Nov. 12, 2011

Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. - Samford senior quarterback Dustin Taliaferro scored on a two-yard run with six seconds left in the game to lift the Bulldog football team to a 19-14 Southern Conference win at The Citadel Saturday afternoon at Johnson Hagood Stadium.

The win improves Samford to 6-4 overall and 4-4 in Southern Conference play, securing Samford's first winning season since 2008. The Citadel falls to 4-6 overall and 2-6 in league play.

After falling behind 14-0 in the first quarter, the Samford defense shutout The Citadel for the final three quarters as the Samford offense scored 19-unanswered points to secure the win.

"I'm so happy and proud of our kids because they could have given up, but they kept fighting and kept finding a way," Samford head coach Pat Sullivan said. "The defense made some plays, the special teams made some plays and we got the score there at the end. The offense did an awful lot of nice things. We did turn the ball over a couple of times, but then we created some turnovers and that was the difference in the ballgame."

With Samford trailing, 14-13 late in the fourth quarter, Durell Hill forced a fumble by The Citadel's Aaron Miller, and Darion Sutton recovered the fumble, giving Samford the ball at its own 20-yard line with 4:12 to go in the game.

Samford then went on a 15-play, 80-yard drive that took 4:06 off of the fourth quarter clock. After Taliaferro's touchdown, the Bulldogs went for the two-point conversion, but the attempt failed, keeping Samford's lead at 19-14. Time ran out on The Citadel during the return of the ensuing kickoff, ending the game with a five-point Samford victory.

For Samford on offense, Kelsey Pope set a Samford record with 17 receptions. The 17 catches breaks the previous record of 16 set by Efrem Hill against Jacksonville State in 2003. Pope's 17 catches went for 113 yards. Taliaferro completed a career-high 34 passes on 45 attempts for 240 yards and a touchdown in the win. The 34 completions by Taliaferro were one short of a school single-game record.

Samford's Chris Cephus caught two passes for 30 yards and a touchdown. Freshman Jeremiaha Gates led the Samford running game with 12 rushes for 58 yards.

Defensively for Samford, Justin Shade led the Bulldogs with 11 tackles. Corey White and Alvin Hines II each blocked Citadel field goals in the win. Hines' block came midway through the fourth quarter, while White's was early in the third quarter. Place-kicker Cameron Yaw made both of his field goal attempts, making kicks from 22 and 44 yards out.

For The Citadel, Darien Robinson rushed 22 times for 84 yards. Quarterback Ben Dupree had 11 rushes for 39 yards and two touchdowns. The Citadel defense was led by Joseph Boateng with 13 tackles and Carl Robinson with 10.

Both teams failed to score on their initial offensive drives. After a Samford fumble on the Bulldogs' second drive gave The Citadel the ball at the 38 yard line, the home team scored on a one-yard run by Dupree with 4:24 left in the first quarter. Ryan Sellers added the extra point to give The Citadel a 7-0 lead.

The Citadel struck again late in the first quarter. Dupree scored on a four-yard score with 24 seconds to go in the first quarter. Sellers' extra point made the score 14-0.

Samford put its first points on the scoreboard when Yaw kicked a 22-yard field goal. Yaw's kick cut The Citadel's lead to 14-3 with 9:33 left in the second quarter.

Samford's Taliaferro hit Cephus on an 18-yard pass for the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the game. Yaw added the extra point to cut The Citadel's lead to 14-10 with 1:03 left in the second quarter.

With 1:08 to go in the third quarter, Yaw kicked his second field goal of the game, this one from 44-yards out. The kick pulled Samford to within one point at 14-13.

Samford will wrap up the 2011 season next Saturday when the Bulldogs play at defending BCS National Champion Auburn. The game is scheduled for a 12 p.m. kickoff from Auburn's Jordan-Hare Stadium.