BOX SCORE

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford quarterback Liam Welch scored on a two-yard run in the fourth overtime to lift the Samford football team to a 61-55 win over 25^th-ranked The Citadel Saturday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.
 
"Anytime you beat The Citadel it's big, they are one of the toughest teams in the league, very well coached and very aggressive in how they play the game," Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said. "I'm awfully proud of our team. All three phases fought the entire game."


 
With the win, Samford improves to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in Southern Conference play. The win was Samford's fourth-straight over ranked opponents, dating back to the 2018 season. The Citadel falls to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in league play.
 
With Samford trailing, 38-31, Welch found freshman A.J. Toney for a 67-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 38-38 with 1:43 left in regulation. The Samford defense held The Citadel's offense, forcing overtime.
 
In the first overtime, Welch hit Michael Vice for a 25-yard touchdown for a 45-38 Samford lead. The Citadel's Dante Smith then scored on a five-yard run to make the score 45-45. In the second overtime, The Citadel's Brandon Rainey scored on a one-yard run for a 52-45 Citadel lead. Jay Stanton answered for Samford with a seven-yard run to make the score 52-52.
 
In the third overtime, Samford's Mitchell Fineran kicked a 33-yard field goal, but The Citadel's Jacob Godek answered with a 22-yard field goal to tie the game again at 55-55. On The Citadel's possession in the fourth overtime, Samford stopped the visiting Bulldogs on a 4^th-and-2 from the Samford six-yard line. Samford then took over at the 25-yard line and, on the fourth play of the drive, Welch scored from two yards out for the 61-55 win.
 
For Samford in the win, Welch, who came in when starter Chris Oladokun left the game with an injury, completed 9-of-18 passes for 189 yards and three touchdowns. Welch also rushed 10 times for 24 yards and that game-winning touchdown. Oladokun completed 9-of-18 passes for 129 yards, and he rushed 10 times for 18 yards and two touchdowns.
 
The running game was led by Stanton, rushing 15 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Toney led the Samford receivers with six catches for 102 yards and a touchdown. Armond Lloyd led the Samford defense with 17 tackles, including nine solo stops and one sack. Ty Herring had 14 tackles for the Bulldogs.


 
For The Citadel, Rainey completed 6-of-7 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 65 yards and three touchdowns. For The Citadel defense, Willie Eubanks had 10 tackles. Jay Howard intercepted a pass for The Citadel.
 
The Citadel received the opening kick, and went for a 4^th-and-2 at its own 33-yard line, but the Samford defense held and Samford took over at The Citadel's 34-yard line. Five plays later, Oladokun scored on an 11-yard run to give the home Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 12:12 to go in the first quarter. The Citadel tied the game when Rainey scored on a one-yard run to knot the score at 7-7 with seven seconds to go in the first quarter.
 
The Citadel took the lead when Remus Bulmer scored on a seven-yard run to make the score 14-7 with 4:39 left in the second quarter. Fineran kicked a 34-yard field goal to cut the lead to 14-10 with 54 seconds left before halftime.
 
On Samford's first drive of the third quarter, the Bulldogs took the lead back. Oladokun scored on a six-yard run to give Samford a 17-14 lead with 12:42 left in the third quarter. The Citadel's Rainey hit Raleigh Webb for an 84-yard touchdown to give The Citadel a 21-17 lead with 3:09 left in the third period. On Samford's ensuing drive, Stanton scored on a two-yard run to give Samford a 24-21 lead with 42 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
Rainey hit Webb for a 17-yard touchdown to give The Citadel a 28-24 lead with 11:50 left in the fourth quarter. Godek kicked a 23-yard field goal to push The Citadel's lead to 31-24 with 9:31 left in regulation. Rainey then scored on a one-yard run to push the visitors' lead to 38-24 with 8:08 left.
 
Welch hit Vice for a five-yard touchdown with 5:22 left in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for Toney's game-tying touchdown to force overtime.
 
Samford will play at home again next week, hosting Furman on Saturday, Oct. 5. The game is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff from Seibert Stadium.