Williamsburg, KY – In a passing-game showdown, junior wideout Darius Young hauled in 131 yards to lead the Cumberlands' receiving corps. His pair of scores came up short of a win in the season opener; the Patriots dropped the 34th meeting with the Georgetown Tigers, 27-20.
 
Starting quarterback Gavin Wilkinson connected with Young seven times through the day for 131 yards. His first quarter score set the tone for the offense moving forward as the two made big plays happen. They connected four passes through the day for double-digit yards, their longest went for 64 yards downfield.
 
The Patriots focused on their air attack in the first game of the season with 257 yards coming from true-freshman Wilkinson. He noted a 50% completion percentage on 32 attempts. Meanwhile, the traditional and skilled rush offense struggled to find their footing for only 51 yards netted.
 
Cumberlands took a 13-10 advantage into halftime with touchdowns scored in each of the opening quarters, both by Young. Meanwhile, the Patriots defense came up with big stops to help keep offensive momentum strong.
 
Returners Chandler Kaylor and Brad Montgomery led the Patriots' defensive unit; they had ten and nine tackles, respectively, to lead the team. The team combined for four sacks in the game for 13 yards.
 
On the opening drive of the day, the Pats defense shutdown Georgetown, handing them a fourth-and-inches at their own 31-yard line. Meanwhile on offense, the Patriots came out hot as Wilkinson and Young attempted a deep post connection. Plays later, Wilkinson completed his first collegiate pass to Young for a 29-yard gain. The duo connected once more in the opening drive for a six-yard touchdown for Wilkinson's first collegiate score.
 
Georgetown scored 10 in the first from defensive miscues by the Patriots, including a 67-yard pass. They followed by scoring a field goal as a result of a forced turnover.
 
The defensive line held strong to offer increased pressure on the pocket. Myles Simon had a big hit in the second to force a loss of three. Meanwhile, Kumi Sarpong, Jr. tallied his first sack of the season to force a punt a play later. The defense allowed only 51 yards to the Georgetown run in the contest.
 
An interception by Jacobie Elkins sparked the Patriots offense. Wilkinson targeted Young three times in the drive, who collected 19-, 64-, and 6-yard receptions and an easy six-point visit to the endzone unopposed.
 
De'ondre Boggs' third target of the afternoon was the second-longest reception of the day, a beautiful 42-yard gain part-way through the first drive of the second half. In his first day donning the Patriots uniform, Boggs went for 87 yards on five targets.
 
To finish the drive, Zalon Reynolds found the endzone for the first time since 2018. He found the endzone to give Cumberlands a 20-10 lead. Reynolds, starting in the backfield, played the small run game with 17 rushes for 52 yards, an average of 3.1 yards per carry.
 
Georgetown answered with 17-straight points on Cumberlands as the home team was unable to find the endzone for the rest of the game. The Patriots were shutout in the final quarter.
 
The offensive momentum slowed down despite big defensive moments against the Tigers.
 
Demone (DJ) Smith busted up a Tiger attempt to go for it on fourth and long close to the redzone, sacking their quarterback for four yards. Again on fourth down, the Patriots saw a chance to make a strong comeback after Smith forced a fumble.
 
With three minutes left of play and no timeouts, Wilkinson led the Pats on a march down to the Georgetown five-yard line, 62 yards in nine plays. The stretch included a 24-yard toss to Boggs to open the drive, 13 yards to Zalon Reynolds out of the backfield, and 12 yards to find wideout Alonzo Russell. The Patriots were unable to convert the real estate, turning over on downs to allow the Tigers to kneel out the clock.
 
Despite the loss, Young proved he will continue to be a hot target among the Patriots receivers after his day for over 130 yards. He nearly noted a third score on the day in the final quarter, a feat he has accomplished once before.
 
In addition, the defensive front proved effective against the run game, containing the Tigers' backfield. The unit combined for four sacks for 12 yards and countless hurries to force the quarterback's hand. Cumberlands looks to double down on these figures in week two.
 
The Patriots will look to rebound on Friday next week against Cumberland at James H. Taylor Stadium. Kickoff is slated for 6 PM against the Phoenix for the second divisional game of the season.
 
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