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Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

FMU player
Charles Bethel Jr.
17
Union College UNION 1-4
41
Winner Florida Memorial FMU 1-7
Union College UNION
1-4
17
Final
41
Florida Memorial FMU
1-7
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
UNION Union College 7 0 0 10 17
FMU Florida Memorial 7 14 7 13 41

Game Recap: Football | | J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

FMU Makes History, Tops Union College 41-17 For First Football Victory In 63 Years

MIAMI – History made.
 
Florida Memorial University's football program earned it first victory in over 63 years Saturday and did so in dominant fashion, breaking or setting multiple modern-era program records – including points scored and total offensive yards – in its 41-17 win over visiting Union College (Ky.) at Nathaniel "Traz" Powell Stadium.
 
The Lions' 41 points set the new program-best for points scored in a single and set the mark for largest margin of victory (24 points); they also broke the previous record for total offensive yards with the 488 yards they racked up against the Bulldogs' defense along with setting a new best for most total rushing yards with 318.
 
Florida Memorial also tied its previous season-high for interceptions in a single game with three.
 
However, the most gratifying achievement from Saturday was the victory – the first win for Florida Memorial's football program since it was "rebirthed" in 2020 and the school's first football victory since 1958. Prior to its 62-year hiatus, the last football game played by the Lions was a 14-8 win over Albany State in 1958. The University, then called Florida Normal and Industrial Institute, competed in the Southeastern Athletic Conference. From 1945-58 the team finished with an all-time record of 41 wins, 25 loses and six ties with a break in the 1949 season.
 
While it was a 63-year drought for the university, it was a 10-game drought that spanned across two seasons for the Lions' players and coaches that came to an end Saturday – and they reveled in it.
 
After freshman running back Amir Brown recorded the longest rushing touchdown and longest rush in FMU football modern-era history with his 67-yard scamper that put the Lions ahead 41-17 with just under three minutes to play, the players jumped around and shared hugs and high-fives as the time ticked off the clock and they were able to douse Florida Memorial head coach Tim "Ice" Harris with water as the final seconds expired.
 
Harris enjoyed the impromptu victory shower, hugging players and coaches as well while the nearly 250 fans cheered.
 
"It's an awesome feeling," Harris said with a big grin. "It's something that we've been waiting for…we've been waiting on that game where everything came together and it pops. I felt the defense created it on the first drive. Offensively, the run game went well for us – something we've been searching for consistently all season – and then we hit big plays in the passing game. Today things just came together."
 
"We want to rally off of this momentum. In my mind, I feel good about everything but I'm also thinking about coaching the next play, coaching the next situation to make sure that we really gain something from this momentum and create momentum moving forward," Harris added.
 
Florida Memorial (1-7) did find plenty of success running the ball Saturday; whether it was using the run game to help sustain and elongate drives – as it did for the Lions' first touchdown drive of the day, which was capped by a 10-yard scoring reception by Markell Lee to tie the game at seven late in the first quarter – or if it was punctuating drives with touchdown runs, something the Lions did four times Saturday.
 
George Young led all rushers with 135 yards and two touchdowns. Young's total also set a new individual career high and broke his previous record (93 rushing yards) for most rushing yards in a single game. Brown had 87 yards and a TD on 5 carries and Marcus Barthell finished with 32 yards.
 
Quarterback Demarcus McEachern, who was making his second career collegiate start Saturday, had an efficient and effective day under center. The freshman completed 8-of-14 passes for 170 yards with two touchdowns and ran for 22 yards an 8-yard fourth-quarter touchdown that put Florida Memorial, which will travel to face Ave Maria University next Saturday, ahead 35-14 with 8:42 left to play.
 
FMU's defense also flexed its muscle a bit. After giving up a 93-yard touchdown run to Union College (1-4) in the first quarter, the Lions defense held the Bulldogs scoreless through the second and third quarters – creating three turnovers in the process. Defensive backs Favion Harden, Darius Conley, and Terry Smith all got their hands on errant Union passes with Harden's putting an end to a Bulldogs late second-quarter drive that appeared prime to produce points – as he picked off a Jake Medders pass in the end zone on a fourth and goal play, preserving Florida Memorial's 21-7 lead.
 
Also, FMU registered 5 sacks Saturday – a new modern-era single-game record – from five different defenders. Denorio Humes, Philman Roundtree, Quaylen Hill, Kareem Roberts, and Lemroy Lawrence all recorded sacks while linebacker Joshua Mimms led the team with 10 total tackles. Humes finished with 8 total tackles to go along with his sack, and Antwan Davis had 5 total tackles.
 
For all that went right and for all the joy that was felt by the Lions Saturday, Coach Harris gave a speech to his team following the game challenging them to not just be satisfied with the taste of victory but to use the historic win as motivation to increase their hunger for more success on and off the field.
 
"We just have to continue to stay together as a team," Harris said. "We have to rally around this momentum because this is the momentum that we've been waiting for. We just have to make sure that it wasn't a one-hit wonder."
 
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