Barton College does the near impossible and notches the program's first win over a Division I-FCS opponent 33-31 at Davidson.
Out of all of the sights and sounds I witnessed on the night of Friday, September 8th, 2023, defensive line coach Eric Morris sobbing with tears streaming down his face, and with a hoarse voiced trying to shout "GOD IS SO GOOD!" was one I had not anticipated seeing. He was trying to keep his composure, but it was a battle he was losing.
There was a lot of excitement as you could imagine to this win. It's not everyday a fourth year college football program on any level notches a win on an opponent in the next level on the NCAA division ladder. And the manner that the Bulldogs earned the win added just as much icing on the cake.
For the second season in a row, Barton made the trip from Wilson to Davidson, NC to face Division I-FCS Pioneer League member Davidson College. In 2022, Davidson let Barton hang around for part of the game, but pulled away and won 37-17. Even after that game, I know I wasn't the only Barton fan thinking that regardless of the final score, the Bulldogs did show up for a good part of the game. Driving to the game Friday afternoon, I thought "wow this could actually be a set up for an upset." Coming off a commanding 41-0 season opener over Chowan College, Barton displayed great execution on all three legs of the tripod: Offense, Defense, and Special Teams. It was perhaps the best game you could open with from top to bottom.
Davidson started the game off by jumping to a 14-0 lead following a 10 play and then 4 play drive respectfully. Barton answered with a 1 yard TD pass from QB Jaquan Lynch to RB Raekwon Batts to make the score 14-7. It was sprinkle of momentum while it lasted. Davidson then put together a 9 play, 75 yard drive capped with a Aaron Maione 6 yard run to make the score 21-7. That's when everything changed.
Barton received the ball with less than a minute left in the 1st Quarter. A 15 yard Jordan Terrell run and a Jaquan Lynch pass to WR Isaiah Jacobs for 38 yards gave Barton two quick first downs and the ball on the Davidson 27 yard line to close out the 1st quarter.
As the 2nd quarter started, the coaching staff pulled a trick play out of the bag that Bulldog fans would immediately recognize. WR Jay Johnson ended up with the ball and attempted to hit Lynch on a go route, similar to the first touchdown scored in Barton's first game in 2020/2021. Unlike that first touchdown, the pass fell incomplete. A Lynch pass to WR Cam Powell for 18 yards then set up a Jordan Terrell 1 yard touchdown. After a Bear Huggins point after, Barton trailed 21-14.
A Davidson three and out followed by a punt gives Barton the ball on their own 49 yard line. Barton puts together a seven play, 51 yard drive capped by a Lynch 18 yard touchdown scramble. The Huggins point after puts the score tied at 21.
Another quick Davidson possession and punt gives Barton the ball back on their own 39 yard line. Offensive coordinator Landon Mariani then orchestrates a nine play, run heavy, 4:50 minute drive capped by a 3 yard Jordan Terrell touchdown. Davidson's special teams disrupts the timing on the extra point and the attempt is no good. Barton finds itself on top 27-21 with 1:24 remaining in the half.
Davidson gets the ball back, and after a 9 play, 54 yard push, kicker Adam Zouagui misses a 38 yard field goal attempt. Barton gets the ball back and runs the clock out to take the game to the half with the Bulldogs leading the Wildcats, 27-21.
At this point, everyone knows that Davidson is going to come out swinging following halftime. Barton gets the ball and goes three and out. Davidson gets the ball back following a 38 yard Huggins punt. The Wildcats then get back to their bread and butter rushing attack and make it down to the Barton 14 yard line. Davidson RB Mari Adams rushes for 3 yards up the middle, Davidson QB Coulter Cleland has an incomplete pass, and then Adams makes another rush for 4 yards to the Barton 7 yard line. On 4th & 3, Barton's defense then turns into Gandalf from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
Adams takes the handoff and makes an attempt to push for the 1st down up the middle. He makes it the first 2 yards, then he is "casually" met by DB Dereck Barringer and DB Mike Webb stopping the drive at the Barton 5 yard line and turning the ball back over to the Bulldog offense.
After a four play Barton possession, Davidson gets the ball back at their 27 yard line with 7:54 left in the 3rd quarter. After 9 plays with the vaulted Davidson rushing attack in full motion, the Wildcats find the end zone on a Mason Sheron rush to take the lead back, 28-27.
Barton takes over on their own 33 yard line. Lynch hits Johnson and Jacobs for 17 yards each respectively. After getting down to the Davidson 28 yard line, Chip Hester makes the call to go for the 4th & 5 rather than attempting the 45 yard long field goal. Lynch cannot connect with Johnson and the ball goes back to Davidson with 1:21 left in the 3rd quarter. Davidson gets a 1st down and the clock runs out in the quarter.
FOURTH QUARTER, I REPEAT THE FOURTH QUARTER IS ABOUT TO START
How is everyone doing? Are you still with me. I'm doing my best to convey the same level of tension that everyone felt at the stadium. I have to be honest, I do not want to live life accepting moral victories, but following the 37-17 loss last year, I have to admit that if Barton came up short that i might would have considered taking the moral victory. I was damned proud of the effort displayed up to this point. Many teams could have easily seen the score at the end of the 1st quarter and packed it up. Not this team. Not the Uncommon Bulldogs.
Davidson shifts to the pass game as Cleland connects with Reina for a 35 yard gain, finally being pushed out by DB Jay Wheeler. After a holding call and pressures from DL Milton Chandler and DL Keno Jones, the Wildcats have to settle for a 35 yard Adam Zouagui field goal. Following the kick, Davidson's lead now stands at 31-27.
The teams exchange possessions which lead to punts. This puts the ball in Barton's possession with 10:32 remaining in the game.This is where the fun starts.
Jordan Terrell busts through the line on a rushing attempt for 10 yards only for it to be called back for a holding call (take note). This makes it 1st & 18 from the Barton 9 yard line. Terrell didn't appreciate that so he takes the rock right back up the middle for a 13 yard gain. Barton is now on their own 22 yard line.
Jaquan Lynch then makes an incredible pass & catch with WR Jacques Durham for a 47 yard gain ONLY to have it called back because of another holding call (that's two). The Bulldogs find themselves with a 1st & 10 from the Davidson 41 yard line. Two incomplete passes later, Barton finds itself staring at 3rd & 10. Lynch connects with Durham again for a 4 yard gain, but is 6 yards short of the 1st down. Barton takes a timeout to collect itself.
Coming out of the timeout facing 4th & 6 to go, Mariani elects to pull a pass play out as Lynch connects with playmaker Jay Johnson for a 15 yard gain before getting tackled on the Davidson 22 yard line. Two unsuccessful plays later, Terrell breaks out on the right end and blasts out 22 yards for a touchdown.
But...there was ANOTHER holding call.
I admit it. I lost my cookies. On the night that I was making my debut as the sideline reporter for the radio broadcast on the Barton Football media flagship 98.5 FM The Big Dawg, I had a microphone in my possession and I had to make sure the mic was not turned on. It was so terrible watching this, now the THIRD holding call be levied on Barton. The conspiracy theorist in all Barton fans in attendance came out (if they weren't already).
So now we reset, Barton is facing 3rd & 20 from the Davidson 32 yard line. But unlike many of us stressed out on the sidelines and in the stands, the Barton offense takes focus on the task at hand. Lynch hits Durham for 19 yards where he is tackled at the Davidson 13. Jordan Terrell then gets his chance to get that previous score back, takes the ball to the right side again and sticks it in for the Barton touchdown with 5:57 remaining on the clock. Again, the PAT is not converted so Barton finds itself with the 34-31 lead.
The teams then exchange possessions and with 2:59 left in the game, Davidson finds itself with the ball on their own 39 yard line with a fresh set of downs. Cleland makes a passing attempt however he finds Barton DB Kermit Solomon and gives the graduate student his first career interception. Barton now has the ball on their 42 with 2:54 remaining.
All heck ensues. The Barton sideline erupts. The Barton fans in attendance let out a roar of approval. A few players get too excited and draw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty (you know who you are wild man). Jordan Terrell then seals the deal by blasting out a 29 yard run and cues up the victory formation three times to run the clock out. Head coach Chip Hester is trying to keep players and staff composed before the final kneel downs happened and was heard telling people "Act like we have been here before!" Someone in the moment correctly immediately responded "WE'VE NEVER BEEN HERE THOUGH COACH!" They acknowledge the truth in the moment, bust out laughing, hug, and start adding to the celebration.
Bulldog fans in the stands start running down to the track surrounding the field as Barton players who have run onto the field start running to celebrate with their friends and family members in attendance.
All of a sudden, amongst the high fives and hugs being dished out, Coach Eric Morris is running down the sideline with tears in his eyes, hardly any voice left after blasting out instructions and coaching his players for the last three hours, professing the absolute truth in this incredible moment "God Is So Good!"
Yes Coach Morris. Yes He is.
FINAL SCORE: BARTON 34, DAVIDSON 31.
"God Is So Good" - Defensive Line Coach Eric Morris soaks in the moment following Barton's 34-31 defeat of D1-FCS Davidson College
While the defeat of #8 nationally ranked Wingate in 2021 was a damn near impossible feat by a team playing their first full season, the accomplishment of a team in their fourth season of existence beating a team one level up in competition at their own place is unreal. I know that teams will periodically beat teams on the next level, but for a team to be in the position Barton in speaks VOLUMES to how much work the players, coaches, and the college administration has put in to get the program to this point to pick up a victory like this. It all starts with the players believing and making the decision to put the work in, to put their team ahead of themselves, and to simply believe. If you have the chance to go back and watch the broadcast from Davidson's side, do it.
This win put the Bulldogs 2-0 for the season with a lot of good mojo and momentum heading for SAC conference play.
STATS FOR THE GAME:
Passing: Jaquan Lynch 16/28, 285 yards, 1 TD
Rushing: Jordan Terrell 22 attempts, 140 net yards, 2 TD, avg 6.4/carry
Receiving: Jacquez Durham 4 rec, 141 yds; Jay Johnson 6 rec, 62 yds; Isaiah Jacobs 3 rec, 60 yds
Defensive Leaders:
Dereck Barringer 12 tackles
Keno Jones 12 tackes, 1 TFL
Matt Smith 9 tackles, 1 TFL
Shane Perry 9 tackles
Jay Wheeler 7 tackles, 2 pass breakups
Kermit Solomon 3 tackles, 1 INT
Connor Stanley 7 tackles
Mike Webb 7 tackles
Special Teams:
Bear Huggins Punting: 5 punts, 46.6 yards avg, Long of 55 yds
Bear Huggins Kicking: 62.7 yd avg kickoff, 2 TB, 3/5 PAT
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