Box Score LAKELAND, Fla.—The Fire struggled to find a rhythm with many new faces in the lineup during its 2018 season opener.
University of the Cumberlands was able to eke out a 27-26 win at Victory Field over 11
th-ranked Southeastern.
Freshman running back
Bryan Bell found the end zone for the first time in his collegiate career on a 1-yard run with 12:06 remaining to tie the game at 20, capping off an eight play, 84-yard drive.
Bell totaled 115 yards on 20 carries.
After forcing a three-and-out, the Fire got the ball back at its own 41 with 10:21 left. Quarterback
Ryder Litten was picked off by Adam Johnson, who returned the interceptions 48 yards for the go-ahead score.
Facing fourth-and-16 at the UC 27, Litten's pass deflected between
Antwain Adams and a defender. Adams was able to corral the carom and head to pay dirt to bring the Fire within a point, but the PAT sailed wide.
Litten set a new program record for pass attempts in a game with 44, completing 24 for 238 yards, and was sacked three times. Adams was the top receiver with eight catches for 107 yards.
Southeastern got the ball back a final time with 2:17 to play and advanced to midfield, but the Patriots' defense came up with two big tackles for loss on second and third down to put the Fire in 4
th-and-23, which resulted in an incomplete pass.
"You can point to a lot of things, we have a lot of work to do," said coach
Keith Barefield. "When you play good teams, they expose areas you need to work on. I wish it hadn't happen, but it did and we have to get better."
The Fire held the ball for the first 5:59 on the contest, getting to the UC 25-yard line, but missed a long field goal.
Cumberlands held the ball for the next 6:57, getting one of three Devon McMillin field goals on the day to notch the first points of the game.
With 13:39 left in the second, Litten found
Maurice Anglin for a six-yard strike to put the Fire on top 7-3.
McMillin's second field goal with 3:41 remaining in the second brought UC within a point, but Larson dialed in a 26-yarder to put the home team up 10-6 at the break.
The first of two 32-yard Josiah Robbins touchdown passes capped off the opening drive of the third quarter for Cumberlands to regain the lead. With 2:06 remaining in the third, Larson drilled a 47-yard field goal to tie the game at 13.
The Patriots outrushed the Fire 198 to 151, but the Fire outgained the Patriots 389 to 326.
Southeastern will head to Laurinburg, N.C. next Saturday to take on St. Andrews at 1:30 p.m.
