From staff reports

A 5-yard touchdown pass from A.J. Milwee to Jason Messing with 16 seconds to play lifted North Alabama to a 20-17 victory over Delta State on Saturday, eliminating the Statesmen from the NCAA Division II football playoffs.

DSU ends the season at 10-2 with both losses coming against UNA.

Delta State scored 10 points in the second quarter to send the game to halftime tied at 10. UNA took the lead early in the third quarter on a Scott Shurden field goal, but Delta State took the lead back at 17-13 with 5 minutes, 31 seconds to play in the game on a Garrett Dewitt 1-yard run.

Dewitt, the team’s quarterback, threw for a game-high 307 yards and ran for 45 in the loss and Delta State’s defense held UNA to 244 yards of total offense.

UNA is set to play Valdosta State in the next round of the playoffs.