BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – Kade Young showed Saturday why the Faulkner coaching staff signed him as a transfer from Troy when threw five touchdown passes in a 45-27 victory over Union College. 

The Eagles never trailed and wasted little time putting points on the board. They took the opening drive 81 yards in seven plays, ending the march with a 6-yard touchdown run by Hunter Gibson with 11:45 left on the first quarter clock. Faulkner's second drive covered 55 yards in 12 plays before turning it over to the foot of Alvin Renteria. The senior kicker drilled one through from 41 yards out for the 10-0 lead, the 22nd made field goal of his career. That kick put Renteria in the record books for most career makes in program history. 

Union fought back into the game with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Jessie Caver to Hunter Barron to cut it to 10-6. Faulkner wasted little time getting the touchdown back as it traversed 65 yards in two plays, scoring on a 42-yard touchdown strike to Isaiah Scott for the 17-6 lead. 

The Eagle defense forced a three-and-out before Young took the offense down the field again, covering 72 yards and ending the drive on an 18-yard scoring pass to Jacob Pigg to move the lead to 24-6. 

Caver answered back again for Union with 4:57 to go until half when he hit Quin Carter for a 25-yard touchdown pass. Two plays later, Faulkner added to the lead again. Young sprinted 11 yards on a keeper before finding Jalen Browder for a 38-yard touchdown pass for the 31-12 lead. 

Union ended the half with a drive down to the Faulkner 14 before attempting a 30-yard field goal to end the half. Jamichael Morgan blocked the kick and Akil Rivers recovered to hold the score at half. 

Union took the first possession of the second half down for a touchdown to narrow it to 31-20. Faulkner fired right back with a 61-yard touchdown pass from Young to Browder. The Eagles got their final touchdown of the game with 8:08 left in the third when Young hit Browder for a touchdown for a 59-yard touchdown pass to set the score at 45-20. 

Young finished his day 12 of 17 passing for 355 yards and five touchdowns and an interception. The five-touchdown performance was the first of its kind for a Faulkner quarterback since Clayton Nicholas threw for five against Edward Waters Nov. 11, 2017. 

Browder hauled in four passes for 183 yards and three touchdowns. Charles Blackmon paced the ground game with 44 yards on seven carries. 

Faulkner (2-1, 1-0 Appalachian) travels to Grayson, Ky. next week to take on Appalachian Division foe Kentucky Christian.