BOX SCORE (PDF)

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – The Samford football team grabbed an early two-touchdown lead but could not hold on as the Bulldogs opened the 2021 spring season with a 24-17 loss at ETSU Saturday afternoon at William B. Greene Stadium.
 
Samford held an early 14-0 lead, and the Bulldogs led, 17-14 entering the fourth quarter, but ETSU posted 10 fourth-quarter points to come away with the win.  
 
For Samford in the loss, quarterback Chris Oladokun completed 35-of-54 passes for 222 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. A.J. Toney caught eight passes for 78 yards to lead the team's receivers. Dakota Chapman had five catches for 34 yards and a touchdown. Jay Stanton rushed 12 times for 62 yards and a touchdown.
 
Defensively for Samford, Trimarcus Cheeks led the team with eight total tackles, including four solo stops, and he forced one fumble. Chris Edmonds forced a fumble and recovered one for Samford. Joshua Carter also had a fumble recovery for the Bulldogs.
 
ETSU was led offensively by Quay Holmes, rushing 19 times for 125 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Tyler Riddell completed 14-of-25 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. J. Lane Price caught four passes for 83 yards and a touchdown for the Bucs. The ETSU defense was led by Alijah Huzzie and Donovan Manuel with nine tackles and an interception each.  
 
Samford scored on its opening offensive drive of the game when Oladokun hit Chapman for a five-yard touchdown pass to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 9:13 left in the first quarter. On the ensuing ETSU drive, Edmonds recovered an ETSU fumble at the Samford 24-yard line. The Bulldogs then drove back down the field, and Stanton scored on a one-yard run for a 14-0 Samford lead at the 1:49 mark in the first quarter.
 
The teams were scoreless for most of the second quarter. ETSU got on the scoreboard when Holmes scored on a one-yard run to cut the Samford lead to 14-7 with five seconds to go before halftime. Samford took the 14-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
 
In the third quarter, ETSU knotted the score at 14-14 when Holmes scored on another one-yard run with 9:18 to go in the quarter. Samford took the lead again when Mitchell Fineran kicked a 34-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 17-14 lead with 6:09 left in the third quarter.
 
On the first play of the fourth quarter, ETSU's Tyler Keltner booted a 28-yard field goal to tie the game again at 17-17. ETSU's Riddell hit Price for a 59-yard touchdown pass to put the Bucs on top for good at 24-17 with 5:28 to go in the game.
 
Samford drove to the ETSU 26-yard line, but ETSU's Manuel picked off a Samford pass to end the threat with nine seconds to go in the game.
 
As a team, Samford accumulated 320 yards of total offense, while ETSU had 325 total yards. Samford had 231 passing yards and 89 rushing yards. ETSU totaled 191 passing yards and 134 rushing yards.
 
Samford will play its home opener next Saturday, Feb. 27. The game is set for a 12 p.m. start from Seibert Stadium.
 
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