MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Just under 12 hours from kickoff and 80 miles between two rivals as the 2025 season opens with the Battle of I-85 as Faulkner welcomes Point on the first day of NAIA Football at 7 p.m..

HISTORY

Historically, Faulkner has owned the matchup, winning all seven games. However, the last few contests have been one possession ball games that have felt like anyone's game. The Eagles have won by a total of 10 points in the last three contests.

This will be the fourth meeting at home and the third at Billy D. Hilyer Stadium with Faulkner's Caden Davis drilling a 40-yard game winning field goal with 1:54 to play and the defense thwarting Point's game-winning drive attempt at midfield. 

THE BELT

As the rivalry between the two schools has grown, especially after the addition of Point into the Southern States Athletic Conference, Faulkner plays Point in every sport the Montgomery-based institution fields, save men's and women's cross country. As such rivalry has grown, athletics personnel from the two schools knew that most great rivalries have a trophy and the Battle of I-85 Belt was born with the winning school taking custody of the Belt until the next year. 

Last season was the first season with the Belt on the line with Faulkner bringing it back after Point missed a game-tying 32 yard field goal with 3:32 to go and a fumble forced by Myles Boyd with 37 seconds to go on 4th down to wrap up the game. 

NEW FACES ON THE SIDELINES

Both schools are under new head coaching direction with Point starting the Nigel Lawrence era and Faulkner the Dayne Brown era. 

For Brown, although it is his team taking the field, he will not be joining them for the contest following a one game suspension from the NAIA for failure to complete an online training within the approved window. 

Luckily for the Eagles, despite the almost entirely new faces on the coaching staff, there's a familiar one who will be the shot caller Thursday night: Randy Ragsdale. Ragsdale enters his 47th year in the coaching profession and has been a member of the Faulkner coaching staff since 2021. He will be in a head coaching role for the first time since retiring from Trinity Presbyterian in 2016 where he amassed an incredible 242-86 record with a state championship in 2003 en route to his 2018 AHSAA Hall of Fame induction. 

Lawrence returns to Point after a season as the co-defensive coordinator for Russell County HS last season. Previously, Lawrence served as a defensive assistant coach, defensive coordinator and associate head coach from 2021-2024. He also had a stint in the German Football League as a player during that tenure. 

NEW QUARTERBACKS

Both teams will be starting quarterbacks with some experience, but eager for an increased role with Faulkner starting Eli Moore and Point Samir Wylie. Moore saw three games of action last season with Duece Marshall handling the bulk of the QB action last season but Marshall has moved back to wide receiver, where he originally started last season. Wylie enters his junior campaign with a handful of games replacing Mitchell Gossett who threw for 2119 yards and 20 touchdowns last season. 

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Information regarding ticketing and parking can be found here.

Arrive early as the new parking set up will likely be more time consuming in the beginning. 

IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT

Obviously, the place to be Thursday night is Billy D. Hilyer Stadium. But if you cannot be there, the Faulkner Sports Network has every snap covered. The game will stream on YouTube free of charge with live stats available at FaulknerEagles.com.