A Look at Today’s Opponent: Samford

u The Samford Bulldogs are 1-1 on the season after drubbing Tennessee Tech, 52-14, at home in their season opener before suffering a 33-27 setback at UT Martin last Saturday ... the Bulldogs forced five turnovers against UTM – three interceptions and two fumbles – in the loss, squandering a 17-0 first-quarter lead as the Skyhawks outscored the 'Dogs, 33-10, over the final three frames; u Samford comes to Cullowhee boasting the SoCon's second-best scoring offense (39.5 points per game) with the league's best passing attack at 293.5 yards per game through the air ... Combined, Samford is fifth in total offense through two games this season at 364.5 yards per game that includes ranking ninth in rushing with just 71.0 yards per game to date ... the Bulldogs also lead the league in turnover margin at +4; u Nine total Samford players were named to the two preseason All-SoCon teams ... QB LIAM WELCH was joined on the first team by OL GAVIN ORR, WR TY KING, DL ARMOND LLOYD, DB CHRIS EDMONDS and return specialist MONTRELL WASHINGTON ... Samford's second team members were TE MICHAEL VICE, WR A .J . TONEY and LB TRIMARCUS CHEEKS. u Samford was picked SECOND in the SoCon preseason coaches poll, receiving two first-place votes to finish just behind first-place Chattanooga ... the Bulldogs were tabbed in a tie for third in the preseason media voting behind UTC and VMI; u Guiding Samford's pass-happy "Hatch Attack" offense is graduate QB LIAM WELCH (pictured below), who started six of Samford's seven games a season ago and was named first-team All-Southern Conference and co-Offensive Player of the Year ... Welch was selected both an All-American and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award in the spring 2021; u Echoing the postseason plaudits from the spring, Welch was also the SoCon's preseason Offensive Player of the Year this fall, while being dubbed preseason All-America and on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award; u Welch was named to the preseason watch list for the College Football Performance Awards FCS Performer of the Year Trophy back in late August 2021; u Samford's football roster also includes one of the most dynamic play-makers in the Southern Conference – senior WR MONTRELL WASHINGTON; u Washington earned Southern Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors back on Sept. 6 after amassing 245 all-purpose yards including 69 yards on punt returns with a 62yard return for a touchdown ... He also caught seven passes for 128 yards, rushed once for 26 yards, and had two kickoff returns for 22 yards in the win over Tennessee Tech; u Washington was additionally honored as the Stats Perform National Special Teams Player of the Week following the 52-14, season-opening win over the Golden Eagles; u Among the leaders returning for the Bulldog defense is safety CHRIS EDMONDS (pictured below) ... Edmonds was a two-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Week in the spring 2021 and led the league with four interceptions, garnering All-America honors; u Edmonds was named to the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award which goes to the top defensive player in all of FCS football, Stats Perform; u DID YOU KNOW: The late Bobby Bowden, who gained much of his notoriety as the head football coach at West Virginia and Florida State, was a Howard College – now Samford University – alum and Hall of Famer ... Bowden played on the freshman team at Alabama in 1948 before transferring to Samford where he played from 1949 to 1952, and earned All-America honors in 1952 as a quarterback ... While serving as head coach at his alma mater from 1959 to 1962, Bowden amassed a record of 31-6, posting the highest winning percentage of any coach in school history.

Location: .....................Birmingham, Ala. Founded: ............................... 1841 Enrollment: ............................ 5,642 Colors: ....................... Navy Blue & Red Conference: ........................ Southern Facility (Capacity): ....... Seibert Stadium (6,700) President: ................... Dr. Beck A. Taylor Athletics Director: .............. Martin Newton Head Coach: ..... Chris Hatcher (Valdosta State, 1994) Record at SAM:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37-30 (7th yr) Overall Record: ............... 158-87 (22nd yr) Basic Offense: ........................Spread Basic Defense: ........................... 4-3

Sept. 2 Tennessee Tech

W, 52-14 Sept. 11 at UT Martin L, 33-27

Sept. 25 ETSU 3 pm ET Oct. 2 at Mercer 6 pm ET Oct. 16 at Wofford 1:30 pm ET Oct. 23 Chattanooga 1 pm ET Oct. 30 at VMI 1:30 pm ET Nov. 6 The Citadel 3 pm ET Nov. 13 at Florida TBA Nov. 20 Furman 1 pm ET