Williamsburg, KY – UC Football looked to continue to carry momentum from their previous two games into Saturday's contest against NAIA #24 ranked Faulkner University. The Patriots came out to make the statement at James H. Taylor, II Stadium against Faulkner and did just that, knocking off the 24^th-ranked Eagles by a final score of 44-34, giving UC two wins over top 25 opponents already this season. The victory also moves the Patriots to 3-0 overall on the year.
 
Faulkner would get the ball to start the game, but would give put the ball on the ground as Demarius Smith forced a fumble that was recovered by Jay Woods, giving UC the ball on their 41 yard line. The Pats would then give up the ball themselves on a fumble, giving the ball right back to Faulkner on their own 40 yard line. The Eagles would then find the end zone for the first time in the contest as Mason Blocker would connect with Kavonte Younger from 42 yards out for a score. The extra point was good, making it 7-0 Faulkner.
 
Cumberlands would respond on their next drive as Josiah Robbins would go 4-4 through the air and end the drive with a 14 yard TD pass to Joronnie Hinton. The PAT from Devon McMillin was good to tie the game at 7-7. After holding Faulkner to a three-and-out, UC would take over on their 35 yard line and drive the ball straight down the field. On the ninth play of the drive, Milton Shelton would pound his way to pay dirt for a TD. The extra point was good, putting UC out front 14-7, a lead they would never relinquish.
 
The ensuing kickoff would pin the Eagles deep in their own territory on the six yard line. After a delay of game penalty to move it to the three, Blocker would be tackled in the endzone by Robbie Garvin for a safety, pushing the lead to 16-7 Patriots. After getting the ball on their own 43 yard line after the free kick, the Patriots would cough up the ball again, giving Faulkner short field with the ball on the UC 33 yard line. Faulkner would capitalize as Blocker would find Jacob Pigg from 14 yards out for a score, cutting the lead to 16-14 after a quarter of play.
 
UC's drive that began at the end of the first would be prolific as nine plays in, Robbins would find Hinton again, this time from 28 yards out for their second TD connection of the game. The PAT was good, pushing UC back out front 23-14. The Eagles would answer again on their next drive as they milked over six minutes off the clock with a 14 play drive capped with a 13 yard TD run from Josh Gaines. The point after was successful, making it 23-21 UC with just over five minutes to play in the half.
 
UC would punt on their next possession, but would get the ball back quickly as Myles Betts would step in front of a pass from Blocker to Jamario Dixon and pick it off, giving UC the opportunity to put their two minute offense on the field, but having to drive the ball 93 yards for a score. The Patriots would do just that as they would move the ball down the field in seven plays, picking up four first downs and a huge 40 yard TD grab by Hinton from Robbins, their third hookup of the half, pushing UC out front 30-21 at the half.
 
After a scoreless third quarter of play that saw both teams be unsuccessful on field goal attempts, Faulkner would be the next to find the end zone. An 11 yard TD pass from Blocker to Pigg would cut into the Patriot lead yet again, making it a 30-28 contest with 14 minutes to play. Cumberlands would then respond with a heavy dose of Zalon Reynolds on their next possession. On the drive, Reynolds would carry the ball three times for 65 yards, including a 60 yard carry to get the ball to the 1 yard line. He would punch it in from a yard out on the next play to extend the lead back out to nine at 37-28 with 12 minutes to go in the contest.
 
The Eagles would be held to another three-and-out on their next drive, and this time UC would capitalize to extend the lead. After a 17 yard punt return by Hinton to put the ball on Faulkner's 40 yard line, the Patriots would turn to the ground game. Five of six plays on the drive were runs capped by a nine yard TD run from Reynolds, his second rushing TD of the game, to propel the Patriots out to a 44-28 lead with seven minutes remaining.
 
Faulkner would score on their next drive as Blocker would connect with Dixon from two yards out, but the two-point conversion attempt was no good, making it 44-34 Patriots with four and a half minutes left. After recovering the onside kick, picking up two first downs, and Faulkner using their timeouts throughout the half, the Patriots would be able to go to victory formation with two minutes left to cap off the win.
 
Robbins would manage the game very well, going 17-28 through the air for 255 yards and three touchdowns. He added 54 yards on the ground on 11 carries for a total of 309 yards of offense. Reynolds led the pack of horses today on the ground with 126 yards on 13 carries with two scores. Jaylen Odom added 13 touches for 85 yards rushing. Hinton would tie a school record for receiving touchdowns in a single game as he hauled in seven passes for 112 yards and three TDs. Austin Ysidro also snagged five passes for 65 yards in the win.
 
Defensively, Jay Woods and Tyler Pendleton each tallied nine total tackles in the win. Woods added the fumble recovery as well. The duo of Cameron Baxley and Drew Howard each garnered eight total tackles with Adam Johnson chipping in with seven on the game. Zeke Moore and Myles Betts each pulled down an interception in the victory.
 
The Patriots round out a three-game home stretch on Saturday, September 15^th as they host Campbellsville University. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 pm. That night, UC's 1988 football team, the first team in UC history to go 10-0 in the regular season, will be honored during the game.
 
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