FROSTBURG — Frostburg State had a top-20 defense last season, and it showed in the season opener against Millersville.
The Bobcats (1-0) only allowed one touchdown, and pitched a second-half shutout, leading to a 23-6 victory Thursday night at Bobcat Stadium.
“One great takeaway was that was Millersville’s second game and our first,” FSU head coach Eric Wagoner said. “So a lot of the mistakes we made, they might’ve had last week. We had 10 guys on the field for two punt returns, a slew of holding penalties. Just a couple operation pieces. But we got a victory. Winning in college football isn’t easy.”
Myles Fulton made his debut as the starting quarterback, and three plays into the opening drive produced the first highlight.
Fulton played for Old Mill in 2021 when Fort Hill upset the Class 4A school 28-13 in Cumberland.
On third-and-seven at the 18, he cut right and took it 43 yards to the Millersville 39.
Frostburg drove inside the five, and Fort Hill graduate Blake White caught a pass for a touchdown, but a holding penalty wiped it off.
White is listed at linebacker, but switched to running back within the past week.
“The thing about Blake White is, if you turn on his high school film, he can run,” Wagoner said. “He’s a good offensive player, everyone knew that and everyone wanted to see if he could do it defensively. We had a need on offense and said who’s the one guy we can move there, it was Blake. I’m just bummed about the touchdown getting called back.”
White was the area Player of the Year in 2021, rushing for 1,353 yards and 21 touchdowns while adding 103 tackles and 17 tackles for loss.
Three plays later, Owen Doyle punched it in from a yard out.
The Bobcats failed on the ensuing two-point conversion, keeping the score 6-0.
The Marauders (0-2) took over late in the first and converted three third downs, driving 59 yards.
Robert Footman Jr. found Titus Kruah from 13 yards out to tie the game.
On the extra point, several Bobcats jumped the snap, and Demetrius Salley, Jr. blocked the kick.
“That was great for the momentum, going in tied 6-6 looks a lot different than going in, guys getting all frustrated,” Wagoner said. “We knew he was gonna have a shot at it, we schemed it up, I think that was a very big turning point.”
The game remained tied at six going into halftime.
After the opening drive, Frostburg’s offense failed to generate much.
The next three drives all ended in three-and-outs, and the fourth stalled before crossing midfield.
“We score, and then we took a couple big shot plays,” Wagoner said. “I told our offense, we need to throw the ball down the field. Everyone’s gonna load the box if we don’t. And Myles just overthrows them, if we hit one of those, our offense is rolling.”
However, the Bobcats defense kept them in the game.
The Marauders had four drives in the first half. The first two led to punts, the third was the touchdown to Kruah, and the fourth ended on a DJ Denson interception.
In the first half. Frostburg held Millersville to 135 total yards.
Facing a fourth-and-three at the 38, Frostburg called timeout after initially sending the offense out.
Doyle took the direct snap on a fake punt for 13 yards and the first down, but Sean Aaron fumbled on the following play.
After the Bobcat defense forced another three-and-out, Frostburg only needed three plays to take the lead.
Jordan Marcucci caught a screen near the left sideline, and accelerated for 47 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s what we needed, we needed to take some wind out of their defensive sails,” Wagoner said. “The longer you let a defense hang around, they start believing in themselves. It gave us some breathing room and got the sideline and the home crowd the momentum.”
A fumbled snap on the extra point kept it 12-6.
The Bobcats took over in the final minute of the third, and three plays later faced third-and-13.
Fulton rolled right and fired deep to the right sideline, finding Trashaun Timmons for a first down and a 43-yard gain.
Fulton finished 17 of 25 for 188 yards and one touchdown with no picks.
“I’m so proud of Myles, that’s my roommate,” Doyle said. “I feel like he had a great game today, it’s the first game of many.”
A late hit on the sideline against Millersville put the ball at the 11, and two plays later, Doyle scored his second touchdown from a yard out.
Doyle led all players, rushing 16 times for 95 yards and two scores.
“It’s great when your running back is toting the ball like that,” Fulton said. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world.”
Frostburg went for two, and Fulton connected with Jeremiah Gibson on a slant, pushing the lead to 20-6.
The Marauders went three-and-out again on the ensuing drive, and after shanking the punt, the Bobcats took over at Millersville’s 37.
Facing fourth-and-five at the 32, a pass from Fulton to Gibson picked up five.
Initially it was ruled short, but a measurement gave Frostburg the first down by less than the length of a football.
After seven plays, the drive stalled and Brandon Keen hit a 23-yard field goal with just under two minutes left.
Yasir Holmes led the Bobcat defense with eight tackles including one for loss, adding a pass breakup and earning three quarterback pressures.
Frostburg’s defense held the Marauders to 188 total yards, while the offense put up 390.
“We were going against our defense all camp, we were making each other better for this game,” Doyle said. “The defense showed up tonight, we just gotta do a little better on our end.”
Footman Jr. finished 8 of 18 for 115 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also led Millersville in rushing with 46 yards on 14 attempts.
Frostburg heads to West Liberty on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m.