LEBANON, Tenn. – Jared White’s 33-yard field goal gave Cumberland the lead and Mitch Reynolds caught a 28-yard touchdown pass on the next possession, giving the 20th-ranked Bulldogs a 29-18 victory over Union College Saturday at Lindsey Donnell Stadium-Kirk Field.

Cumberland (7-2, 3-1 Mid-South) scored 13 points in the fourth quarter, erasing an 18-14 deficit and overcoming a myriad of mistakes and penalties that nearly cost the Bulldogs a victory. The biggest play of the game may have been a 67-yard punt from CU’s Tyler Emmetts over the head of Union’s Willie McGarvey late in the third quarter.

The ball bounced toward the end zone and McGarvey made the mistake of picking it up at the two yard line. Two plays later Ben Miller tackled Chandler Priest for a safety, setting up the drive that turned into the winning points.

Cumberland drove 41 yards in five plays before White booted a 33-yarder that put the Bulldogs ahead for good, 19-18. For her efforts White was named the Music City Star of the Game.

Cumberland forced a punt on Union’s next possession, including Simon Moriarty’s third down sack, the only one of the game for the Bulldogs.

CU embarked on an eight-play, 51-yard drive that ate up 4:04 of the clock, capped by Reynolds’ 28-yard catch from Curt Bureau, a site adjustment on the route by the two seniors that put the Bulldogs ahead, 28-16.

Union (5-4, 2-2) fumbled on the next possession, caused by Miller and BJ Stewart and recovered by Todd Holman. Cumberland took the next drive just 23 yards but used 3:49 of the clock, with White booting a 34-yard field goal with 1:08 remaining to seal the victory.

Reynolds caught five passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns, both career-highs in yards and TDs. Bureau finished 18-of-25 for 193 yards and two scores.

The Bulldogs ran 75 plays for 366 yards and once again, the CU defense limited a high-powered offense to a portion of its season averages. Union entered the game averaging 500 yards and 45 points per game but recorded just 241 total yards and 18 points.

Cumberland fumbled once inside the five yard line in the third quarter and also had a long touchdown pass called back because of a holding penalty later in the period. The defense also got a third down stop on the Union drive after the holding penalty, but unsportsmanlike conduct kept Union’s drive alive, one they turned into a touchdown that gave the visitors the lead.

Cumberland took the opening possession of the game and marched 71 yards on 10 plays, taking 6:30 off the clock. On 3rd-and-10, the Bulldogs caught Union overloaded to the right and threw the screen back the other way to the big tight end, Reynolds, who had just one defender and two blockers between him and the goal line. Reynolds rumbled in from 20 yards out for the score, his second TD catch of the season.

After forcing Union’s second punt of the game, CU again methodically drove down the field for another score, this time taking 15 plays and covering 83 yards. The drive took almost seven minutes, with Thomas Goodloe lowering his head and running over a defensive back for a two-yard score and a 14-0 Bulldog advantage five minutes into the second quarter.

Union was finally able to get on the board later in the period with a peculiar 13-play drive that covered just 37 yards but took nearly eight minutes. Cumberland held inside the red zone, forcing a 32-yard field goal from Chad Boyington with 2:49 remaining in the half.

Cumberland drove inside the Union 30 after taking the kickoff, but a holding penalty backed up the Bulldogs and White’s 44-yard field goal into a very stiff wind came up just short, giving CU a 14-3 advantage at intermission.

Union’s Marcus McGinnis was hurt just over a minute into the third period, causing a 20-minute delay, and the injury seemed to fire up his teammates. Union drove 73 yards in six plays on its first drive of the quarter, capped by a two-yard TD run from Armond Smith. Union ran the old swinging gate, converting the point-after for two and cutting the Cumberland lead to 14-11.

Union took advantage of the unsportsmanlike penalty later in the period, driving 74 yards on six plays, with Mike Brinkley hitting P.J. Burrowes for a 19-yard scoring pass, giving the visitors an 18-14 advantage.

Union managed only one net yard on its next three possessions, starting with the safety, before the final drive of the contest with the game out of reach.

Cumberland plays its final home game of the season next Saturday against Belhaven University at Noon at Lindsey Donnell Stadium-Kirk Field. Eighteen seniors will be honored before the game as part of Senior Day activities.