BARBOURVILLE, Ky. - Faulkner (3-1) jumped out to a 21-0 lead in the second quarter and responded every time Union Commonwealth (1-2) made a push to win 41-15 at Williamson Stadium on Saturday in both teams' final test before conference play. The offensive output marks the most points scored by the Eagles since a 44-30 Homecoming win over Cumberland in 2022 and their largest margin of victory since a 49-17 win at Campbellsville that season.  

While the Bulldogs won the aerial attack with 237 yards to Faulkner's 141, Faulkner did its damage with the run. The Eagles grounded and pounded for 183 yards on 45 carries while the defense held UCU to just 63 yards on the ground.  

Kamden Wellington started and completed all four of his passes for 51 yards and a touchdown on the opening drive before leaving due to injury. Playing for the first time since starting the Thomas game, Eli Moore entered and delivered, going 10-of-17 for 90 yards and two more scores. Robin Harris paced the Eagles with 84 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. Duece Marshall took snaps at QB and got 47 yards on six carries and Styles Hughes added 45 yards on his eight touches.  

Davian Liddell led the receiving corps with three catches for 34 yards. Marshall hauled in three more for 32 yards and a score. Tight end play played an outsized role in this one, as Gage Mims, Austin Gregory and Jalen Hurt each caught two balls. Mims led the group with 29 yards and a score with Gregory adding 16 and another touchdown. Gregory's touchdown marked the first by a tight end for Faulkner since Brandon McNeal last season at Point; it was the first time the Eagles have had two scores by tight ends since Ty Gray caught two touchdowns at Webber International in 2021.  

Elijah Short led the team in tackles for the second week in a row with eight total and five solo. Jacoiley Nathan and AJ Alozie each registered sacks.  

Harris broke off a 40-yard rush to the Union 16 on the third play of the game, the longest gain of the day for the Eagles. Held to 4th-and-three on the next set of downs, Wellington dropped back and found a wide-open Gregory at the goal line to open the scoring. On the next snap, Cooper Wick hit a wide-open Tate Spayd downfield for a 54-yard UCU gain. The Eagle defense held on from there to force a field goal attempt and blocked it to keep the Bulldogs scoreless.  

After a trade of punts, Liddell broke through tackles to turn a third-down bubble screen into a 31-yard gain and get into Bulldog territory. Wellington would leave the game three plays later on a gain of 11, and on his first snap, Moore found Marshall on the post route for a 19-yard score.  

In the second quarter, Jahaziel Hooks wrapped up Ermon Varner one yard shy of a first down on third-and-long, and Matthew Witherspoon blocked the ensuing punt to set Faulkner up at the UCU 17. Three plays later, Moore hit Mims on the same route Gregory scored on.  

With 1:39 left until halftime, Wick completed five passes on as many plays to move his offense 78 yards, the last one to get his team on the board, looking to give his team the momentum heading into the second half as they would receive the kickoff. However, Liddell scoffed at those plans as he received the ensuing kickoff, got his blocks and turned on the afterburners for the 89-yard return and a 28-7 halftime lead.  

Selatian Straughter would get that score back in the third as he housed a punt from 79 yards out, and backup QB Bryson Grabowski ran in the two-point conversion. Following a trade of three-and-outs, Marshall moved the chains on runs of 10, 14 and 31 yards before Harris punched it in from two yards out for a 35-15 lead. Four plays later, Hooks broke up Wick's pass to force a turnover on downs, and Jacob Huff booted a 23-yard field goal five plays after that following a 24-yard Hughes run on the late pitch from Marshall to put the Eagles back in the red zone. On the next drive, the Eagle defense got a bailout as a UCU holding penalty wiped out a 55-yard run to the Faulkner three. Two plays later, Caleb Williams picked off Huff to end the Bulldogs' last legitimate chance.  

Faulkner has won nine straight meetings with UCU, dating back to the Eagles' historic 95-89 win in 2011 on the campus of ACA. Off to their best start since beginning the 2021 season 6-0, the Eagles return to Billy D. Hilyer Stadium to open Mid-South Conference play next Saturday at 1:30 against Bethel (Tenn.), looking for their first win over the Wildcats since 2016.