HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Samford football team dropped a 22-10 decision to North Alabama in the season opener for both teams Saturday evening at Joe Davis Stadium.
The game was the first game for new Samford head coach John Grass and his staff.
"It was great to get to play and see where we are," Grass said. "I thought it was a very good indication. I think UNA is a much-improved team. They're much better up front, especially D-Line, from what they were last year. I think we're close. There are a lot of first-game things. I think both teams played really well."
In the loss for Samford, quarterback
Gabarri Johnson completed 19-of-33 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver
Marquise Henderson caught five passes for 151 yards and a touchdown.
Jalen Nelson led the Samford defense with 14 total tackles, including 10 solo stops and one tackle for loss.
LaShon Young had eight tackles, six solo.
For North Alabama, Destin Wade completed 13-of-19 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown. Xavier Johnson hauled in five passes for 129 yards and a touchdown. Cayden Atkins and Anthony Young had five tackles each.
The teams battled through a scoreless first quarter. Samford had a chance to score late in the period, but a 46-yard field goal attempt went wide left.
North Alabama got on the scoreboard first when Wade hit Johnson for a 95-yard touchdown pass to give the Lions a 7-0 lead with 8:44 to go in the second quarter. The Lions pushed their lead to 9-0 when UNA's Kamore Harris and Avery Howard sacked Johnson in the end zone for a safety at the 6:58 mark in the second period.
Samford got on the scoreboard when Johnson connected with Henderson for an 86-yard touchdown pass to cut the lead to 9-7 with 4:19 to go before halftime. The Lions added a late score before halftime when Roderick Taylor Jr. scored on a three-yard run to make the score 16-7 with 21 seconds remaining in the second period.
On the second play of the fourth quarter, Samford's
Ty Ippolito booted a 26-yard field goal to cut the lead to 16-10 with 14:53 to go. UNA's Ty Watkins scored on a one-yard run with 6:38 remaining. The two-point conversion failed to keep the score at 22-10.
Samford will play its home opener on Thursday, Sept. 3, when the Bulldogs take on Southern Illinois. The game is set for a 6 p.m. start from Pete Hanna Stadium.
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