RICHMOND, Ky. — The Eastern Kentucky University football team sent its 21 seniors out in style Saturday with a 21-15 win over North Alabama on Senior Day.
 
The Lions gave the Colonels a scare, scoring 15 unanswered points in the second half to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter.
 
Quarterback Matt Morrissey and EKU answered with a 67-yard touchdown pass to freshman wide receiver Marcus Calwise Jr., reclaiming the lead midway through the fourth quarter.
 
North Alabama had one last chance at the end of the game with a 45-yard Hail Mary attempt, but it came up short as EKU's Mike Smith Jr. intercepted the pass in the end zone to seal the victory.
 
Running back Brayden Latham led the Colonels' ground attack, as EKU rushed for 241 yards as a team. Latham finished with a career-high 103 yards on 19 carries and one touchdown.
 
Calwise Jr.'s touchdown was his fourth of the season and marked his third consecutive game with a score.
 
Penalties played a pivotal role throughout the game. UNA finished with 11 penalties for 101 yards, while the Colonels had eight penalties for 65 yards.
 
The win extended EKU's winning streak to five games and gave the Colonels a perfect 6-0 record at Roy Kidd Stadium this season. It is the first time EKU has gone undefeated at home since 2010.
 
The Colonels now await the possibility of an at-large bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs. The selection show will air on ESPNU at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
 
How It Happened
The game began as a defensive battle. In the first quarter, neither team managed to score, with each side punting twice on their opening drives.
 
The first quarter also saw five combined penalties, with three on UNA and two on EKU, for a total of 44 yards.
 
The Colonels broke the deadlock on their first drive of the second quarter. Josh Carter powered EKU into the red zone, and Matt Morrissey capped the 10-play, 91-yard drive with a two-yard quarterback keeper to give EKU a 7-0 lead with 9:35 remaining in the half.
 
The score was set up by a 28-yard catch-and-run by Carter, which brought the Colonels to the UNA 2-yard line.
 
EKU extended its lead on its next drive, this time going 98 yards on 16 plays. Brayden Latham carried the ball 11 times during the drive, including a two-yard touchdown run to finish it off with 34 seconds left in the half.
 
UNA quickly moved into position for a 47-yard field goal attempt before halftime, but the kick missed wide right as the half expired.
 
The Lions ended the half with only 82 yards of total offense and seven penalties for 75 yards.
 
UNA scored on its first drive of the second half, capping a 12-play, 88-yard drive with a 24-yard touchdown pass in the front corner of the end zone. A successful two-point conversion cut the score to 14-8 with 3:38 left in the third quarter.
 
The Colonels threatened a quick response, driving to the UNA 21-yard line, but Morrissey was intercepted at the UNA 17.
 
The Lions capitalized on the turnover, mounting an 11-play, 83-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard touchdown scramble by their quarterback, giving UNA a one-point lead.
 
EKU answered immediately. On third-and-14 from his own 33, Morrissey extended the play with his feet and found freshman Marcus Calwise Jr. over the middle at the UNA 43. The Georgia native sprinted to the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown, reclaiming the lead at 21-15 with 8:10 remaining in regulation.
 
UNA quickly advanced into EKU territory on its next possession, reaching the Colonels' 21-yard line in just three plays. However, a sack by Darrian Baker and Gabe Stephens, followed by a delay of game penalty, set up a fourth-and-12 from the EKU 29.
 
The Colonels pressured UNA's quarterback on the play, forcing him to roll out. His pass was intercepted by linebacker Maddox Marcellus, giving EKU the ball with 1:49 left.
 
The Colonels were unable to secure a game-clinching first down and punted the ball back to UNA, which took over at its own 10-yard line with one minute remaining.
 
The Lions advanced to the EKU 45-yard line, but their last-second Hail Mary attempt fell short as Mike Smith Jr. intercepted the pass in the end zone to secure the win.