LAKELAND, Fla. - Freshman quarterback Clayton Nicholas tossed five touchdown passes and tailback Joe Jones rushed for over 100 yards as 10th-ranked Faulkner survived a fourth-quarter scare to escape with a 45-33 victory over Southeastern here Saturday night in the season opener for both teams at Victory Field.

The Eagles (1-0) of the Mid-South Conference trailed the Sun Conference's Fire early in the second quarter before scoring 17 unanswered points to take a 24-12 lead to the locker room at halftime. The advantage ballooned to 38-19 after three quarters, only to see Southeastern (0-1) score a pair of touchdowns in the final period to draw within 38-33.

Nicholas then guided the Eagles on a scoring march to regain the momentum, finding A.J. Stevenson in the end zone for a 6-yard touchdown strike that provided a comfortable margin again to head coach Charlie Boren's team with 7:37 left in the game. Southeastern never threatened again, as Faulkner won it's fifth straight season opener. Stevenson and Rob Lockhart each caught a pair of touchdown passes, while Josh Gross caught the other from the Nicholas, who completed 31 of his 52 attempts for 376 yards.

Jones, the MSC's freshman of the year last season, had 102 yards on the ground on 22 carries. Faulkner outgained Southeastern offensively, collecting 529 yards to the Fire's 410. Defensive back Quan Latham scored the Eagles' other touchdown, returning a second-quarter interception 39 yards for a touchdown. Place kicker Hunter Kennamer converted all five of his extra point attempts, and added a 21-yard field goal as well.

"We had some first-game mistakes, but we responded in the fourth quarter when we had to," Boren said. "I thought Clayton played well, and Joe ran the ball hard. We have some things we need to correct and we'll certainly work on that next week. Overall, I'm pleased. Whenever you can open your season on the road with a win, you have to be happy."

After a scoreless first quarter, the Fire struck first when quarterback Jonathan Pearce found Michael Weary from 40 yards out for a 6-0 lead. The extra point was blocked by Ray Smith. Two plays after the kickoff, however, Faulkner jumped on top. Nicholas hit Lockhart with a 69-yard touchdown pass with 11:44 left in the half, and Kennamer's extra point made it 7-6.

Southeastern answered right back, taking advantage of a good kick return from Johnathan Hicks that gave the Fire a short field. It took only three plays to march 48 yards, with Pearce hitting DeVonte Mack on a 19-yard scoring toss. The extra point was missed again, leaving Southeastern with a 12-7 lead at the 10:13 mark.

The rest of the half belonged to Faulkner. Latham's interception return for a touchdown and Kennamer's subsequent extra point gave the Eagles the lead for good at 14-12 with 6:07 left before the break. A 41-yard punt return by the Eagles' Xavier Willis set up Kennamer's field goal to push the advantage to 17-12 with just over two minutes left in the half. The Faulkner defense forced a three-and-out, and Nicholas quickly moved the Eagles 68 yards in seven plays, the drive culminating on his 13-yarder to Lockhart with 19 seconds on the clock. Kennamer's kick made it 24-12 at the break.

Southeastern back-up quarterback Railond Garrett took advantage of a Faulkner breakdown in the secondary on the first possession of the second half, hooking up with Wheary from 81 yards out to trim the margin to 24-19. The Eagles answered with a pair of long touchdown drives, with Nicholas connecting with Stevenson from 49 yards and Gross from 17 yards for the two scores. Kennamer added both extra points, and Faulkner appeared safe heading to the fourth quarter with a 38-19 lead.

Two minutes into the final quarter Nicholas made his only poor decision of the night, tossing an interception on a screen pass that Blade Denmark returned to the Faulkner 6-yard line. Garrett scored on the next play, and Caleb Winter's extra point brought the Fire to within 38-26 with 12:53 left in the game. The Eagles failed to make a first down on their next possession, and Southeastern marched 76 yards in seven plays to draw closer. Jarrelll Reynolds took it in from seven yards out, and Winter's kick brought the hosts to within five points.

Nicholas then hooked up with Stevenson again for the game's final touchdown, and Southeastern could manage only one first down the rest of the way as the Eagle defense took control in the final seven minutes. Stevenson finished with 108 yards receiving, while Lockhart had 97. Wheary's 245 yards on 10 receptions led the Fire attack.

Faulkner stays on the road next Saturday, traveling  to Virginia to battle Bluefield College in an MSC divisional cross-over matchup. The game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. central time.