Sept. 4, 2003

Final Stats

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Efrem Hill caught nine passes for 148 yards and had three touchdowns and Cortland Finnegan had an 89-yard kick-off return and an interception to lead Samford to a 44-28 victory over West Alabama in front of the fourth largest crowd in Seibert Stadium history on Thursday night.

The crowd of 9,228 saw Ray Nelson hit Hill with a 31 yard touchdown pass with 18 second left in the first half as Samford (2-0) outscored UWA (0-1) 28-0 in the second quarter to take a commanding 37-14 halftime lead.

Nelson went 27-37 for 292 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in as the Bulldogs exploded after a shakey first 15 minutes.

Ty Neil put the Bulldogs on the board first with a 32 yard field goal. West Alabama then drove 93 yards on 14 playes to take a 7-3 lead on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brett Gilliland to Gerald Gales.

Cortland Finnegan had an 89-yard kickoff return for touchdown against UWA on Thursday.

Finnegan took the insueing kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, but Neil's extra point was no good giving Samford a 9-7 lead. Once again, UWA drove the field driving 80 yards on six plays to take a 14-9 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Bulldogs scored on every possession in the second quarter while totaling 215 yards of offense in the second period. UWA was held to just 16 yards of total offense in the second quarter.

Hill caught his third touchdown of the game on the Bulldogs first possession of the second half. Samford scored on five-straight possessions at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. UWA finally answered 35 straight Bulldog points with two third quarter touchdowns. Laramie Cook scored on a nine yard pass and Presley Gilmore had a one yard touchdown run to bring the Tigers to within 16 points at the end of the third quarter.

Samford missed a fourth quarter field goal and West Alabama was stopped on fourth down inside the Bulldog 20-yard line with under four minutes left to preserve the final score.

The Bulldogs are 2-0 to start the season for the first time since the 1994 season and will have an off week before facing DI San Diego State on Sept, 20.