BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University football extended its winning streak to four games with a 35-20 upset win over No. 8 Wofford Saturday afternoon behind a complete team performance on Homecoming and Senior Day in Seibert Stadium. The win gives the Bulldogs (5-4, 4-2) its second straight win over a top 10 team in the last two seasons.
 
Samford held Wofford's third ranked rushing offense in the NCAA averaging 354.9 yards per game to just 207 yards on 54 attempts for a 3.8 average, meanwhile the Bulldog's third ranked total offense in the NCAA continued its steady output to a tune of 399 passing yards and 454 total yards against the Terriers' ninth ranked defense.
 
Playing in what could be his final game in Seibert Stadium senior quarterback Devlin Hodges marched the Samford offense down the field in three plays thanks to a 73-yard touchdown strike down the sideline to fellow senior Kelvin McKnight to open the scoring on the game's opening drive.
 
The Bulldogs took a 14-0 lead with 7:18 showing on the clock in the first quarter following a 6-play, 92-yard drive when Hodges hit former senior and tight end Clarke Miller over the middle for a 12-yard TD.  McKnight hauled in a 27-yard pass on the drive on 3rd and 3 to keep the scoring drive alive.
 
The Terriers answered with their first points of the game after a 9-play 75-yard drive to cut the Bulldog lead down to 14-7 with 3:39 left in the first quarter. The Samford defense came up big with a 3-and-out stop following a Bulldog turnover. After the stop, Samford marched 67 yards in six plays for a touchdown to regain the 14-point lead, 21-7, with 12:23 showing in the second quarter. Hodges hit Miller in back-to-back plays for 18 yards and 10 yards on the drive before finding Chris Shelling in the back of the end zone for the score.


Wofford answered with 10 points before the half thanks to a 19-yard touchdown run and a 34-yard field goal to send the game into the break with Samford leading 21-17.
 
Wofford took the opening kickoff of the second half 65 yards on 11 plays and chewed up 6:12 on the clock down to the Samford 10 yard line but had to settle for a chip shot 27-yard field goal. The kick cut deficit down to one, 21-20, with 8:48 left to play in the third quarter.
 
Neither team could muster points on the next four drives, with the Samford defense stifling the Wofford rushing attack to hold the lead. With 13:36 left to play in the fourth quarter, the Hodges to McKnight connection sparked what would hold up to the be game winning drive. Hodges found McKnight on the sideline again for 27 yards to start the 7-play, 63-yard scoring drive that ended on an 8-yard TD strike in the corner of the end zone to DeMarcus Ware out of the Bulldog backfield. 
 
After another Terrier 3-and-out, the Samford offense again came alive thanks to the Hodges and McKnight combo. This time Hodges hit McKnight for 24 yards to start the drive, but the big play on the insurance touchdown came when Hodges hit a streaking Moise Satine over the middle for 45 yards down to the Wofford one. Two plays later Hodges punched it in marking his fifth touchdown responsible for in the game. 
 
The win coupled with a Mercer and Chattanooga loss means Samford will control its own destiny in the quest for the Southern Conference title. The Bulldogs will close the season with two tough road trips to The Citadel (3-5, 3-4) on Saturday, November 10 and at league leading ETSU (8-2, 6-1) in their season finale on Saturday, November 17. 
 

POST-GAME NOTES

• The win marks the first time that Samford has defeated a top-10 ranked team since defeating No. 5 Wofford 24-21 on October 18, 2017
• Kelvin McKnight caught his eighth receiving touchdown of the season and the 31st of his career. McKnight finished with six catches for 171 yards and the lone TD. He record over 150 receiving yards for the third game this season and for the seventh time in his career. He also recorded over 100 yards for the eighth time this season.
• Devlin Hodges passed for his 27th, 28th, 29th, and 30th touchdowns of the season and the 105th, 106th, 107th, and 108th touchdowns of his career. Hodges also rushed for his fifth touchdown of the season, a career-high, and the 14th of his career. Hodges finished 29-of-41 for 399 yards and four touchdowns on the day. He came up one yard shy of his fourth straight 400-yard passing game marking the eighth time this season and 29th time in his career he has accomplished the feat. He moved into second place all-time in the FCS with 13,776 needing just 721 yards to break the record set by Steve McNair.
• Clarke Miller caught his third touchdown reception of the season and the sixth of his career.
• The Hodges' 73-yard touchdown pass to Kelvin McKnight in the first quarter is the longest offensive play of the season.
• Chris Shelling caught his ninth touchdown reception of the season and the 16th of his career. 
• Robert Adams tied a career-high in receptions with four and set a single-game career-high in reception yards with 64.
• Ahmad Gooden recorded one sack in the game, and now has 5.5 sacks on the season. Gooden also set a career-high with five tackles for loss.
• Brett Granger recorded eight tackles in the game setting a new career-high.
• DeMarcus Ware recorded his seventh touchdown this season and hauled in his first career receiving touchdown.