Barton’s Tay Long (9) runs with the ball during a game against West Virginia State on Sept. 5 at Truist Stadium. Sheldon Vick | Special to the Times
After a loss they’d like to forget but will definitely remember, the Barton College Bulldogs hope to get back in the win column Saturday, Sept. 28, as an ambitious first-year Anderson University football team comes to Truist Stadium.
The Trojans started play this season and won their first two games before a 52-5 setback against Limestone in their NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference debut last week.
Barton (1-2) dropped its final SAC opener last week, 41-0 to Emory & Henry in the first-ever meeting with the Wasps. That is the second-highest margin of defeat for the Bulldogs since reviving football in the spring of 2021 from a 71-year absence.
This is the first home game for Barton since a 27-24 loss to West Virginia State to open the season Sept. 5. The Bulldogs followed that with a 24-20 victory at Chowan on Sept. 14 before last week’s wipeout at Emory & Henry.
Saturday’s kickoff at Truist Stadium will be at 2 p.m.
The Trojans of head coach Bobby Lamb battered St. Andrews 51-14 in a historic opening win. The Knights, once members of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference with Barton and Anderson, are now NAIA members. Anderson then whipped NCAA Div. III LaGrange 44-14 on Sept. 21. This will be the first road game for the Trojans.
Anderson has a balanced offense that holds onto the ball. The Trojans have thrown two interceptions but haven’t lost a fumble while forcing six turnovers on defense.
Monz Campbell and J.B. Sheay Jr. lead the AU rushing attack while quarterback Tyler Wesley has thrown for 598 yards and five touchdowns.
Barton will look to upgrade its ground game from its current 3.4 yards per carry while opening up its passing game. Bulldogs quarterback Trevor Nored is a respectable 39-of-75 passing for 448 yards but has thrown three interceptions and no touchdowns.
Sophomore running back Tay Long ran for a career-high 137 yards against Chowan but was injured in the game and didn’t play at Emory & Henry last week.
Barton’s four turnovers are one more than it has forced while the defense is giving up nearly 30 points and close to 400 yards of offense per game.
Linebacker Matt Smith has been a ubiquitous presence for the Bulldogs defense with 9.7 tackles per game that ranks No. 3 in the SAC.
After Saturday’s game, Barton goes on the road for consecutive Saturdays before returning to Truist on Oct. 19 against traditional SAC heavyweight Lenoir-Rhyne.
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