BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Citadel and Samford battled for more than four quarters before the home-standing Bulldogs knocked off the No. 25 Bulldogs, 61-55, in four overtimes Saturday afternoon at Seibert Stadium.
 
Game Information
Score: Samford 61, The Citadel 55 (4ot)
Records: The Citadel (2-3, 0-1 SoCon), Samford (3-2, 2-0 SoCon)
Location: Seibert Stadium (Birmingham, Alabama)
Series: CIT leads 7-6
 
How it Happened

• Samford jumped out to the early lead as they took advantage of a short field to score on an 11-yard run from Chris Oladokun.
• The Citadel answered back to tie the game at the end of the first quarter as Brandon Rainey capped a four-play drive with a one-yard run.
• The touchdown was set up by a pair of pass plays. The first was a one-handed circus catch from Nkem Njoku to pick up a first down. The other was a 47-yard connection to Dante Smith.
• The Citadel would take its first lead of the game with just over four minutes left in the first half on a Remus Bulmer seven-yard run.
• Samford got a field goal late in the half to make it a 14-10 game.
• Samford scored a pair of rushing touchdowns in the third quarter, while The Citadel countered with an 84-yard strike from Rainey to Raleigh Webb.
• The scoring really picked up in the fourth quarter as Rainey and Webb connected on their second scoring strike of the day, this time from 17-yards out.
• Jay Howard would pick off his first pass of the season and set up The Citadel in the red-zone. Jacob Godek would give The Citadel a seven-point lead with a 23-yard field goal.
• On Samford's next offensive play, Willie Eubanks III came free up the middle and forced a fumble that was recovered by Joseph Randolph II.
• Three plays later, Rainey scored from a yard out to make it a 38-24 game.
• Samford used a big rushing play on their next possession to set up a short touchdown pass.
• The Citadel offense was able to take three minutes off the clock, but was forced to punt.
• Samford needed just three plays to score on a 67-yard pass from Liam Welch to A.J. Toney to force overtime.
• Samford started overtime by needing only one play to score.
• The Citadel answered with a five-yard score from Dante Smith.
• The second overtime saw The Citadel use six plays to get a one-yard touchdown from Emeka Nwanze.  Samford answered with a seven-yard TD run from Jay Stanton.
• The Citadel defense held Samford to a field goal in the third overtime.
• The Citadel's offense converted a fourth down, but were forced to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Godek.
• The fourth overtime saw The Citadel go for the touchdown, but fail to convert a fourth down.
• Samford would take advantage and score the game-winning touchdown.

 
Inside the Numbers

• The game was the longest game played in school history. The four overtimes bests the three overtime games played against Georgia Southern in 2008 and Furman in 2005.
• It was the seventh multiple overtime game played in program history. The Citadel is just 2-5 in those games.
• The Citadel set a school-record for most plays in a game with 102. It broke the old record of 100 set in the double-overtime game against Charlotte in 2014.
• The 95 rushing plays also set a single-game record. The previous record was 84 set against Western Carolina in 2016.
• The Citadel rushed for 266 yards and five touchdowns. It marks the second-straight year The Citadel has rushed for five touchdowns against Samford.
• Brandon Rainey finished the game with 65 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. It is his second game this season with three rushing touchdowns.
• Emeka Nwanze carried the ball a career-high 34 times for 78 yards. The 34 carries as the most since Lorenzo Ward carried the ball 35 times against Towson in 2018.
• Remus Bulmer added 32 yards and a touchdown, while Dante Smith had 31 yards and a score.
• Rainey had a career-day through the air by going 6-for-7 for 196 yards and two touchdowns.
• Both of his scoring strikes went to Raleigh Webb. Webb finished with two catches for 101 yards.
• Webb has now caught a touchdown pass in each of the five games this season. It is the longest stretch since Andre Roberts caught a TD in five-straight games in 2008.
• The 84-yard touchdown pass from Rainey to Webb ties for the second longest pass play in school history. It equals the connection of Lee Glaze to John Murphy against Davidson in 1983.
• Rainey has now thrown for a touchdown and rushed for a touchdown in each of the last five games he has played.
• The game marked the first time since Sept. 9, 2017 that The Citadel had multiple rushing and passing touchdowns.
• Brandon Rainey is the first player to have multiple rushing and passing touchdowns in the same game since Aaron Miller ran for two and passed for two in an overtime victory against Furman in 2014.
• Willie Eubanks III led the defense with 10 tackles, nine solo, a sack and a forced fumble. He also was credited with a pass break-up.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs return to Johnson Hagood Stadium Oct. 5 as they welcome VMI for the Military Classic of the South. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.