GAME NOTES
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The 13
th-ranked Samford football team will host the 24
th-ranked Furman Paladins in a key Southern Conference contest Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.
Samford enters the game with a record of 7-3 overall and 5-2 in SoCon games. The Bulldogs are coming off a 42-7 homecoming win over ETSU last Saturday. If Samford can earn a win against Furman, it would help the Bulldogs' chances of earning an at-large bid to next week's NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs.
"Defensively, we played lights out," Samford head coach
Chris Hatcher said of last week's win. "Offensively, we were as efficient as we've been all season, especially in the first half. We hung on to the ball, we made plays when we needed to, and on special teams, we won the field position battle. It was a great win for our team, and we needed a win like that."
Furman is currently 7-3 overall and 6-1 in league games. The Paladins are coming off a 56-20 win over The Citadel Saturday. A Furman win Saturday would give the Paladins a share of the SoCon title with Wofford.
"They're explosive in all areas," Hatcher said of the Paladins. "Their coach has done a tremendous job of getting their team turned around. They're a force to be reckoned with. They're very diverse in what they do offensively, and defensively, they're solid. They're as good of a football as we've played since Wofford."
Samford and Furman are meeting for the 20th time, with Furman holding a 10-9 advantage in the series. The teams met last season on Oct. 8, 2016, with the Bulldogs earning a 38-21 win in Greenville, S.C.
Saturday's game will be the final regular-season home game for the 16 seniors on Samford's roster. The group will be honored in a pre-game ceremony. Hatcher said the group has done a lot for Samford football.
"These guys have really worked extremely hard," Hatcher said. "They're the backbone of our team. They've been great leaders, and they've helped change the culture for Samford football, and they've been playing really well. When their time comes to hang the cleats up, they'll be greatly missed."
Saturday's game will be televised live on the Stadium Network, and will be shown locally on WABM-My 68. The contest can be seen online at the following link:
WATCH LIVE. To purchase tickets for the contest, click here:
FURMAN GAME TICKETS.
