No. 21 Faulkner fell in a stunner on the road as Ave Maria (2-3) posted 14 unanswered points for a 21-20 upset.

Trailing 20-7 at half, the Gyrenes' offense posted a pair of third quarter touchdowns to wrest away control of the game. Will Tate went over the top to Kevon O'Connor for a 48-yard scoring strike to cut it to 20-14 before Sefe Wences punched it in from a yard out to tie the game. Brandon Butry's extra point proved to be the game winner for Ave Maria.

Faulkner opened the scoring early as Mason Blocker found Regan Amos for a 13-yard touchdown, marking the third consecutive week the Eagles struck first with a connection form that tandem. The Gyrenes answered the call as Tate found Dimitrius Hirsch for a 23-yard score. After an Alvin Renteria field goal from 28 yards out put the Eagles back on top in the second quarter, Vashon Jackson padded the lead when he intercepted a Tate pass and took it 40 yards for a touchdown with 5:59 left in the half. Renteria added a 27-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in the half to push the lead to 20-7.

The Eagles' best chances for second half points fizzled deep in Gyrene territory. Faulkner went 45 yards in nine plays and ate 3:30 off the clock but stalled on downs at the Ave Maria 27 with 8:20 to go in the third. The Eagles later covered 50 yards in 10 plays and pushed the ball to the Gyrene 25 before turning the ball over on downs.

Faulkner (3-2, 0-1 MSC Sun Division) returns home next week to host Keiser University.