GAME NOTES--SAMFORD VS. THE CITADEL (PDF)

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Samford University football team will open Southern Conference play by hosting The Citadel Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Pete Hanna Stadium.
 
Samford enters the game with a record of 0-1 after a 34-3 loss to West Georgia last Thursday. The Citadel is currently 0-1 after a 38-0 loss to North Dakota State last Saturday.

Samford and The Citadel are meeting for the 19th time, with Samford holding a 10-8 series lead. Last season, the teams met in Charleston, with The Citadel taking a 28-11 win. The last time the teams played at Pete Hanna Stadium was in 2023, with Samford earning a 37-7 win over The Citadel. Since Samford joined the Southern Conference in 2008, Samford owns a 10-7 lead in the series. In games played at Samford, the home Bulldogs own a 6-2 series lead.

Samford opened the 2025 season with a 34-3 loss to West Georgia last Thursday at Pete Hanna Stadium. For Samford offensively, starting quarterback Quincy Crittendon completed 22-of-29 passes for 154 yards. Backup quarterback Brady Stober completed 10-of-15 passes for 93 yards. Preston Bird led all Samford receivers with 11 catches for 95 yards. Defensively for Samford, Jaden Mosley led the way with eight tackles, including four solo tackles. Malik Thornton and Gumbo Gaskins had an interception each for the Bulldogs.
 
HATCHER'S OFFENSES PRODUCE
Through the last 10-plus seasons, Samford head coach Chris Hatcher's offenses have averaged more points than under any other head coach in program history. Entering Saturday's game, Hatcher's teams have averaged 32.69 points per game, scoring 3,662 points in 112 games. His average is ahead of Bobby Bowden's 28.57 average. Terry Bowden (1987-1992) averaged 27.92 points per game during his tenure while Bill Gray (2001-06 / 25.68) and Pat Sullivan (2007-14 / 25.50) round out the top five.
 
PUTTING UP POINTS
Over the last 10-plus seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, the Samford offense has scored at least 30 points 53 times. The unit has put up at least 40 points 30 times, and at least 50 points a total of 15 times.
 
QUICK STRIKES
In the 10-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 210 scoring drives that lasted two minutes or less and 99 that have lasted one minute or less.
 
SAMFORD AT PETE HANNA STADIUM
Samford has an all-time record of 185-90-4 in games played at Pete Hanna Stadium. This season, Samford has five home games on its schedule, with Thursday night's game marking the first of those contests. Last season, Samford posted a record of 3-3 in home games. In 10 seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, Samford has a record of 38-17 when playing at home.
 
SAMFORD AGAINST SOUTH CAROLINA TEAMS
Samford has an all-time record of 46-32-1 against teams from the
state of South Carolina, including a mark of 10-8 against Saturday's
opponent, The Citadel. Samford has played the following South Carolina teams: Charleston Southern (2-0), The Citadel (10-8), Clemson (0-3), Furman (12-14), Newberry College (3-1-1), Presbyterian (3-0) and Wofford (16-6).
 
SAMFORD IN THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
Since joining the Southern Conference in 2008, Samford has posted a record of 74-60 in conference games. All-time against the current members of the SoCon, Samford has a mark of 100-88-4, including a 10-8 record against The Citadel. Samford's all-time record against each current SoCon team is Chattanooga (12-34-3), The Citadel (10-8), ETSU (8-4), Furman (12-14), Mercer (16-14-1), VMI (9-3), Western Carolina (17-5) and Wofford (16-6).
 
ON THIS DATE
Samford has only played two games in its history on Sept. 6, and the Bulldogs are 2-0 in those contests. Samford most recently played on the date in 2008 in a 62-0 win over Faulkner. The Bulldogs also played on Sept. 6 in 1986 when Samford earned a 35-15 win over Sewanee.
 
SAMFORD IN SOCON OPENERS
Samford has a record of 7-10 in Southern Conference openers since joining the league in 2008. Last season, Samford opened league play with a 27-3 win over VMI. In 10 seasons under head coach Chris Hatcher, Samford has a mark of 4-6 in SoCon openers, including a mark of 2-3 in SoCon openers played at Pete Hanna Stadium.
 
FOUR BULLDOGS HEADLINE ALL-SOCON PRESEASON TEAMS
Samford had four players named to the preseason All-SoCon teams, released in July. Defensive lineman Conroy Cunningham and long-snapper Alex Applefield were both named first team preseason All-SoCon, while quarterback Quincy Crittendon and linebacker Jaden Mosley both earned second team honors.
 
PERKINS EARNS NATIONAL ATTENTION
Nahil Perkins, a graduate transfer defensive back from Fordham, has gained national attention in the preseason. Perkins was named third team preseason All-American by Stats Perform, and he was also named to the watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in all of FCS football. Last season at Fordham, Perkins intercepted five passes, including a pair of games with two interceptions each. His five interceptions were tied for the most in the Patriot League. He tallied 56 total tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss, and was named second team All-American by Blue Blood FCS Central.
 
CRITTENDON NAMED TO WALTER PAYTON AWARD WATCH LIST
Samford senior quarterback Quincy Crittendon was named to the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in all of FCS football. Last season, Crittendon completed 277-of-394 passes for a Southern Conference best 2,689 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished second in the SoCon in completion percentage at 70.3 and he threw for over 300 yards four times.
 
BRINGING THE POWER
The 2025 Samford football roster features several Power Four transfers including Deuce Caldwell II (North Carolina), Web Davidson (Virginia Tech), Gumbo Gaskins (Vanderbilt), Jaden Gibson (Virginia), Charlie Gilliam (Wake Forest), Donovan Grayson (West Virginia), Grant Hidalgo (Auburn), Noah Jones (Georgia), Vance Nicklaus (Florida State), Rayf Vinson (Ole Miss) and Hank Weber (Wisconsin),
 
NEW FACES IN NEW PLACES
Not only have there been changes on the roster, but the Bulldog coaching staff has some new faces as well: Scot Sloan (Defensive Coordinator), Cal King (Linebackers), Tyler Zielenske (Special Teams Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator), Thomas Morton (Quarterbacks) and Caysey Colant (Chief of Staff).
 
HATCHER SAMFORD'S WINNINGEST COACH
Samford head coach Chris Hatcher is entering his 11th season at the helm of the Bulldogs' football program. He is the winningest coach in program history with 61 wins at the school and he has earned 182 career wins having previously served as head coach at Valdosta State, Georgia Southern and Murray State. Hatcher has led Samford to three NCAA Division I-FCS Playoff appearances, earning bids in 2016, 2017 and 2022.
 
MOSLEY NAMED WINNER OF CHARLES WILLIAMS MEMORIAL JERSEY
Senior linebacker Jaden Mosley is this season's winner of the Charles Williams Memorial Jersey. The jersey honors former Samford player Charles Williams, who died in a car accident on May 23, 2003.
 
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