By Devin McCullough
The Braves opened up their season Saturday, August 30th, at Wingate University on a beautiful sunny evening in a clash of familiar foes. The Braves home opener last season was against Wingate at home. The game went down to the wire in thrilling fashion with the Braves losing 17-12.
These two non-conference programs have a true disdain for each other, being only 80 miles apart. The intensity was riled up from the beginning of warm-ups from both teams, including coaches. From kickoff, officials attempted to set the tone, which ended up costing the Braves early on their first drive which was on offense.
The Braves entered the game with Marcus Martin, who won the starting quarterback job in the spring after sitting out last season as a redshirt. On an early 3rd down and eight in the first drive of the game, Martin was able to show off his mobility with a scramble, picking up 11 yards and a first down. The very next play, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was called on wide receiver Que Kennedy that aided in the Braves being forced to punt.
Wingate opened up with a balanced attack on their opening drive in a game where rushing yards were hard to come by for both teams. Wingate finished the drive with a 42-yard field goal to take the first lead of the game, capping off a 12-play drive in which the Bulldogs converted two 4th downs. Wingate leads 3-0.
On the Braves next offensive drive, Marcus Martin was intercepted on 3rd and 5, across the middle on a run-pass option in which the Bulldogs were able to set themselves up with great field position on a 15-yard return. The Bulldogs are in Braves territory with only 15 yards to reach the endzone. The Bulldogs would run it in 2 plays later to go up 10-0.
The Braves would feature their new addition from the transfer portal, running back Joel Felder, as he caught two passes on this drive, the second being a screen pass, in which he reversed the field and gained 45 yards. This set the Braves up at the Bulldogs 23-yard line, which led to two plays later, Martin throwing across the middle to Que Kennedy for the Braves first touchdown of the season from 15 yards out. The Braves pull closer 10-7.
The Bulldogs looked very comfortable on their next offensive possession, with chunk plays through the air and on the ground that led to an 18-yard passing touchdown at the top of the second quarter, stretching their lead to 17-7 with 14:08 remaining in the first half.
The Braves next drive emphasized the run game, six plays straight gaining yards on the ground, but the drive would stall out, and the Braves would be forced to punt. Throughout the majority of the second quarter, both teams earned everything they got, but punts were exchanged by both teams, with the Bulldogs having an opportunity to extend their lead by three before the half, but missed from 45 yards out. The Bulldogs led 17-7 at halftime.
The Bulldogs opened the second half with the ball, where they gained some ground; however, it still led to a punt. The Braves first drive of the second half was three and out.
The Bulldogs following drive had great position at their own 42-yard line. Two huge chunk plays through the air, along with a personal foul penalty on a vicious hit that wasn’t ruled targeting, set the Bulldogs up with another touchdown through the air from 15 yards out.
The Braves were stagnant throughout the entire third quarter, and with about 2 minutes left, Head Coach Mark Hall decided to make a quarterback change by substituting in Tre Robinson.
A spark was lit for the Braves offense with the change, as Robinson delivered a rocket out of the pocket to Jaquan Albright, and then to Malik Brown for massive gains of 29 and 28-yard receptions on Robinson’s first drive at quarterback. Robinson would run it in 2-plays later to edge the Braves closer at the start of the 4th quarter, 24-14.
The next possession, the Braves needed to get off the field but allowed the Bulldogs to sustain the drive in the Braves territory, but the Braves held the Bulldogs from the redzone and forced the Bulldogs to settle for 3 points and extend the lead once again, 27-14 with 10 minutes left in the game.
Robinson led the Braves on another touchdown drive on the next possession, utilizing all his talents, throwing and running to lead the Braves on a 10-play 75-yard drive. Robinson delivered a strike to Malik Brown, who made the catch of the day in the back of the endzone to make it a one-possession game, 27-21, with 6:30 on the game clock.
The Braves defense couldn’t get off the field to give their offense another chance to take the lead late in the 4th. The Bulldogs would take it all the way down into their territory and get a field goal from 42 yards out to stretch the lead to a two-possession game, and essentially ending the game with a final score of 30-21, in the Bulldogs favor.
Tre Robinson finished 11 of 19 for 162 yards with a touchdown on the ground and through the air. Marcus Martin finished 7 of 17 for 93 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Robinson was also the leading rusher for the Braves with 54 yards.