Box Score ANDY SUMMERLIN INTERVIEW

PHOTO GALLERY

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—Samford senior quarterback Andy Summerlin hit senior wide receiver Chris Cephus for a 12-yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone with seven seconds left to lift the 23^rd-ranked Bulldog football team to a 33-32 win over Elon to clinch a share of the Southern Conference title Saturday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.

Samford finishes its regular season with a record of 8-4 overall and 6-2 in SoCon play. The Bulldogs finish in a three-way tie for the title with Chattanooga and Furman. Through the conference tie-breaker rules, Furman earns the automatic bid to the Division I-FCS Playoffs. Samford will learn its postseason fate when the playoff field is announced Sunday at 10:30 a.m. on ESPNU.

The title is the first Division I conference championship in the history of the football program at Samford. Elon finishes its season with a record of 2-10 overall and 1-7 in league play.

"Our kids just hung in there," Samford head coach Pat Sullivan said. "Everybody felt when we got the ball with two minutes to go we were going to find a way to win."

Trailing, 32-27, Samford got the ball back with 2:31 to play. Summerlin led the Bulldogs on a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took 2:24 off the fourth-quarter clock. The game-winning touchdown pass came on a fourth-and-goal play from the Bulldogs' 12-yard line.

In the game, Summerlin completed 36-of-55 passes for 415 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions. This marked the third 400-yard passing game of the season for Summerlin.

"Andy wasn't playing particularly well early, but he came back and made some nice plays," Sullivan said. "On that last play, he and Chris Cephus were as big as it gets."

Cephus caught six passes for 90 yards and the one touchdown at the end of the game. Kelsey Pope had seven catches for 45 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremiaha Gates caught seven passes for 41 yards and a score.

The Bulldogs were playing without starting tailback Fabian Truss. Samford rushed for 27 yards as a team in the win.

Defensively for Samford, James Bradberry and Tae Lewis came up with an interception each. Justin Cooper led the team in tackles with nine, including seven solo stops.

For Elon, Mike Quinn completed 26-of-45 passes for 227 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Tracey Coppedge caught 11 passes for 54 yards. Rasaun Rorie had three catches for 50 yards and a score.

Elon put the first points on the scoreboard when Kierre Brown returned a punt 56 yards for a touchdown to give the Phoenix a 7-0 lead with 10:38 to go in the first quarter. Later in the first quarter, Adrian McClendon recovered a Summerlin fumble and returned it 51 yards to the Samford six-yard line. Three plays later, Coppedge scored on a two-yard run for a 14-0 Elon lead with 6:44 to go in the first quarter.

Samford's Warren Handrahan kicked a 25-yard field goal with 14:48 to go in the second quarter to cut the Elon lead to 14-3. Elon's John Gallagher kicked a 29-yard field goal with 8:54 left in the second quarter to make the score 17-3.

The Bulldogs scored their first touchdown of the game when Summerlin hit Gates for a 10-yard touchdown with 2:02 to play in the second quarter to cut the lead to 17-10. With just five seconds to go before halftime, Quinn hit Rorie for a 38-yard touchdown to send the Phoenix to halftime with a 24-10 advantage.

Samford struck first in the second half. Summerlin hit Pope for a nine-yard score with 8:00 to play in the third quarter to cut the lead to 24-17. The Bulldogs tied the score with 4:10 left in the third quarter when Summerlin connected with Emmanuel Obajimi for a 40-yard touchdown to bring the Bulldogs even at 24-24. Samford took its first lead of the game when Handrahan kicked a 23-yard field goal with 1:41 to go in the third quarter, making the score 27-24.

Early in the fourth quarter, Elon's Jay Brown and Jordan Jones sacked Summerlin in the end zone for a safety to make the score 27-26 with 10:12 to go. Gallagher kicked a 39-yard field goal with 6:07 to go, and another one from 28-yards out with 2:31 left for a 32-37 Elon lead.

The win gives Samford eight wins for the first time since 1992. That 1992 season was also the last time Samford made the FCS Playoffs.