BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford football team will return home for the first time in a month to play host to the Chattanooga Mocs Saturday at 12 p.m. at Seibert Stadium.  
 
To purchase tickets for Saturday's game, click here: TICKETS. The game can be seen live on ESPN+ at the following link: WATCH LIVE. Live stats are also available at the following link: LIVE STATS.
 
Samford enters the game with a record of 3-3 overall and 2-2 in Southern Conference play. The Bulldogs are coming off a 27-24 win at Wofford last Saturday.  Chattanooga is currently 3-3 overall and 2-1 in Southern Conference play. The Mocs are coming off a 21-16 win over 10th-ranked ETSU last Saturday.  
 
Samford and Chattanooga are meeting for the 46th time with the Mocs owning a 32-10-3 series lead. The teams last met on Nov. 9, 2019, with Chattanooga earning a 35-27 win at Seibert Stadium. The first meeting in the series came on Nov. 3, 1906, with Samford taking an 63-0 win at West End Park in Birmingham. Chattanooga has won the last six meetings in the series.
 
Saturday's game is the 1,000th in the history of Samford football.  The Bulldogs' all-time record is 476-476-47.
 
Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said his team faces a stiff challenge from a talented Chattanooga team Saturday.
 
"They are talented," Hatcher said. "Overall, they have some of the best players, position-by-position in the league each and every year. They're physical, they're hard-nosed, they present a lot of trouble up front. They're probably the best defensive front we'll play other than Florida. So, we have to do a good job of protecting.
 
"Offensively, both of their running backs are outstanding," Hatcher said. "They pound them, and that's something that we've struggled with, really shutting the run down. We have to do a good job of tackling. They are a really good team."
 
PUTTING UP POINTS
Over the last six-plus seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 38 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 23 times, and at least 50 points a total of 10 times.
 
QUICK STRIKES
In six-plus seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, Samford has made a habit of quick scoring drives. In Hatcher's time at Samford, the Bulldogs have had 153 scoring drives of two minutes or less and 68 that have lasted one minute or less.
 
WELCH A RECORD BREAKER
During Samford's 55-48 overtime loss to 15th-ranked ETSU on Sept. 25, Samford quarterback Liam Welch set Samford and Southern Conference records for passing yards (582), total offense (655), completions (56) and attempts (73). The 582 passing yards broke the old record of 570 set by Welch last season against VMI.
 
IMPROVING RUNNING GAME
In three of Samford's last four games, the Bulldogs have had a running back rush for over 100 yards. In the win at Western Carolina, DeMarcus Ware rushed 26 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns. In the game at Mercer, Jay Stanton had 22 carries for 101 yards to lead the running game. Most recently, at Wofford, Stanton rushed for 130 yards.
 
CREATING TAKEAWAYS
So far this season, the Samford defense has created 13 turnovers by its opponents, the second highest number in the SoCon this season. The unit has caused five fumbles and eight interceptions.
 
GRADUATE STUDENTS MAKING AN IMPACT
Samford has eight graduate students on its 2021 roster. Dakota Chapman (RB), Nathan East (LB), Armond Lloyd (DL), Coutrell Plair (CB), Tyler Russell (LS), Seth Simmer (DL), Liam Welch (QB) and Deandre Williams (RB) are all earning graduate degrees at Samford.
 
SAMFORD AGAINST TENNESSEE TEAMS
Samford has an all-time record of 86-86-9 against teams from the state of Tennessee, including a mark of 10-32-3 against Saturday's opponent, Chattanooga.
 
SAMFORD AT BOBBY BOWDEN FIELD AT SEIBERT STADIUM
Samford has a record of 174-82-4 in games played at Bobby Bowden Field at Seibert Stadium. This season, Samford has five home games on its schedule, and the Bulldogs are currently 1-1 in those contests. Last season, Samford posted a record of 3-1 in home games. In the last nine-plus years, Samford has a combined record of 41-13 when playing in the friendly confines. In six-plus seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, Samford has a record of 24-9 when playing at home.
 
AGAINST SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TEAMS
Since joining the Southern Conference in 2008, Samford has posted a record of 58-47 in conference games. All-time against the current members of the SoCon, Samford has a mark of 84-77-4, including a 10-32-3 record against Chattanooga. Samford's all-time record against each current SoCon team is: Chattanooga (10-32-3), The Citadel (7-7), ETSU (6-3), Furman (11-12), Mercer (14-13-1), VMI (6-2), Western Carolina (16-3) and Wofford (14-5).
 
SPREADING THE BALL AROUND
Samford graduate quarterback Liam Welch has done a good job of spreading the ball around so far this season. Welch has completed passes to 16 different receivers, throwing touchdown passes to six different receivers. Montrell Washington leads the group with 35 catches for 527 yards and six touchdowns. 
 
WASHINGTON AMONG THE BEST
Entering Saturday's game against Chattanooga senior wide receiver Montrell Washington leads the nation in all-purpose yards per game (171.0 ypg.). He also leads the Southern Conference in receptions per game (5.8), receiving yards per game (87.8), scoring (10.0 ppgs.), scoring by touchdown (10.0 ppg.) and all-purpose yards per game (171.0 ypg.).
 
THE LAST TIME AGAINST CHATTANOOGA
Samford and Chattanooga last met on Nov. 9, 2019, with Chattanooga coming away with a 35-27 win at Seibert Stadium. Liam Welch passed for 196 yards and a touchdown, while Kendall Watson had eight catches for 129 yards and a touchdown. Joshua Carter led the defense with 10 tackles and a pass break up.
 
ON THIS DATE
Samford has an all-time record of 6-5-1 in games played on Oct. 23. The last time the Bulldogs played a game on the date was in 2004, a 42-36 overtime win at Tennessee State. The first time a Samford football team played on the date was in 1906 when the Bulldogs defeated cross-town rival Birmingham-Southern, 51-0. Samford and Chattanooga have played each other once on Oct. 23. That game came in 1937, a 6-0 Samford win at historic Legion Field.
 
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