BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Quarterback Ramon Nelson passed for three touchdowns and running back Jason Ogletree rushed for two scores to lead Samford to a 43-36 win over Elon University in NCAA Division I-AA football Saturday.

Nelson completed 19 of 33 passes for 265 yards, all career highs, and rushed for another 82 to total 347 yards of offense. Nelson hit Gary Reed on scoring passes of 13 and 11 yards and Aryvia Holmes on a 48-yard touchdown strike. Reed's 11-yard scoring reception with 7:04 left in the game gave Samford the lead for good. Holmes' 12 receptions for 177 yards gave him the school record for receptions in a game and in a season (54).

Ogletree scored on runs of 27 and 24 yards, gaining a season-high 155 yards on 24 carries. The sophomore back from Birmingham improved on his previous career-best of 124 yards set last weekend against Tennessee-Martin, and has rushed for 439 yards and five scores in the last three games.

Running back John Williams scored Samford's other touchdown on a 4-yard run.

Chip Walters booted a 34-yard field goal and four extra points for Samford, which won its third game in a row under interim head coach Bill Gray.

Elon's trio of quarterbacks was effective, as Larry Burney scored on runs of 65 and one yards, C.W. Singletary added a 54-yard strike to Arketa Banks and a 1-yard scoring run and James Murdaugh tossed a 48-yard pass to Chris Russomanno for the other score. William Rawls kicked four extra points and a Singletary two-point conversion rounded out the Phoenix scoring.

The game was a shootout, with Samford holding the largest lead of the game, 36-22, with 3:17 remaining in the third quarter. The teams amassed a combined 965 yards of offense, but Elon's only lead came at 7-6 late in the first quarter. The game was tied at 15, at 22 at the half and 36, midway through the final quarter.

Samford totaled 511 yards and 25 first downs, Elon 445 yards and 19 first downs. It was the first 500-yard effort for the Bulldogs since Sept. 11, 1999, when Samford totaled 546 yards against Austin Peay in a 51-0 blowout win.

Samford returns to action on Nov. 10, traveling to Richmond, Ky., to face No. 25 Eastern Kentucky at Noon (CST).

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