After a slow start plagued by turnovers, the Tigers took over the game and cruised to a 45-13 victory.
It wasn’t until the second quarter was nearing the midway point that we saw either team reach the promised land, and it was the Tigers that prevailed. Thorne connected with Omari Kelly for a 40-yard gain and followed that up with a 32-yard touchdown pass to Shane Hooks, making it 7-0. On the second half’s opening possession, Auburn used a balance of the run and pass game to move 76 yards downfield and add to the lead. Thorne completed a big 20-yard pass to Jay Fair, and the run game took it from there. A few plays later, Robbie Ashford came into the game and took the ball into the endzone from the one-yard line to finish things off.
Later, the Auburn punt return team made a critical mistake late in the third quarter when Will Thorley turned the ball over to the Bulldogs on the Auburn nine-yard line. Samford capitalized on the turnover and turned it into points when Hiers ran three yards into the endzone a few plays later.