AUBURN, Ala. – The Samford football team dropped a 45-13 decision at Auburn Saturday evening in front of 88,043 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
 
With the loss, Samford fell to 1-2 on the young season. Auburn improved to 3-0 with the win.
 
For Samford in the loss, quarterback Michael Hiers completed 18-of-31 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown. Hiers also scored a rushing touchdown in the game. Wide receiver Chandler Smith caught three passes for 80 yards and a touchdown. Ty King had five catches for 24 yards on the day. Kourtlan Marsh led the Samford defense with 10 tackles and an interception.
 
Auburn was led by quarterback Payton Thorne, completing 24-of-32 passes for 282 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Thorne also led all rushers with 11 carries for 123 yards and two touchdowns. Jay Fair caught seven passes for 93 yards for the Tigers.
 
On Auburn's first offensive drive, the Tigers marched down to the Samford one-yard line. But, on a third and goal play, Samford's Jaden Mosley picked off a Thorne pass in the end zone, ending the threat with 7:30 left in the first quarter. On the Tigers' next offensive drive, the Samford defense stopped Auburn on a 4^th-and-one play at the Samford 20-yard line, giving the ball back to the Bulldogs with 13:30 to go in the second quarter.
 
Auburn put the first points on the scoreboard when Thorne hit Shane Hooks for a 32-yard touchdown pass and Alex McPherson added the extra point for a 7-0 Tigers lead with 9:31 to go in the second quarter. With 7:06 to go in the third quarter, Samford's Marsh intercepted a Thorne pass in the end zone, producing Samford's second take-a-way of the contest.
 
Thorne added to Auburn's lead with a five-yard touchdown run and McPherson added the PAT to make the score 14-0 with 3:04 left before halftime. Auburn added one more score before halftime when McPherson kicked a 22-yard field goal to push the Tigers' lead to 17-0 with 41 seconds left in the second quarter.
 
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Auburn's Robby Ashford scored on a one-yard run and McPherson's PAT made the score 24-0 with 8:30 remaining in the third quarter. Samford got on the scoreboard when Hiers hit Smith for a 36-yard touchdown pass and Wilson Beaverstock's extra point cut the Auburn lead to 24-7 with 6:35 to go in the third quarter. Auburn added to its lead when Jarquez Hunter scored on a one-yard run and McPherson's PAT pushed the lead to 31-7 with 4:29 left in the third period.
 
Later in the third quarter, Samford's Marsh recovered a fumbled Auburn punt return at the Auburn nine-yard line. Three plays later Hiers scored on a three-yard run, but the point after was no good, cutting the Auburn lead to 31-13 with 57 seconds left in the third quarter.
 
Thorne scored on an 18-yard run and McPherson added the PAT to push the Auburn lead to 38-13 with 9:44 left in the game.  Ashford hit Micah Riley for a 32-yard touchdown strike and Marshall Meyers added the PAT to make the score 45-13 with 5:32 to go in the contest.
 
Samford will return home to host Chattanooga on Saturday, Sept. 23. The game is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff at Bobby Bowden Field at Seibert Stadium.


 
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