Oct. 3, 2004

Box Score

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Samford football team dropped its second-straight overtime game in falling to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels, 39-36, in double overtime in front of 6,738 fans Saturday night at Seibert Stadium. Phil Kuhl kicked a 49-yard field goal to win the game for the Colonels.

"I thought we played well and showed a lot of heart," Samford head coach Bill Gray said. "We kept getting knocked down, and kept getting off the mat. We did the things we needed to take it into overtime, but just didn't make the plays when we needed them. They made one or two more plays than we did, and that is what happens in a game like this."

Samford's (1-4, 0-2 OVC) Hal Hughston kicked a 31-yard field goal with one second left in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 36-36 and send it into overtime. The Bulldogs had trailed, 36-19, early in the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs scored 17 unanswered points to force the game to overtime.

In the first overtime, Samford forced an EKU (1-3, 1-1 OVC) turnover, but the Bulldogs were unable to capitalize, as Hughston's field goal attempt was blocked. Samford went on offense first in the second overtime, but and interception on the first play set up Kuhl's game-winning kick.

Eastern Kentucky got on the board first when Brandon Rosser scored on a one-yard touchdown run with 6:23 to go in the opening period. Kuhl added the extra point to give the Colonels a 7-0 lead.

The Colonels extended their lead with 10:14 to go in the second quarter when C.J. Hudson scored on a 12-yard run. Kuhl's kick gave EKU a 14-0 advantage.

Samford finished the half with 19-unanswered points to go into halftime with a 19-14 lead.

Samford's first score came when Ray Nelson completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to Jeff Moore with 9:09 left in the second quarter. Hal Hughston added the extra point to make the score 14-7.

Nelson then hit Efrem Hill for a 19-yard touchdown with 7:36 to go in the opening half. Hughston's kick hit the upright, and the score was 14-13, EKU.

Samford took the lead when Nelson connected with Hill for a four-yard score with 2:58 left before halftime. The Bulldogs' two-point attempt failed and Samford led, 19-14.

EKU got the scoring started in the second half when Matt Guice hit Andre Ralston on a 27-yard touchdown with 7:09 to play in the third quarter. Hudson ran in the two-point conversion to give the Colonels a 22-19 lead.

After a Samford turnover, EKU scored on a one-yard run by Rosser with 3:30 left in the third quarter. Kuhl's extra point gave the Colonels' a 10-point lead at 29-19.

The Colonels added another score when Guice hit Patrick Bugg on a 59-yard touchdown with 13:14 remaining in the game. The extra point increased the Colonels' lead to 36-19.

Samford came back with a touchdown of its own when Nelson scored on a four-yard run with 9:52 left in the fourth quarter. Hughston's extra point cut the EKU lead to 36-26.

Hill caught an eight-yard touchdown from Nelson with 3:33 left in the fourth quarter, and Hughston added the extra point to cut the EKU lead to 36-33 and set up Hughston's kick to tie the game and send it into overtime.

For the game, Hill caught six passes for 82 yards and three touchdowns, and Moore had five catches for 110 yards and a score. Nelson was 25-for-49 for 345 yards, four touchdowns and an interception. Nelson also rushed for 92 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

For EKU, C.J. Hudson rushed 40 times for 209 yards and a touchdown. Matt Guice completed 13-of-21 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Samford will return to action on Saturday, October 9, when the Bulldogs play at Murray State. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 3:00 p.m.