Sept. 5, 2009

Box Score

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Samford football team held a three-point lead in the fourth quarter, but couldn't hold on as the Bulldogs dropped a hard-fought, 28-24 decision at UCF Saturday evening at Bright House Networks Stadium.

"I don't know when I've been around a group that laid more on the line," Samford head coach Pat Sullivan said. "We've got a lot of full grown men, who laid their guts on the line against a good Central Florida team. Our guys did what we asked them to do and that was create turnovers and not turn the ball over."

Samford's Dustin Taliaferro completed 20-of-34 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Riley Hawkins caught three passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Chris Evans rushed 23 times for 76 yards.

Defensively, Bryce Smith had 13 tackles, including 10 solo stops. Ryan Anderson had an interception, which he returned 41 yards for a touchdown.

For UCF, Brynn Harvey rushed 31 times for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Brett Hodges completed 10-of-17 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown.

The two teams played to a scoreless tie in the first quarter. UCF had a chance to score late in the quarter, but Jamie Boyle missed a 36-yard field goal with 59 seconds to go in the opening quarter.

After Samford's Ty Levie recovered a fumble in the end zone early in the second quarter, the Bulldogs went on an eight-play, 80-yard drive over the next 3:51. The drive was capped by a 29-yard touchdown pass from Taliaferro to Hawkins with 10:23 to go in the first quarter. Cameron Yaw added the extra point to give Samford a 7-0 lead.

UCF got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter when Harvey scored on a one-yard run with 57 seconds to go in the period. Boyle added the extra point to second the teams to halftime tied, 7-7.

UCF opened the second half with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Quincy McDuffie. Boyle missed the PAT, and the Knights held a 13-7 lead with 14:48 to go in the third quarter.

Samford answered when Taliaferro handed the ball off to Richie Fordham, and Fordham hit Hawkins on a 67-yard touchdown. Yaw's PAT gave Samford a 14-13 lead with 14:08 to go in the third quarter.

On the next possession, Anderson intercepted a pass by UCF's Hodges and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown. Yaw added the PAT to give Samford a 21-13 lead with 13:12 left in the third quarter.

UCF answered when Harvey scored on a one-yard run with 7:40 to go in the third quarter. Hodges hit Harvey for the two-point conversion to tie the score at 21-21. Samford regained the lead when Yaw kicked a 41-yard field goal with 1:57 to go in the third quarter. The freshman's first career field goal gave the Bulldogs a 24-21 lead.

On the first play of the fourth quarter, UCF's Boyle attempted a 33-yard field goal to tie the game, but Samford's John Michael Clay got a hand on the kick to preserve Samford's three-point lead.

UCF's Hodges hit Jamar Newsome for a nine-yard touchdown pass to give UCF the lead with 10:53 to go in the fourth quarter. Nick Cattoi added the extra point to give the Knights a 28-24 lead.

Samford will return to action on Saturday, Sept. 12, when the Bulldogs play host to the Jacksonville University Dolphins. The game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. kickoff from Seibert Stadium.