By Thomas Corhern, TTU Sports Information
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – On a rainy Saturday afternoon, it took a little while for Tennessee Tech to get going, but once the Golden Eagles did, they proved to be unstoppable by Samford as Tech took a 27-7 victory at Pete Hanna Stadium.
The Golden Eagles improve to 5-5 on the season with two games remaining in the regular season. Tech returns to Big South-Ohio Valley Conference play next week as they head to UT Martin.
Tech broke the game open in the third quarter as the Golden Eagles scored 20 points in the frame as Aidan Little scored on a 27-yard run, then – just two minutes later – Torin Baker recovered a punt blocked by Miles Cooney and returned it 31 yards.
Just before the close of the quarter, Samford quarterback Quincy Crittendon gave up a strip sack to Aaron Swafford, allowing Cayman Spauling to pick up the ball at the Samford 16. After two Jordan Yates rushes – the first for 15 and the latter for one – the Golden Eagles picked up another six points.
Dom LeBlanc was 2-for-3 in the quarter on extra points to make it a 20-0 game entering the fourth quarter.
D.J. Rias was able to break up the Golden Eagles' shutout bid as he caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Crittendon, but Tech answered 30 seconds later as Tremel Jones rushed for a 57-yard score with 13:07 left in the contest for what was the final touchdown of the game.
Tech lost the ball on its first possession at its own 22 on a fumble, but the defense kept Samford off the board as the Bulldogs were stalled back to the Samford 26, prompting a 44-yard field goal try by Wilson Beaverstock, but the kick was short.
The Golden Eagles tried a field goal early in the second quarter as LeBlanc lined up for a 49-yard kick, but the try also fell short.
Neither team scored in the first half, which wasn't surprising considering the conditions. Tech collected 108 total yards in the half, while Samford was held to 44, including negative-10 on the ground. The Bulldogs managed just two first downs in the half.
The second half saw Tech break away as the Golden Eagles capitalized on mistakes. The Cookeville squad finished with 283 yards of offense – 160 rushing and 123 passing. Tech fumbled the ball five times in the game, but the fumble lost on the first drive was the only turnover for the Golden Eagles.
Samford ended the game with 184 total yards – 165 passing and 19 rushing. It is the fifth time this season the Golden Eagles have held an opponent to under 100 rushing yards in a game. The Bulldogs ended the game with two turnovers – an interception and a lost fumble.
Both of those turnovers led to Tech touchdown drives in the third quarter. Jalin Shephard intercepted Crittendon at the Samford 36 – aided by a quarterback hurry from Swafford – and brought it back to the Bulldog 27. On the first play of the drive, Littles rushed to the left side and took it to the house for a 27-yard touchdown at 7:50 left in the quarter.
The next Samford drive ended with Cooney's punt block with Baker scoring on the 31-yard return just 2:02 later. A minute and 23 seconds passed again before Tech was in the end zone again in the quarter with Yates' runs after Swafford had the strip sack and Spaulding returned the ball to the Samford 16.
Dylan Laible ended the game with a 13-for-26 performance passing with Jones finishing with two catches for 36 yards and D.J. Linkins five catches for 36 yards. Jones also led the rushing attack with 79 yards, while Yates collected 55.
Tim Coutras led Tech on the defensive side with seven tackles – all solo – while Spaulding had six stops and a fumble recovery. Swafford had six tackles, a sack, three tackles-for-loss, a QB hurry and a forced fumble.
For Samford (3-6), Crittendon ended the day throwing for 165 yards and a score on 22-of-32 passing. Rias led the receivers with four catches for 78 yards, while E. Jai Mason had 46 yards on six catches. Damonta Witherspoon led the Bulldogs with 17 yards on seven carries.
Noah Martin led the Bulldogs with nine tackles, including 1.5 TFLs. Seth Parker and Jamall Thompson each had six tackles, the latter with two sacks for 15 yards.
The Golden Eagles travel to UT Martin next week for the finale in the Sergeant York Trophy round-robin, then return to Tucker Stadium for the regular-season finale against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 23 at Noon.
Tickets for the EIU game are on sale now – call (931) 372-3940, visit the Hooper Eblen Center ticket office or order online at TTUsports.com.
Photo | Jim Dillon, file
