UNA to play first primetime game of 2024 season in Montgomery

Montgomery
Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama (City of Montgomery)

For the second straight season. North Alabama will play in the FCS Kickoff Game at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. This year, the Lions’ trip south will be highlighted as the first primetime nationally televised game of the 2024 college football season.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • What: 10th annual 2024 FCS Kickoff Game
  • Who: North Alabama vs. Southeast Missouri State
  • Where: Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, AL
  • When: 6PM, Saturday, August 24
  • Watch: ESPN

Keep reading to find out more about UNA’s season opener + see some other kickoff times already announced for the 2024 season.

UNA vs. SEMO

UNA is one of just 16 teams to play in the FCS Kickoff, which began in 2014. The game has been played in Montgomery since 2017, making this the seventh FCS Kickoff hosted in Cramton Bowl.

Last season, UNA took on Mercer in a competitive bout that aired on both ESPN and ESPNU. The Lions also battled No. 4 Florida State on The CW and garnered over 1.3 million viewers for the highest primetime viewing on CW’s network in over six years.

UNA has an all-time record of 32-21 in 54 televised games since 1980. 

The university is also set to break ground on a new football stadium this month. The Lions will still play at least the 2024 season at Tom Braly Municipal Stadium.

2024 college football kickoff times

D7Fc06F7 849D 4505 901C 6D8De7Cf51B8
Notre Dame vs Navy, Dublin 2023” by smaedli is licensed under CC BY 2.0

The FCS Kickoff Game will be played on the opening night of college football season but there are a handful of games that will kickoff earlier in the day including Florida State-Georgia Tech playing in Dublin, Ireland.

Kickoff times and networks have also been announced for the first three weeks of the SEC season. Here are some of the games from the first three weeks involving in-team states:

  • August 31: Western Kentucky at Alabama, 6PM, ESPN
  • August 31: Alabama A&M at Auburn, 6:30PM, ESPN+
  • September 7: California at Auburn, 2:30PM, ESPN2
  • September 7: South Florida at Alabama, 6PM, ESPN
  • September 7: Samford at Florida, 6PM, ESPN+
  • September 14: Alabama at Wisconsin, 11AM, FOX
  • September 14: UAB at Arkansas, 3:15PM, SECN
  • September 14: New Mexico at Auburn, 6:30PM, ESPN2 or ESPNU

Which early season game are you most looking forward to? Let us know by tagging The Bama Buzz on InstagramXFacebook + LinkedIn.

Caleb Turrentine
Caleb Turrentine
Articles: 295