense, with Smith throwing for 244 of those yards on 13-of-17 passing and four touchdowns. The Lions also combined for 257 rush yards, with nine different ball carriers recording at least one carry.
 
Utah Tech continues its road swing next Saturday when the Trailblazers head to "The Lone Star State" to square off with nationally-ranked Tarleton State on Saturday, Oct. 12. Kick-off at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville is set for 5 p.m. (MT).