Faulkner falls to KCU 22-14
October 24
SOUTH POINT, Ohio - Faulkner couldn't overcome five turnovers here Saturday afternoon, the last coming inside the Kentucky Christian 15 in the final 20 seconds, falling to the previously-winless Knights 22-14 in a Mid-South Conference battle.
Trailing in the closing minutes, the Eagles marched from their own 32 yard line to inside the Knight 20-yard line. Faulkner quarterback Trey Martin then found wideout Chad Collins on the left sideline inside the 15, but Collins fumbled as he struggled for extra yardage. Kentucky Christian recovered, and then ran out the clock for its first-ever MSC victory.
Faulkner fell to 1-7 and 0-5 in the conference with the loss, while KCU improved to 1-7 and 1-3.
After a scoreless first quarter, Kentucky Christian marched 80 yards in seven plays for the game's first score. On third-and-13 from the Faulkner 47, Knights' quarterback Beau Dailey hit wide receiver Rashad Earls at the 18 and he raced into the end zone for the touchdown. Ethan Nettles' point after made it 7-0, and that score stood at the half. The Eagles had a chance to tie with only seconds left in the half, but Martin fumbled at the KCU 2 on second-and-goal.
Faulkner's Q Braswell returned a KCU punt 40 yards to the Knight 15 early in the third quarter, setting up the Eagles' first score. Jurell Williams bolted 16 yards two plays later for the touchdown, and Vince Nix added the point after to tie the game at 7 with 12:47 left in the third quarter.
It took only three plays for Kentucky Christian to regain the lead. On the first play following the kickoff, Dailey found Tyler Parsons for 54 yards and horse-collar tackle set the Knights up inside the Faulkner 10. Running back Ronnie Smith powered in from the 6 two plays later to put KCU back on top. The point after made it 14-7 with 12:09 still showing on the third quarter clock.
The Eagles tied it again with a 57-yard march that culminated with a Martin fade pass to Luther Burton in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Nix brought it to 14-14 with the extra point.
Kentucky Christian took the lead for good with 8:27 left when Smith sliced through the Faulkner defense for 29 yards and a touchdown. A bad snap on the extra point forced holder Austin Hunter to pick it up and run, and he made it to the corner of the end zone to push the Knights to the eight-point lead.
The Eagles' Martin completed four passes for 48 yards on the final frantic drive until the fumble ended hopes of a last-minute comeback. For the day Martin was 11 of 24 for 99 yards. Faulkner's Williams fell four yards shy of becoming the program's first back to gain 100 yards rushing in a game, finishing with 96 yards on 21 carries. He also had 31 yards receiving on the day.
Faulkner travels to West Virginia Tech next Saturday for another MSC game.