Panther football has kicked off a unique season.
Amid major renovations to the Panther Pit, on Aug. 22 they began their regular season, hosting Murphy at Western Carolina University. In their first of five “home” games scheduled at WCU, Franklin fell 29-16.
Murphy came out firing after receiving the opening kickoff, posting a 32-yard run on third-and-2 in their opening series. The Bulldogs scored six plays later with a four-yard run on second-and-goal.
Franklin answered on the kickoff moments later, clearing the lane for a 41-yard return by Gabe Harrison to midfield. From there they drove the remaining 51 yards in nine plays, tying the game on a 13-yard run by quarterback Anderson Terrell.
Both defenses traded stops for the next few possessions, including three tackles for loss and a forced turnover on downs by Franklin.
Facing fourth-and-6 near midfield, Terrell sent a booming punt to the Murphy 6, where Franklin forced a Bulldog three-and-out with tackles for no gain from linebackers Addix Sutton and Garrett Young. On fourth-and-6 Murphy lined up to punt from their own 10, but the snap sailed over the punter’s head and across the end line for a safety. Franklin defended their 9-7 lead through the last two minutes of the first half.
Franklin’s return team cleared another wide lane for Harrison to start the second, who returned the kickoff 34 yards to the Panther 40. From there the Panthers mounted a steady ground-and-pound drive, marching 58 yards on 11 straight runs including nine by Young. On second-and-goal from the 2, Sutton scored on yet another run up the middle to put his team ahead 16-7.
Both teams traded stops for the next two possessions, culminating in a Franklin punt early in the fourth quarter. On first-and-10 at midfield Murphy broke free for a 42-yard run to the Panther 8. The Bulldogs scored two plays later to cut their deficit to 16-14.
Murphy’s offense stayed hot on their next possession, breaking free for another big run of 23 yards on their first play from scrimmage. From there Murphy drove the final 36 yards in eight plays, scoring on a three-yard run up the middle on first-and-goal. They added a run to the right for a two-point conversion to take a 22-16 lead with 3:45 to play.
Disaster struck the Panthers moments later, when they fumbled the subsequent kickoff near their own 25. Murphy recovered and drove 22 yards in five plays to extend their lead with 2:22 remaining. They defended their 29-16 advantage to the horn.
“I saw a Murphy team get behind and refuse to lose,” said Panther head coach Josh Brooks after the game. “When it mattered the most, they took it to us – it’s very disappointing. We had numerous opportunities in the game to get control of it; we didn’t do that. They’ve got a solid team, but we’re still looking to find that way to get over the hump.”
Despite the result, Friday’s game provided an important litmus test for Franklin, both in the logistics of their nomadic season and preparing for their conference schedule. With their first “home away from home” game in the books, Brooks said the team would continue seeking their first win.
“I know it was a good opportunity from talking to [Murphy head coach Joseph Watson] – they felt blessed to be a part of that,” said Brooks of playing in a major collegiate stadium. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve got to get a bunch of things fixed if we want to start being successful, so we’ll go back to work on Monday.”
After falling to Murphy Franklin prepared for another nonconference game, planning a trip to Robbinsville Aug. 29.