Steve Irvine’s Five Storylines For The Samford vs. Wofford Game
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - November 2, 2024
WOFFORD VS. SAMFORD
Site, kickoff time: Pete Hanna Stadium, 2 p.m. CT
Record: Wofford 3-5 overall, 1-4 SoCon; Samford 3-4 overall, 2-2 SoCon
Five storylines
1. Which team will win the second half? Samford had a second half problem over the past three weeks, including during the win over No. 7 ranked Mercer. During that span, Samford has been outscored 73-28 at halftime and the Bulldogs have as many defensive touchdowns (2) as they do offensive scores. Last week, in the loss at The Citadel, Samford was outscored 28-11 after halftime. Can Samford change that if this is a tight game in the second half?
2. Can Samford get the offense going? Two weeks ago, in the win over Mercer, Samford had 35 points and 341 yards in the first half. In the six quarters since, Samford’s offense had 425 yards and 11 points. Turnovers have been a part of the stumbling offense over the last six quarters. Quarterback Quincy Crittendon and the offense look to get back on track.
3. Will Wofford’s pass defense continue to be effective? The Terriers are first in the SoCon and 16th in the FCS in passing yards allowed per game (174.4). Wofford is fifth in the country in interceptions with 12. Eight Wofford players have at least one interception with four players tied for the team lead with two each. Crittendon has seven interceptions thus far with five coming in the last two weeks.
4. Can Samford run the football? Only two of the nine SoCon teams allow more on the ground than the 165 rushing yards allowed by Wofford per game. Running the football seems like a good option on Saturday. However, the Bulldogs are 115th in the country in rushing offense, averaging 90.4 yards per game.
5. Will Samford’s defense forces Wofford into mistakes? Wofford is susceptible to mistakes on offense. Wofford quarterbacks have thrown 11 interceptions and the Terriers have four lost fumbles. Wofford is still plus-four in turnovers. It will be big for Samford if the Bulldogs can win the turnover battle.