FRANKLIN, Ind. – The Franklin College football team kicked off the 2023 season on Saturday (Sept. 2) afternoon on their home turf, hosting the Olivet Comets in front of a rowdy Faught Stadium crowd.
 
The Grizzlies (0-1) traded blows with the Comets (1-0) for all four quarters, but turnovers and big plays proved to be the edge the visitors needed as Olivet held on to win 35-32.
 
How it Happened
The Comets scored their first touchdown just three plays into the game and added a second touchdown late in the first period, but the Grizzlies used a big play of their own to get on the board with 26 seconds to go in the first when Malachi Joy hauled in a 51-yard touchdown from Kai Ross. Franklin turned to the big play to get their second score of the day when Garrett Cora took a screen pass 54 yards to the house late in the first half, and the Grizzlies went into the half down 14-13 with a blocked extra point the difference.
 
Franklin took their first lead of the day with three minutes to go in the third thanks to a 32-yard connection from Ross to Joy to make it 19-14, but the Comets answered one play after with a long touchdown to take the lead right back at 22-19, which is where the teams stood to start the fourth.
 
A botched snap on an Olivet punt attempt put Franklin at the Comet five midway through the fourth and Cora punched in his second score of the day to make it 26-22 with 6:35 to play. Olivet answered with another long score less than a minute later, but Cora again cut through the defense on a screen pass to go 64 yards to the house and make it 32-28 with 3:52 to play.
 
But the visitors had another answer in the form of a long touchdown pass and Franklin's late comeback bid was denied by a pair of Comet interceptions on the Grizzlies' final two possessions.
 
Inside the Box Score
-Cora finished the day with 165 all-purpose yards and three scores, leading the Grizzlies with 121 receiving yards and 44 yards on the ground to go along with his three scores.
-Joy caught four balls for 103 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career.
-Kai Ross went 20-for-36 through the air for 301 yards and four scores.
-Beau Hess topped the defense with 11 tackles, followed by nine from newcomer Hayden Kermode.
 
Up Next
Franklin plays their final home non-conference game of the year next Saturday (Sept. 9), hosting Aurora University. Kick-off from Faught Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m.