BARBOURVILLE, Ky. – Union College scored early and often on Thursday as it registered a 46-7 season-opening win over visiting Cincinnati Christian University (Ohio).
Quarterback Kendrick Furness was near perfect in the pocket, completing 13-of-15 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns.
Darian Patterson was the standout wide receiver on the evening with four catches for 91 yards and career-high three touchdowns. The three receiving scores tie him for the single-game record as he is the sixth player to accomplish the feat. Kyle Keplinger was the last Bulldog to haul in three touchdown passes in a game, doing so against Cumberland (Tenn.) on Oct. 11, 2014.
The Bulldogs came out of the gate firing on all cylinders, scoring 26 points in the first quarter. Furness hooked up with Patterson on a 23-yard touchdown pass to make it 6-0 with 12:47 to go in the opening frame. Izayah Riettie then punched the first of his three rushing touchdowns in on a 7-yard run. Riettie added the 2-point conversion, making it 13-0 at the 9:04 mark.
Tyler Toombs picked up where he left off last season, as his first catch of the night was a 51-yard scoring strike, extending the margin to 20-0 with 3:55 to play in the first. Then, with 1:56 remaining in the quarter, Riettie powered his way in from 16 yards out to give Union a 26-0 advantage.
In all, Union amassed 551 yards in total offense with 286 coming on the ground. The Bulldogs (1-0 overall) held the Eagles (0-1 overall) to 264 yards in total offense. Chris Young paced the Cincinnati Christian offense with 148 yards runs and one touchdown on 20 carries.
TURNING POINT
Even though Union racked up the offensive numbers in the win, it was a pair of defensive plays the turned the tide early in the Bulldogs’ favor. Cincinnati Christian started the game with the ball, but on the third play from scrimmage, Seth Nichols picked off a Nate Szymanski pass and returned it to the Eagle 29. Three plays later, Union scored the opening touchdown.
After Union went up 20-0, Josh Smith forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and Nichols was there for the recovery to give the Bulldogs possession on the Eagle 40. Union needed only four plays to score, upping the margin to 26-0.
PLAY OF THE GAME
Triquece Ware laid out nicely to intercept a pass at the Union 49, which set up Toombs’ 51-yard touchdown reception later in the first quarter.
STAT OF THE GAME
Union forced four Cincinnati Christian turnovers and converted all four into touchdowns. The Bulldogs scored a total 24 points off the miscues. Meanwhile, Union did not have a single turnover on the night.
BULLDOG OF THE GAME
Riettie registered his sixth career 100-yard rushing game as he finished with 119 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. He averaged 9.9 yards per carry. With the three rushing touchdowns, he became the fifth player in program history to amass 20 or more career rushing touchdowns. Riettie currently has 22 in 22 games played, tying him for third all-time with Bulldog legend Scott Russell.
His 119 rushing yards gives him 1,450 for his career, moving him past Armond Smith for 11th on the all-time rushing list.
BULLDOG NOTES
- The interception was Nichols’ sixth of his career.
- Ware collected his second career interception, while Terran Cox recorded his first.
- Patterson became the third player in program history to log 20 or more touchdown receptions in a career as he now has 21. Only Domonique Jefferson (25) and Kyle Callahan (23) have more.
- Bradley Elkins hauled in five receptions to give him 85 for his career, tying him with Ben Kelly and Jim Maynor for 12th all-time.
- Patterson went 1,000 career receiving yards as he now has 1,083 on 66 catches.
- Elkins had a solid night punting the ball for the Bulldogs, averaging 43.3 yards on his four punts with a long of 58 yards and placing one inside the 20.
- This is the season-opening win for Union since 2016 when it defeated Cincinnati Christian 42-0. Union leads the series with a 2-0 record.
UP NEXT FOR THE BULLDOGS
Union hits the road next weekend as it travels to Lebanon, Tenn., for a date with Cumberland University. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. Eastern.
