THE CITADEL VS. SAMFORD GAME NOTES
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
Charleston, S.C. – The Citadel football team hosts 15th-ranked Samford in its annual Coke Zero Homecoming game presented by Allstate and Bulldog Tours on Saturday at Johnson Hagood Stadium for a 2:05 p.m. kickoff. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3.
The Citadel (2-6, 2-4) is looking for its first win since Oct. 5, which was also the last game at Johnson Hagood Stadium, when Southern Conference-leading Samford (6-2, 4-0) comes to town for the 61st installment of Homecoming. The Bulldogs are 36-24 all-time on the special occasion and 4-4 under Coach Kevin Higgins.
Last year on Homecoming, the Bulldogs topped Elon 38-24 in the final home game of the season. The win ensured The Citadel its first winning season at Johnson Hagood Stadium since 2009.
Samford is the third nationally-ranked team the Bulldogs will play this season and second at Johnson Hagood Stadium. The Citadel fell to then 16th-ranked Wofford in an ESPN3 contest on Sept. 7 before dropping a road contest to then 22nd-ranked Georgia Southern on Oct. 12.
Each team in the "Battle of the Bulldogs" series has won three games. This is the sixth conference meeting between the two schools with Samford holding a slight 3-2 edge. The two teams have met each season since 2008 in league play and met once in a non-conference contest on Nov. 4, 1989 at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
The Citadel is looking for its first win over Samford since Nov. 20, 2011, a 13-12 victory in Birmingham.
Following his 12th career 100-yard game on Saturday against Chattanooga, Darien Robinson is now in sole possession of fifth place in school history with 2,652 and needs two more yards to move past Andrew Johnson. Citadel Hall of Famer Stump Mitchell holds the school record with 20 100-yard games and 4,062 rushing yards.
The 129 yards that Robinson accumulated on the ground last week is the fourth highest in his career and the second time in four tries that he has surpassed the century mark against the Mocs. He ran for 132 last season in Charleston against UTC.
WATCHING & LISTENING TO THE GAME
Click HERE for a direct link to the ESPN3 broadcast to the game. It can also be heard throughout South Carolina on The Citadel Sports Network with Sports Radio 1450 AM WQNT in Charleston serving as the flagship station. The Citadel Tailgate Show begins the radio broadcast at noon.
Former Bulldog football player and 1960 graduate Paul Maguire will provide analysis on ESPN3, while former "Voice of the Bulldogs" Darren Goldwater will handle the play-by-play.
SATURDAY'S PROMOTIONS
The Honorable Lindsey Graham, South Carolina's senior US senator, is scheduled to be in attendance at Johnson Hagood Stadium and is expected to toss the coin with the game captains and referee five minutes prior to kickoff. Earlier this season, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley tossed the coin for the Wofford game, and The Citadel won, electing to defer to the second half.
Saturday's Coke Zero Homecoming Game is presented by Allstate and Bulldog Tours. Allstate footballs and Coke Zero Thundersticks will be given out during the game.
Members of the 2013-14 Citadel basketball team will be handing out posters and schedule cards inside the stadium for the annual Coke Zero Meet the Bulldogs. The Citadel Regimental Band will perform at halftime.
The Kid Zone will be open at 12:30 p.m. and is located inside the stadium next to visiting team locker room on the East Side of Johnson Hagood.
