STEVE IRVINE’s FIVE STORYLINES FOR SAMFORD vs. CITADEL
Photo courtesy of Samford Athletics
By Steve Irvine
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA - October 26, 2024
SAMFORD VS. THE CITADEL
Site, kickoff time: Johnson Hagood Stadium, 1 p.m. CT
Record: Samford 3-3 overall, 2-1 SoCon; The Citadel 3-5 overall, 1-3 SoCon
Five storylines
1. Can Samford finish on the road? Samford could very well be 2-1 in road games. The Bulldogs outscored West Georgia, 15-0, in the third quarter and carried a three-point lead into the fourth quarter of the season opener on the road. However, West Georgia scored 14 unanswered points in the final quarter to pull out the 38-29 win. The trip to East Tennessee State was even more disappointing for Samford. East Tennessee State’s first lead in that game didn’t come until the Bucs scored the game-winner with 1:46 remaining. Samford, which led by as many as 14 points, let that one get away. The reality is the Bulldogs are 0-3 on the road. They need to find a way to win away from Pete Hanna Stadium.
2. Where will the big plays come from in the Samford passing game? Quarterback Quincy Crittendon has completed passes to nine different receivers in each of the past two games. Leading the way to this point have been E. Jai Mason (28-269, 5 TDs), DJ Rias (27-219, 2 TDs), Brendan Jenkins (20-296, 2 TDs) and Iaan Cousin (16-276, 2 TDS).
3. Can Quincy Crittendon play a clean game? Interceptions haven’t been a problem for the dynamic junior quarterback. Heading into last week’s game, Crittendon had thrown just two interceptions and was riding an 81-pass streak without throwing a pick. In the win over Mercer, though, Crittendon was picked off three times. He still put up huge numbers in the win, throwing for 378 yards and four touchdowns but does need to avoid the mistakes moving forward.
4. Do the refs need to keep their yellow flags at home on Saturday? On paper, these are two of the least penalized teams in FCS. Samford is tied for third in the country in total penalties (20) and fifth in penalties per game (3) and penalty yards per game (29.83). The Citadel is 10th in the country in penalties per game (4.5) and 13th in penalty yards per game (37.88). Penalties should not be a big factor on Saturday.
5. Can the Samford defense limit Jonathan Bennett’s dual threat success? Bennett, a transfer from Liberty, can hurt a defense through the air and with his legs. He’s tied for the team lead in rushing yards with running back Corey Ibrahim. Bennett has 342 yards on 103 carries with three touchdowns. Ibrahim has 342 yards on 78 carries with a touchdown. Bennett is 92 of 183 through the air for 1,260 yards with five touchdowns. He’s also susceptible to mistakes with six interceptions in eight games. Samford’s defense has been solid against the run and opportunistic in pass defense. The Bulldogs are 20th in the country in rush defense (114.7 ypg) and five of the team’s six interceptions came in the past two weeks. Samford has also improved in rushing the passer with nine of the team’s 17 sacks this season coming in the past two weeks.