MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The No. 20 Faulkner Eagles utilized several impressive individual performances and one highlight-filled team performance to tie the program's best start to a season in a 45-14 rout of Point Saturday night at Billy D. Hilyer Stadium. The Eagles, playing as a ranked team for the first time since 2018, shut out the Skyhawks 31-0 in the second half to break a 14-14 halftime tie. The hosts remain undefeated not only in this season, but in the record against Point. Three of the four all-time meetings between the programs have occurred this calendar year, after Faulkner joined the Appalachian Division and the teams played twice in the "2020" spring season due to the pandemic. Despite six minutes' less time of possession and 12 penalties for 101 yards to Point's nine for 73, Faulkner outgained the visitors 446-282 yards, leading in almost every category as the Eagle offense was as explosive as ever. 

Kade Young tied his all-time highs for yards and scores in a blue-and-white jersey, matching both marks from his performance at Union last spring. Saturday, the signal-caller went 21-of-32 for 355 yards and five touchdowns. He only failed to equal his completion percentage and rushing yardage marks from last season's career day. 

Jalen Browder, with nine catches for 180 yards and a hat trick touchdown total, came just three yards shy of tying his personal record of 183 yards receiving with three touchdowns. That mark also occurred in the spring against Union. The two performances by Browder rank seventh and sixth on the program's all-time individual games list, unseating Rob Lockhart's 179-yard outing against Union in 2016. The marks are seven and four yards shy, respectively, of the fifth spot: Lockhart's 187-yard and three-score game against Campbellsville a year earlier. 

Isaiah Scott was once again the other half of the lightning-and-thunder duo among the Eagles' wideouts, with seven catches for 140 yards and a score. His stat line is the third best of his college career, behind contests in the spring with 174 yards at Point and 156 against Bluefield. Charles Blackmon Jr. led the ground game with 11 carries for 42 yards and Hunter Gibson returned from injury to rush for 29 yards on five carries. 

Payton Allen led the Skyhawk offense via a 21-of-45 day with 152 yards and two interceptions. Jacquez Bartley led the receiving corps with five catches for 78 yards and a score, and Tim Gary was second on the stat sheet with four receptions and 47 yards. The visitors' running back committee was held to just 36 yards on the ground; Sensir Carnes had 18 yards on six touches and Tyrique Robinson had just 16 on as many carries with one score.

Known as "Hitman," Faulkner's leading tackler Alex Dawson once again led his defensive unit, tallying nine stops and an interception. Malik Meadows racked up eight tackles while Eddie Brown and Antonio Gurley each chipped in six. Chris Thompson and Johnny Blackmon, in a career game for the latter, each had five tackles and at least half a tackle for loss. Blackmon, Ovurton Gates, Aaron Reynolds and JaMichael Morgan each had at least one pass breakup. Shae Taylor, Jerrell Williamson and Tre'Von Hines tallied all of the team's sacks. Davyon Dukes led Point's defense with six tackles, and Aaron Anderson and Kameron Weems each had five. Gabriel Jacon-Duffy also got five, including all three of Point's sacks. 

After exchanging three-and-outs to open the game, the Skyhawks would score first on a nine-play, 84-yard drive. Point went deep into their playbook to catch Faulkner napping. Robinson took the handoff, pulled up and hit a wide-open Bartley for the 59-yard halfback pass. Though Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 48 yards, a penalty that negated a third-down conversion and a Jacon-Duffy sack killed the Faulkner drive. Another holding call would do the same on another third-and-short opportunity on the home team's next drive. After exchanging punts again, the Eagles would get energized on their opening drive of the second period. Gibson got his first touch since his injury on the first play of the series, gaining nine yards, and the play likely helped to motivate his team. Three plays later, at Point's 42-yard line, Young stood firm in the pocket and delivered to Browder at the 20-yard line. The redshirt senior wideout adjusted to make the grab and delivered two stiff-arms to get into the endzone.

On the fifth play of the following drive, Dawson picked off a high pass by Allen at the Faulkner 30 to set up the next score. This time at the 43 going in, Young hit Browder with a perfect bomb to go up 14-7. The Skyhawks did not give in, taking the ball and putting together a methodical 12-play, 78-yard drive; Robinson equalized it on a four-yard rushing score with 2:49 left until halftime. Disaster nearly struck on the ensuing kickoff, when the ball bounced short of Scott and forward six yards, but Scott ultimately fell on it to preserve possession. The Eagles moved the chains effectively on the drive, with Scott getting a catch just before going out of bounds for a gain of 17. A 12-yard scramble by Young with 15 more added on due to a late hit and targeting call as the quarterback was sliding down, and a 12-yard catch by Blackmon Jr. on a screen to get down to the two of Point, seemed to set up an inevitable score. However, the visiting defense held Faulkner to a field goal attempt, and the 30-yarder from Renteria was wide right to end the half. 

The Eagles would get a boost to start the second half, but not from its offense. After knocking out a few first downs, with 8:48 left in the third quarter, Allen threw high and it cost him once again. Thompson came down with it, and returned it for a 48-yard pick-six to give his team the lead for good. The special teams unit also did its part. After a holding penalty pushed the Skyhawks inside their own 10, Scott returned a punt 25 yards to put his team 18 yards away from the endzone. Four plays later, Young rolled out and hit Ty Gray from four yards out to give the redshirt freshman his first career score. 

Faulkner's next drive, which carried into the fourth quarter, saw the Eagles forced to a 41-yard field goal. Renteria connected on that one to give his team a 31-14 lead. On the second play after the defense forced a Point three-and-out, Browder found pay dirt once again on a 45-yard dime from Young. A would-be tip drill interception by Gates was negated by another penalty on Point's following drive, but five plays after that, Morgan made sure that the Skyhawks would not capitalize by blocking Logan Flesher's 40-yard field goal attempt. Then two plays after that, Young found Scott with great touch just shy of midfield, and the latter outran the Point secondary down the sideline for a 75-yard score to finish off the visitors.

Point, which falls to 1-5, will return home to face No. 12 Reinhardt next week.

With the win, Faulkner has matched the best start to a season in its history, as the 2014 Eagles, led by QB Terrell Robinson, started 5-0 and made the playoffs for the second consecutive year. However, as soon as Faulkner collects its forfeit from Union, which canceled next weekend's contest due to COVID protocols, the win-loss record will move to 6-0. By default, then, the Eagles will have the best start in program history. The unplanned bye week all leads up, however, to the huge trip to No. 12 Reinhardt. Faulkner, currently sitting on top of the Appalachian Division as the only no-loss team left, most likely must beat the Eagles in Waleska, Ga., and stay undefeated to have a chance at winning the division and reaching the national playoffs. The battle of Eagles, both fighting for the top spot, kicks off at noon EST on Oct. 23.