ST. LOUIS, Mo.--Cumberland jumped out of the gate with a great first half, but Missouri Baptist answered with three touchdowns in the third quarter to get back in it. The Phoenix fended off the late run to get the season opening win on the road 35-28.

Cumberland (1-0) came out guns blazing in the first half putting up 364 yards of offense in the first two quarters. The Phoenix ended the game with 411 yards of total offense, 225 on the ground and 186 through the air. 

Quarterback Luke Holloway was sharp in the opener accounting for three touchdowns. In the air, Holloway completed 10-of-18 passes for 186 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed for 54 and two scores. Jeremiah Bryant had 11 rushes for 89 yards including a 74 yard score. Tim Freel was the leading receiver with one catch for 73 yards and a touchdown. 

On the defensive end, Dez Wallace and Boston Follis led the way in tackles with seven each. Derek Taylor had four with a sack and Joey Samples scooped up a fumble for a touchdown. 

Missouri Baptist had less than 100 yards of offense in the first, but were sparked by big plays to finish with 371. Quarterback Jordan Simpson completed 15-of-34 passes for 207 yards with one touchdown and one pick. Lionel Banks rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Joseph White caught six passes for 120 yards and one score. 

Cumberland started the season off extremely well. The Phoenix held Missouri Baptist to a three-and-out defensively on their first drive. Cumberland's second snap of the game, Jeremiah Bryant got outside for a 74-yard touchdown score to open up a quick 7-0 lead. 

After another quick drive for Missouri Baptist, the Phoenix went 72 yards to find paydirt again. This time quarterback Luke Holloway scampered for the score to push Cumberland up 14-0 at the end of the first. 

Cumberland started the second quarter by forcing a three-and-out taking over on their-own nine yard line. Five plays later, Holloway tossed a bomb over the middle to Tim Freel for a 73-yard touchdown score and a 21-0 lead. 

The Spartans would get on the board with a 28-yard field goal from Jonah Cox, but Cumberland would answer again on an 11-play drive orchestrated by Holloway. Holloway would scamper in to score for a 28-3 lead at the break. 

The second half was a completely different story. Cumberland received the ball on the kick and went three-and-out. The Spartans used that momentum from the stop to go 12 plays and70 yards to score on an eight yard rush by Banks making the score 28-10.

The next Cumberland drive stalled out forcing a CU punt. Banks got a loose again to go 68 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The Spartans went for two and converted it to make it a 10-point game 28-18. 

On the second play of Cumberland's offensive possession, Holloway throw a slant that bounced off the hands of tight end Jackson Gibson and ricocheted right to Lee Levingston III for the interception. With all the momentum, Simpson throw a 22-yard touchdown on the next play to erupt the Missouri Baptist sideline bringing it to a three-point ball game to end the third quarter, 28-25. 

Missouri Baptist had the ball to start the fourth and were eying a chance to take the lead for the first time in the game. The Phoenix got two big plays back-to-back to finally make something go their way in the second half. Derek Taylor came up for a big sack and the next play, Joey Samples scooped and scored a 33-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown to put  the Phoenix back up 10. 

The Spartans would add a field goal late and elected to kick it deep. Cumberland forced Missouri Baptist into taking their final two timeouts and picked up a first down to seal the victory.

Cumberland will be on the road next Saturday for week two against Union College with a noon kick-off.