The Blue Jays had to wait a while, but Westminster finally kicked off its season Saturday at Sewanee (Tenn).
Westminster took a sizable advantage through the first three quarters with a 30-9 lead and then held off a 20-point fourth-quarter rally by Sewanee to win 30-29.
Taylor Dobbins led the offense with 169 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 22 carries, but the longest run of the day happened in the second quarter when Robert Anthony returned a fumbled 2-point attempt 98 yards that could've given Sewanee the lead but actually gave Westminster (1-0) a 9-6 lead.
Both teams went scoreless in the first quarter before Dobbins broke loose for an 81-yard run for the games and the 2021-22 Blue Jays' first touchdown. Sewanee's Cyrus McCullough caught his first of three touchdown passes - part of his five catches for 94 yards - to set up the fateful fumble by McCullough at the two-yard line.
Wyatt Ellis threw his first touchdown pass of the season to Trey King to cap off a four-play, 80-yard drive with less than two minutes left in the half. Sewanee made it within field goal range to stay within one possession at 16-9 going into halftime.
Ellis and Dobbins would take turns running the ball up the field on Westminster's second drive of the half until Ellis ran it in from seven yards out to make it 23-7.
Sewanee (0-2) tried to run the ball on the first play of the next drive but fumbled it leading to a Blue Jay short field. Westminster wouldn't squander the opportunity as Dobbins ran it from two yards out to make it 30-9.
The start of the fourth quarter saw the beginning of the Sewanee comeback. The Tigers took the ball into Westminster territory to end the third quarter before McCullough caught a 41-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage in the fourth to make it 30-16.
The Blue Jays did bring the ball withing field-goal range for Tim Branneky, but the attempt was blocked. The Tigers then took it 8-plays for 80 yards and another touchdown catch by McCullough, making it 30-23.
Sure-handed so far, Dobbins fumbled the ball on Westminster's second play of the next drive in Blue Jay territory. Sewanee's George Morrice then broke loose for a 30-yard touchdown to bring the Tigers within one, leading to their second 2-point conversion attempt. For the second time, McCullough fumbled the ball for no conversion, and Westminster couldn't return it for another two of its own.
Not much could be generated offensively in the final eight minutes for either team until Sewanee's final drive that saw them at the Blue Jay 26 to set up a possible game-winning field goal with 13 seconds on the game clock. The kick missed to the left, and Westminster survived to pick up its first win.
The Blue Jays are scheduled to have their home opener at 1 p.m. Saturday against Rhodes (0-2).