Coming off its opener at No. 25 Iowa, No. 21/22 ranked Illinois State (0-1) begins the FCS portion of its schedule on Saturday when the Redbirds travel to Florence, Alabama, for a non-conference match up against the North Alabama Lions (0-2) in the first match up ever between the two programs.

Brent Dearmon is in his second season as the head coach at North Alabama (3-10). In his first season at UNA, the Lions showed growth with a 3-8 record against the second-hardest schedule in FCS football. Prior to UNA, Dearmon was head coach at Bethel and served as offensive coordinator at Arkansas Tech, Kansas, Middle Tennessee State and Florida Atlantic.

The Lions are off to an 0-2 start to the 2024 campaign, after suffering losses to FCS foe Southeast Missouri State in Week 0 and to FBS foe Memphis last week on the road.

ISU lost to No. 25 Iowa 40-0 last week in its season opener.

Game time Saturday in Florence, Alabama is 6 pm.