Sept. 27, 2003

Final Stats| Photo Gallery

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford quarterback Ray Nelson was 22-35 for 246 yards, threw for three touchdowns, and ran for a pair of touchdowns as the Bulldogs defeated Southeast Missouri State 41-31 in their Ohio Valley Conference debut in front of 4,258 at Seibert Stadium Saturday night.

Samford (3-1, 1-0 OVC) jumped on top early when Ray Nelson hit Adrian Horstead on an 11-yard touchdown pass with 9:08 left in the first quarter. Ty Neil added the extra point to make the score 7-0. Brandon Moorehead blocked a punt on SEMO's next possession setting the Bulldogs up at the SEMO 22-yard line. Nelson punched the ball in on a four-yard run at the 3:14 mark in the opening period. Neil added the point to make the score 14-0.

The Indians (0-5, 0-1 OVC) got on the board with a three-yard touchdown run by David Taufoou with 13 seconds left in the first quarter. The point after by Derek Kutz cut the Bulldog lead in half 14-7.

Nelson hit Ossie Buchannon on a 34-yard touchdown pass with 12:05 to go in the second quarter to finish a seven play, 79 yard drive to make it 21-7.

Southeast Missouri State cut the lead to 21-10 when Kutz hit a 25-yard field goal with 9:55 to go in the second quarter.

Nelson ended the first half scoring with his second rushing touchdown of the game when he took it in from one yard out with 3:33 to go in the first half. Samford took the 28-10 lead into halftime.

Efrim Hill caught a third quarter touchdown on third and long.

Nelson threw his third touchdown pass of the half when he hit Efrem Hill on a 40-yard scoring strike on 3rd and 23 with 10:00 to go in the third quarter. After Neil's extra point kick, the Bulldogs had a 35-10 advantage.

SEMO's Jamel Oliver scored on a seven-yard run with 6:25 left in the third quarter to cut the Samford lead to 35-17. The Indians made the score 35-24 when Jack Tomco hit Anthony Gilliam on a five-yard score with 14:50 to go in the game.

Head coach Bill Gray presents Saturday's game ball to University President Dr. Thomas E. Corts

Neil booted a pair of fourth quarter field goals the first from 26-yard with 8:49 left and the second from 34 yards with 3:49 to play.

SEMO marched down the field with a nine play, 89 yard drive that was capped off by a Jamel Oliver one-yard run with 1:51 to play which proved to be the final score of the evening.

Southeast recovered the ensuing on-side kick and drove to the Samford 16 yard line before Derrick Wheeler stopped Andy Goodenough on a fourth and one run. Samford took a knee twice to run out the clock and preserve its first OVC victory.

The Bulldogs will travel to Richmond, Ky., to face Eastern Kentucky next week.