The much-anticipated 2024 Southern Conference football season has gotten off to a fast start, and we have had a mixed bag of results in the first weekend of football results in the league.
It took enduring the embarrassment of an 0-11 campaign to start out in his first season as a college football coach, however, The Citadel coach Maurice Drayton and the Bulldogs were able to secure a 22-21 win over the Charleston Southern Bucs in the "Low Country Boil" matchup, allowing the Bulldogs to win their first game under their new head coach.
It would be The Citadel's first win as a Southern Conference football program since Nov. 19, 2022, when the Bulldogs knocked off the VMI Keydets, 26-22, in Lexington, VA.
The Bulldogs looked like a completely different team than a year ago, and after falling behind in the contest to the Bucs, 21-3, in the third quarter, mounted what was a remarkable rally and it would have been easy for a team with 11-straight losses coming into the campaign to have folded in such a moment. Kudos to the Bulldogs for their efforts to never give up and to keep fighting when the chips were down, as they were justly rewarded for those efforts.
The other team that finished near the bottom of the Southern Conference a year ago—the Wofford Terriers—needed a similar type rally against a team from the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference to capture a win, as Wofford trailed by nine points (20-11) entering the fourth quarter, but scored 10 unanswered in the fourth quarter, with a Bridger Jones 45-yard field goal with 5:50 remaining and that would prove to be the difference in what was a thrilling 21-20 win.
With its victory on the road in Boiling Springs, it marked Wofford's third-straight win dating back to last season, as Wofford knocked off The Citadel (W, 11-3) and No. 2 Furman (19-13) to close out the season on a high note after having to endure nine-straight losses to endure the 2023 season.
There were some positives in losses to FBS teams, too, and that is especially true of both East Tennessee State and Western Carolina, who faced a pair of teams from the Old North State to open the 2024 campaign.
Western Carolina was by far the most impressive team to open the 2024 season, giving the Wolfpack all they wanted before eventually running out of gas in what was a 17-point loss. The Catamounts were the aggressor until late in the third quarter when the first signs of fatigue on the defensive side of the football started to show, and the 24th-ranked Wolfpack were able to take advantage and score the final 21 points of the game to overcome what had been a 21-17 third quarter deficit.
Cole Gonzales looked like the Southern Conference Player of the Year the entire night, as he kept the Catamounts not only in the game, but for much of it, threatened to lead the Catamounts to their first-ever win over an FBS foe. Gonzales finished the night 22-of-35 passing for 211 yards and two TDs, while rushing six times for 75 yards.
In ETSU's 38-10 loss to G5 power Appalachian State, the Bucs, in similar fashion to what the Catamounts had been able to do in Raleigh on Thursday night, were able to stay in the game.
The Bucs fought valiantly the entire way in the contest, trailing just 17-10 in the third quarter and were right there in the game. The Mountaineers would reel of 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Mercer was able to get their season under way on a high note in the opening Thursday night of the season, downing Presbyterian, 63-10, getting the Mike Jacobs era off to a strong start.
The Bears were explosive from start-to-finish against their Pioneer Football League competition, posting a 500-137 advantage in total offense. The most explosive of the plays was a 75-yard punt return for a score by Brayden Smith with 1:39 remaining, which set the final score.
The 2024 season opened on a sour note, however, for Samford, which was in Carrollton, GA, to take on the West Georgia Wolves in what was the school's first game as a Division I FCS program.
The Wolves made it 1-for-1, as they downed 2022 SoCon champion Samford, 38-29, garnering the STATS Perform FCS "Team of the Week" as a result of the win. The loss by Samford is not a good look for a league trying to gain traction as the third-best conference in FCS football. Samford did hold a slight advantage in total yards (465-456), with starter Quincy Crittendon connecting on 24-of-41 passes for 307 yards, two touchdowns and an INT.
Another hit the league took in the opening weekend came on Thursday night when VMI went on the road to face William & Mary, which was a highly anticipated start to the season for the Keydets, which was looking to snap a 25-game losing streak in the series to the Tribe.
However, William & Mary never allowed the Keydets to find any comfort in the clash, issuing a sentence to the pillory for VMI, with a 41-7 win over VMI Thursday night at Zable Stadium. Bronson Yoder marked his return to the Tribe's lineup with 54 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and the Tribe held a 446-241 edge in total offense, including a 241-96 advantage through the air.
Chattanooga and Furman, who were picked to finish No. 1 and 2 in the league, respectively, by the league's head coaches, were outscored a combined 145-3 in games against No. 15 Tennessee and No. 6 Ole Miss.
The Mocs endured a 69-3 beating in Knoxville, with their lone points coming on a Jude Kelley 43-yard field goal early in the third quarter. The Vols ended the night with a substantial 718-227 advantage in total offense.
Furman, meanwhile, was forced to endure a torturous trip to Oxford to face no let-up Lane Kiffin and the Ole Miss Rebels—all gas—and by the time the game concluded, the Rebels had issued Furman's its worst loss since 1955 (L, Army 0-81) and scored the most points against a Furman defense since 1969 (L, Davidson, 14-77), as the Rebels posted a 76-0 win over the Paladins.
It marked the second-straight season the Rebels had dropped 70 on a SoCon foe, downing Mercer, 73-7, in week two last season. It will be interesting to see if these decisive defeats for both Chattanooga and Furman—two teams favored to challenge for the league titlehave any adverse psychological effects as the season progresses. The scores around the SEC this weekend, however, further highlight the fact that that league is no longer, in fact, playing college football—it's pro level.
The NIL valuation of Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart for instance, which is over a million (1.3 million from Nicholas Air according to On3) is more than some starting quarterbacks currently in the NFL. Dart played a half and helped the Ole Miss offense rack up 502 of its 772 yards in the first half, as the Rebels out-gained Furman by 600 yards (772-172)
Below is a brief look back at those games from this past weekend and power rankings heading into week two.
Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024
Wofford 21, Gardner-Webb 20
Wofford notched its third-straight win dating back to last season, as the Terriers went on the road and posted a thrilling, 21-20, win over two-time defending Big South-Ohio Valley Conference champion Gardner-Webb Thursday evening at Ernest W. Spangler Stadium.
After winning games at The Citadel (W, 11-3) and vs. No. 2 Furman (W, 19-13) before opening up with the win over Gardner-Webb on Thursday night. The win required the Terriers to find their way back in the fourth quarter, as the Terriers scored 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to steal the win seemingly from the jaws of defeat.
Trailing 20-11 after three quarters, a rushing touchdown by Ryan Ingram on a 7-yard scoring scamper and a 45-yard field goal by Bridger Jones with 5:50 left, and that proved to be the winning points, as the Terriers was able to hold serve the rest of the way.
In the opening quarter, the Running Bulldogs took the early 3-0 lead when Jay Billingsley connected on a 44-yard field goal less than three minutes into the game.
Wofford would respond following a three-and-out forced by its defense later in the quarter, as starting quarterback Amari Odom made a pair of big plays in the passing game, hooking up with Kyle Watkins for a gain of 31 yards for the biggest chunk play of the drive and then found Watkins for a 17-yard scoring strike with 4:12 remaining in the first quarter.
Then Wofford went to the back of tricks on the conversion attempt, as Amari Odom split out to receiver and backup Bryce Corriston found Odom on the 2-point play to make it an 8-3 contest.
Early in the second quarter, Gardner-Webb offered a response, as Giovanni Adopte hauled in a 22-yard from former ETSU quarterback Tyler Riddell to conclude an eight-play, 67-yard drive to make it a 10-8 Bulldogs lead with 12:44 remaining in the half.
Wofford answered with the first of two field goals from Bridger Jones, as he connected on a 47-yard field goal to make it a 11-10 with 6:27 left in the half.
Just before the half, GW answered with a field goal to make it a just before the half, as Jay Billingsley connected on a 35-yard field goal with 2:39 left in the half to make it a 13-11 Bulldogs lead at the break.
GW would pad its lead in the third quarter, providing the only points of the frame, recovering a fumble at the Wofford 32 on Wofford's second offensive play of the half and following a holding penalty on the first play of the second half.
On the Bulldogs' first offensive play of the second half, Edward Saydee took a handoff and sprinted 32 yards to end zone and a 20-11 lead following Billingsley's PAT with 13:36 remaining in the third quarter.
Later in the quarter, Wofford moved it inside GW territory, but had to settle for a Bridger Jones field goal, but the ball hit the upright on a 31-yard field goal with 7:16 left in the third.
Wofford then put together a 10-play, as the Terriers picked up four first downs before inching closer early in the fourth quarter, as Ryan Ingram capped the drive with a seven-yard touchdown run to make it a 20-18 game with 13:10 left.
It looked like GW was going to offer a quick response, following a 35-yard pitch-and-catch from quarterback Tyler Riddell-to-Ze'Vian Capers, however, the Bulldogs would have to settle for a Billingsley 31-yard field goal attempt, which would be blocked by Wofford's All-SoCon defensive lineman Brandon Maina and the subsequent 28-yard return by Maximus Pulley into GW territory, giving the Terriers all the momentum. It would eventually lead to Jones' game-winning 45-yard field goal with 5:50 left to give the Terriers the one-point, 21-20, lead.
A key sack by Wofford's John Boyle on GW's next drive forced a punt by the Bulldogs with 3:25 remaining. The Terriers converted a key fourth-and-inches with 1:41 left, as Amari Odom called his own number to get the first down, and the Terriers ran out the remaining time on the clock to put the finishing touches on an impressive season-opening win.
The pass-happy Terriers were led offensively by quarterback Amari Odom, who connected on 22-of-35 passes for 260 yards with a TD and no INTs in the 21-20 win.
Kyle Watkins was Wofford's leading wideout on the evening, as he hauled in seven passes for 109 yards and a score. GW's Tyler Riddell finished 18-of-28 passing for 238 yards with one TD and no INTs.
Wofford returns to action Saturday on the road at No. 14 Richmond, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. EST.
No. 24 North Carolina State 38, No. 14 Western Carolina 21
Western Carolina and quarterback Cole Gonzales likely delivered the performance of the weekend by a Southern Conference team, as the Catamounts led No. 24 North Carolina State by four (21-17) entering the final quarter, however, the Wolfpack would eventually wear down the visiting Catamounts en route to a 38-21 win in the season-opener for both teams before a crowd of 56,919 Thursday night at Carter-Finley Stadium.
The Catamounts controlled both lines of scrimmage in the first half, which allowed them to provide a shocking score through the first three quarters of football.
Preseason Southern Conference Player of the Year Cole Gonzales was one of the main reasons the Wolfpack defense remained frustrated for a majority of the night, as he connected on 22-of-35 passes for 211 yards with two TDs and no INTs, while rushing six times for 75 yards.
The Catamounts took a first quarter lead when Gonzales found tight end Jake Young with an 8-yard scoring connection with 5:55 remaining in the first quarter, making it a 7-0 lead following Christian Lowery's PAT.
NC State would answer on the next drive, using seven plays to drive 75 yards, and it would be capped by a Grayson McCall-to-Kevin "KC" Concepcion 12-yard scoring strike to make it a 7-7 game with 2:39 remaining in the opening quarterback.
The Catamounts took their second lead of the night when Gonzales found speedy wideout AJ Colombo on a 12-yard score, as the former walk-on took the short pass from his quarterback and out-raced the Wolfpack defense to the corner of the end zone for the score and make it a 14-7 game with just five seconds left in the first quarter.
The only score in the second quarter would come from the Wolfpack, as Concepcion would haul in his second of three scoring passes of the night, as Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Grayson McCall capped a 75-yard drive with a 5-yard scoring strike to his All-ACC wideout to make it a 14-14 game with 12:03 remaining in the half.
The two defenses would do the rest for the remainder of the opening half, and the Catamounts went to half with all the momentum, tied with the Wolfpack through the first 30 minutes of football.
After a somewhat remarkable 14-play, 39-yard yard drive was capped by a 46-yard field goal by Wolfpack place-kicker Kanoah Vinesett gave NC State its first lead of the night, at 17-14, with eight minutes remaining, it provided some momentary relief for the ranked power four conference program. However, it would be short-lived.
Led by Gonzales, the Catamounts took the lead for a third time in the contest when running back Branson Adams capped a 75-yard scoring drive with a 17-yard run to make it a 21-17 game with 4:36 left in the quarter, whipping the Catamount fans on-hand into a frenzy.
The Wolfpack restored order for good, however, when Concepcion hauled in his third score of the night on a 35-yard reception from McCall and made it a 24-21 game just 15 seconds into the fourth quarter.
From there, Duke transfer running back Jordan Waters did the rest to close out the win for the Wolfpack, scoring on runs of seven and 50 yards to close out a 17-point, come-from-behind win.
The Catamounts, who moved up to No. 17 in this week's STATS Perform FCS Top 25, will host Campbell in the home opener this Saturday (Sept. 7), with kickoff set for 1 p.m. EST. The game will be featured by the Southern Conference as the "Game of the Week" and will be televised by all Nexstar affiliates in the region.
Mercer 63, Presbyterian 10
Mercer gained 500 yards of total offense in its season-opening, lopsided 63-10 win over non-scholarship Mercer in the season-opener.
As a program and since re-starting the football program following a 72-year hiatus, Mercer moved to 9-3 in season openers. The win also marked the first for the Bears program under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Jacobs.
DJ Smith commenced a new era under center for the Bears, as did new running back Dwayne McGee, with both transfers having a profound impact on the new offensive style brought in by Jacobs. F
McGee capped the first scoring drive of the 2024 season with capped the drive with a three-yard scoring run up the middle, to make it 7-0. After Presbyterian answered with a field goal, DJ Smith answered with his first scoring pass as a Bear, connecting with Kelin Parsons on a 13-yard scoring strike with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter, make it 14-3.
Smith finished the night by connecting on 20-of-24 passes for 331 yards with three TDs and an INT. Smith threw scoring passes of 13, 68 and seven yards. He also added 25 rushing yards and a TD, as he was named the SoCon's Offensive Player of the Week.
The star of the night for the Bears was wideout Brayden Smith, who finished the night with 228 all-purpose yards, which included a 68-yard scoring catch and a 75-yard punt return, and that was good enough to garner him SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Smith was also named the STATS Perform Special Teams National Player of the Week.
The Bears ended up outgaining the Blue Hose 500-137 in total offense, while posting a decisive 361-144 edge in pass yards. Four different players caught a TD for the Bears, with Parker Wroble and Tyrell Coard also joining Smith and Parsons.
Mercer returns to action Saturday in Daytona Beach, FL, where the Bears will face off against Bethune-Cookman in their first road game of the season. Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. EST.
Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024
No. 15 Tennessee 69, No. 9 Chattanooga 3
After ending the 2023 regular-season with a 66-10 loss to No. 8 and FBS playoff bound Alabama, No. 9 Chattanooga opened up its 2024 regular-season in SEC country once again at No. 11 Tennessee, and dropped a 69-3 decision to the Volunteers to open up the new college football season before a capacity crowd of 101, 915 on-hand on a sunny and warm season-opening Saturday afternoon at Neyland Stadium.
Chattanooga, who is the preseason favorite in the Southern Conference, saw the Volunteers score 24 first-quarter points and took a 45-0 lead into the half after a near flawless opening half from quarterback Nico Iamaleava and he started his career as the Vols quarterback completing his first 10 passes and finished going 22-of-28 passing for 314 yards, with three touchdowns and no INTs in one half of play.
Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson finished off a strong afternoon for the Vols, rushing for 124 yards and three scores on just 12 carries. He averaged an impressive 10.3 yards-per-catch. DeSean Bishop added 60 yards on five attempts (12.0 YPC) and Cameron Seldon finished the day with 47 carries on seven carries.
The Volunteers held a 718-227 advantage in total yards. The 718 yards of total offense put up by the Vols is the second-highest total in program history.
Chattanooga’s lone offensive points of the contest came with just over 10 minutes remaining in the third quarter, as the Mocs needed nine plays to cover 50 yards and concluded with a 43-yard field goal by Jude Kelley to make it a 45-3 contest. The Volunteers would close out the game much like they started the first quarter, which is by scoring the game’s final 24 points to take the win with ease.
Chattanooga signal-caller Chase Artopoues finished 12-of-23 passing for 141 yards, with his favorite target was Sam Phillips, who hauled in five passes for 54 yards. Javin Whatley added three catches for 40 yards, while preseason All-SoCon tight end added two catches for 20 yards.
Reggie Davis led the Mocs ground attack, finishing with a hard-fought 51 yards on 20 carries. The Mocs will be back in action next week against another FBS foe, facing off against Georgia State at the facility formerly known as Turner Field and was the former home of the Atlanta Braves. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST.
App State 38, East Tennessee State 10
Much like last year when facing Tre Lamb's Gardner-Webb club, it took some time for App State to find its rhythm against Lamb's new program—East Tennessee State—but the Mountaineers started to enforce their will midway through the third quarter en route to getting the 38-10 win over the Bucs in the 2024 season opener.
The Bucs' biggest play of the game, and one that would make things interesting at least for a while came with just under two minutes to play in the opening half and trailing, 17-0. UConn transfer Devontae Houston took a handoff from Jaylen King and did the rest with his tremendous speed, racing 80 yards for a score to make it a 17-7 and giving the Bucs a measure of momentum heading into the half.
With just under six minutes left in the third quarter, the Bucs provided further concern for the capacity crowd of 36,232 fans on hand at Kidd Brewer Stadium, as a 25-yard field goal by Ewan Johnson got the Bucs to within a touchdown, at 17-10, with 5:49 left in the third quarter.
However, Appalachian State would answer with a crucial scoring drive on its next possession to turn the tide of the game for good. Senior quarterback Joey Aguilar, who finished the afternoon completing 22-of-37 passes for 326 yards, two touchdowns and no picks, tossed a short pass out in the flat to tight end Eli Wilson, who did the rest racing 34 yards for a score and restoring a two-touchdown lead for the Apps and making it a 24-10 game with 3:14 remaining in the third.
In the final 15 minutes of football, the Mountaineers added a pair of rushing scores on a Makai Jackson 47-yard run and a 1-yard run by Aguilar to set the final margin.
The Mountaineers ended the day with a 500-305 advantage in total yards, but the Bucs managed to hold a 183-174 edge in rushing yards. The Bucs return to action Saturday evening for their home opener against UVA-Wise, which is slated for 5:30 p.m. EST.
No. 6 Ole Miss 76, No. 9/12 Furman 0
Oxford, MS—FBS sixth-ranked Ole Miss came into the season with the highest ranked transfer portal class in the nation, and the Rebels showed why there has been much hype around their football program entering the 2024 season, handing FCS No. 9/12 Furman its worst loss since 1955, defeating the Paladins 76-0 before a sellout crowd of 66,105 on-hand Saturday night at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
The night was certainly historic for Furman, and not in a good way by any stretch. The Paladins came into the contest with a brand new and inexperienced secondary facing off against maybe the most prolific passing attack in all of college football. It’s an Ole Miss offense that has the type of potential to be record-setting led by a Heisman Trophy Award candidate under center, and by season’s end, could be a unit that makes us even forget about that 2019 LSU offense, which was led by Joe Burrow.
Adding even more to the comparisons between Dart and that Burrow-led LSU offense of five years ago is the fact that Dart became the first SEC quarterback since Burrow in 2019 to have more than 350 yards passing in one half of football, amassing 418 through the air against the Paladins.
The fact that Furman was breaking in a new secondary and a new starting quarterback on offense, coupled with the talent and experience that Ole Miss brought into the matchup, they ended up combining into a perfect storm sequence for the Paladins in the season opener.
The Rebels finished the night with a 600-yard advantage in total offense, posting a 772-172 edge in total offense, including a 529-146 advantage in aerial yardage. The 772 yards of total offense by the Rebels were a school record. The 529 combined passing yards by Ole Miss quarterbacks in the contest also accounted for a program record.
Jaxson Dart threw darts for most of the night, and each one he seemingly threw, inflicted harm upon the Paladin defense. He finished the contest connecting on 22-of-27 passes for 418 yards, five touchdowns and no INTs. Dart also rushed six times for 31 yards and another touchdown. All told, Dart completed the 2024 season opener by accounting for 449 yards of total offense and six touchdowns.
Simmons, who played most of the second half, finished completing 7-of-16 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown. Both Simmons and Dart were sacked once on the evening, as the Paladins finished the night with two quarterback takedowns. All told, Ole Miss quarterbacks finished the contest 29-of-45 passing for a combined 529 yards, with six touchdowns and no INTs.
Dart’s favorite target most of the night was of little surprise to most, as Tre Harris finished the contest with eight catches for 179 yards and a pair of TDs.
Furman returns to the field next Saturday for 'Dins After Dark' facing off against Charleston Southern (0-1). Kickoff for that contest is set for 6 p.m EST.
The Citadel 22, Charleston Southern 21
Charleston Southern and The Citadel played maybe the most thrilling game of the opening football Saturday in the Southern Conference, as the Bulldogs rallied from a 21-3 deficit to come away with a thrilling 22-21 win to win the newly adopted "Lowcountry Boil" rivalry game.
The Bulldogs ended the night with 360 yards of total offense, which the Bulldogs accomplished only once last season, posting 373 yards of total offense in the 2023 regular-season finale loss at East Tennessee State. The Bucs would manage to hold the slight 383-360 edge in total offense in the game, however.
The story of the game was The Citadel's improvement on both sides of the ball, but particularly on offense, where Liberty transfer Jonathan Bennett helped lead the Bulldogs to their first win in over a year, as he finished the night completing 10-of-17 passes for 170 yards, while rushing for 55 yards and a score to lead the Bulldogs all the way back from that huge deficit.
Charleston Southern, which was led by Sacred Heart transfer quarterback Rob McCoy and Coastal Carolina transfer wide receiver Chris Rhone, jumped out early with some explosive plays of its own, taking a 14-3 halftime lead on a 3-yard run from sophomore running back Austavius Ison and a 64-yard scoring strike from McCoy to wideout Jamil Bishop in the second quarter. The Bulldogs secured their lone points of the first half on a 49-yard field goal from Ben Barnes.
To most, when Tyson Greenwade extended the Bucs lead to 21-3 on a 2-yard run a little less than five minutes into the second half, it would have seemed that the Bulldogs were headed for a 12th-straight loss under second-year head coach Maurice Drayton, and most would have been wrong.
The Bulldogs would begin a furious rally a little over midway through the third quarter when the Bulldogs got into the end zone via a Jonahtan Bennett 1-yard scoring plunge, capping off a nine-play, 70-yard scoring drive. The Bulldogs were unsuccessful on their two-point conversion, leaving the score 21-9 with 6:20 left in the third.
The Bulldogs defense got a stop and with momentum on its side, The Citadel would inch closer on the scoreboard when Johnny Crawford III capped off a the eight-play, 72-yard drive with another 1-yard scoring run on the final play of the third quarter, and after the Bulldogs failed once again on the two-point conversion, leaving the margin at six, 21-15.
In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs drove into the CSU red zone with just under six minutes left, however, a botched snap led to a fumble, which was recovered by the Bucs. It seemed that CSU had averted danger.
That comfort would be short-lived, however, as DeVonyae Pettis sacked McCoy and in the process stripped the ball free, and the loose ball was recovered by the Bulldogs at the CSU 13. The Bulldogs would make the most of the opportunity by taking the lead for the first time in the game with just under two minutes left, as Garrison Johnson capped the short scoring drive on The Citadel's third 1-yard score of the night, making it a 22-21 game following Barnes' PAT.
CSU had a chance to win the game, driving into The Citadel territory, reaching the Bulldogs' 27, however, after converting a pair of 4th down conversions, including a 4th-and-16 play, in which McCoy hooked up with Rhone over the middle, the drive would stall and CSU would have to settle for a 44-yard field goal attempt from Patrick Fisher-Butler, and the kick was no good. The Bulldogs' sideline erupted in jubilation.
The Bulldogs will look to make it two wins to start the 2024 season when they host South Carolina State (0-1) in a noon kickoff Saturday at Johnson-Hagood Stadium. CSU will continue against SoCon opposition to start the 2024 season, traveling to No. 15 Furman for a 6 p.m. EST kickoff at Paladin Stadium.
West Georgia 38, Samford 29
While Furman and Chattanooga's losses to No. 6 Ole Miss and No. 15 Tennessee were certainly embarrassing—especially considering it was a combined 145-3 in the two games—perspective is everything, and so that was against a pair of teams that will likely be contention for a bid to the FBS 12-team playoff bid the entire season.
However, Samford's 38-29 loss at West Georgia in what was the Wolves' first-ever game as an NCAA Division I FCS member, was not a good result for the SoCon. I say that with the full knowledge that in this era of college football, it is possible to build a winner overnight with talent from the portal, with no one knowing how to navigate it quite as well as the Bulldogs have under head coach Chris Hatcher.
That was precisely the case two years ago when Samford utilized the talents of more than 40 players from the transfer portal on the way to an 11-win season and a Southern Conference title.
With that said, Hatcher knew what he'd be facing at media day back in July, voicing his concern about facing a team playing its first FCS game. He knew the atmosphere would be a raucous one in Carrollton.
It wasn't all negative for the Bulldogs on offense, as Samford generated 465 yard of total offense, as quarterback Quincy Crittendon connected on 24-of-41 passes for 307 yards with two TDs and an INT, while rushing for 90 yards and two TDs on 19 attempts. All told, Crittendon had 397 yards of total offense and four scoring responsibilities.
The Wolves are led by former Mercer defensive coordinator Joel Taylor, so they had a great working knowledge of the Bulldogs' football program.
The Wolves got a gem of a quarterback from the portal, in Ole Miss transfer Davin Wyndner, who completed 24-of-35 passes for two TDs and no INTs, while also adding 58 rushing yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Wyndner racked up 327 yards of total offense and had three touchdown responsibilities. He led an offense that nearly equaled Samford's total offense output, as the Wolves finished with 456 yards of total offense.
Samford will be on the road at Florida (0-1) Saturday night, with kickoff for that contest set for 7 p.m. EST.
Post-Week 1 Power Rankings
- Western Carolina (0-1)
- Chattanooga (0-1)
- Furman (0-1)
- Mercer (1-0)
- East Tennessee State (0-1)
- Wofford (1-0)
- Samford (0-1)
- The Citadel (1-0)
- VMI (0-1)
