The opening contest of the Tommy Wasden era saw Faulkner hang 38 points on the board in a contest that was defined largely by key defensive plays. Faulkner downed visiting Bluefield College 38-19 in Saturday's season-opener, turning the game early in the second quarter and again late in the third on forced turnovers.

The Mid-South Conference teams traded punches on their opening drives. Mason Blocker (SR/Covington, La.) found Kavonte Younger (SR/Bolton, Miss.) on a 25-yard scoring strike to cap a six-play, 64-yard march. The Rams answered right back with an Aiden Wilder toss of four yards to Greg Ebron to punctuate a 14-play, 72-yard drive.

The game changed with Ovurton Gates (JR/Baldwyn, Miss.) skied over the top of a receiver and used his outstretched right hand to touch pass a ball into the waiting arms of fellow Eagle defensive back Garrett Hallmark (SO/Helena, Ala.). The latter quickly turned up the sideline and found a host of willing blockers on his way to a 55-yard interception return for touchdown.

From there, Faulkner began to pour it on. Blocker went over the top less than two minutes later to find a streaking Jadon Killings (SO/Ragland, Ala.) on a 56-yard touchdown pass. The Eagles moved the lead to 24-7 with 1:56 left in the opening half when Alvin Renteria (JR/Phenix City, Ala.) proved true on a 26-yard field goal effort.

Bluefield got itself back into the game early in the third quarter when Michael Everett scooped and scored on a fumble to narrow the deficit to 24-13. Later in the frame, Wilder hit Antonio Strickland on a 20-yard touchdown heave to cut it to 24-19. Hallmark batted down the conversion pass attempt to keep the advantage at five points.

The Rams got possession back with less than two minutes to go in the quarter, appearing poised for a run at its first lead of the game. Caylun Calhoun (SR/Birmingham, Ala.) shot the gap and dove on a loose ball to turn the game one final time. The turnover gave way to a high tempo Eagle drive which ended in an 11-yard touchdown pass from Blocker to Jacob Pigg (JR/Fayetteville, Tenn.). Charles Blackmon (SO/Faunsdale, Ala.)'s 32-yard touchdown sprint with 1:44 remaining in the contest put the game completely out of reach for Bluefield.

Faulkner (1-0) heads into its bye week before traveling to face No. 13 Lindsey Wilson Saturday, Sept. 14. The Eagles play at home against Sept. 21 when Cincinnati Christian visits Billy D. Hilyer Stadium.