Nov 17, 2001
Final Stats
LEXINGTON, Va. -- Freshman quarterback Ramon Nelson completed 32 of 44 passes for a career-high 403 yards and four touchdowns to lead Samford to a come-from-behind 46-28 win over VMI Saturday at Alumni Field
Nelson's totals are second-best in school history, trailing Jimbo Fisher's 451 yards passing against Wingate in 1987. Nelson's attempts are also second-best in school history, trailing the 49 by Ben Wiggins against Troy State in 1991.
The Bulldogs trailed 28-18 at the half, but scored touchdowns on their first three possessions of the third quarter to take command of the period and outscored the Keydets, 28-0 in the third quarter.
Samford rolled up 578 yards of total offense and controlled the football for 36:24 of the game.
The Keydets opened a 21-12 lead with 5:30 left in the second quarter when sophomore slotback T.J. Snelling took a swing pass down the left sideline 60 yards for a touchdown.
Samford followed with an eight-play, 80-yard drive to cut the VMI lead to 21-18 with :50 left in the half, but the Keydets answered when return man Kevin Solomon took the ensuing kickoff back 86 yards for a touchdown 37 seconds before halftime.
"I think that we were a little bit lacking in the first half," said Samford Interim Head Coach Bill Gray. "We challenged out players at halftime and told them that they would remember this half of football for the rest of their lives. The kids responded by making some great plays including special teams."
Solomon fumbled the ensuing kickoff and the Bulldogs recovered at the VMI 28-yard line. One play later, Nelson threaded a seam pass to Adrian Horstead at the goal line in full stride, putting Samford up for good, 32-28.
The Bulldogs scored on their next possession on a five-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 52-yard rouchdown pass to Aryvia Holmes. The scoring strike came on a third-and-14 situation, capping a string of three Samford touchdowns over a span of 3:47.
VMI marched to the Bulldog five-yard line late in the third quarter, but had the drive stall on downs when the Keydets failed to convert a fourth-and-one on a quarterback sneak. Samford took over and sophomore fullback Jason Ogletree ripped a 60-yard run on the first play from scrimmage to the VMI 35-yard line. Nelson hooked up with senior back Gary Reed one play later for a 35-yard scoring pass with :33 left in the period for the final lead of 46-28.
Samford piled up 295 yards in the third quarter.
Samford's Holmes tied an Alumni Memorial Field Record with 11 catches for 176 yards receiving. That total gives him 1,062 yards receiving for the season, a Samford single-season record, and his 74 receptions just improve the single season record which he set earlier this season. He just missed his career mark of 12 catches for 177 yards set on Nov. 3 against Elon.
Ogletree finished with 161 yards on 21 carries, also a new career high for the sophomore.
VMI opened the scoring on its first drive of the game with a 4-yard end around touchdown run by Kevin Solomon.
The Bulldogs scored with 3:03 left in the first quarter on a Gary Reed 1-yard run, but the extra point was missed by placekicker Chip Walters following a high snap.
Samford took its first lead of the game with 12:37 left in the second quarter when Gary Reed scored on a 1-yard run to put the Bulldogs up, 12-7. A third-down pass and run by Ogletree to the VMI four keyed the drive. The two-point conversion pass attempt failed.
VMI regained the lead, 14-12, when quarterback Joey Gibson engineered an 11-play, 61-yard drive that ended in a 7-yard slant pass to wideout John Puvogel with 8:33 remaining in the half. VMI passed for a season-high 343 yards, but was limited to a season-low 17 yards rushing. Sophomore wideout John Puvogel led the Keydets with 10 catches for 82 yards and a touchdown.
