Wofford’s 4 Picks, 2 TDs Secure 26-16 Win

**Wofford Defense Dominates Samford, Secures 26-16 Upset Victory in Birmingham**

**BIRMINGHAM, Ala.** – The Wofford Terriers, fueled by an exceptional defensive performance, stunned the defending Southern Conference champion Samford Bulldogs with a decisive 26-16 victory on Saturday, October 28, at Seibert Stadium. The Terriers’ defense proved to be the difference-maker, intercepting Samford quarterback Michael Hiers four times, two of which were returned for pivotal touchdowns.

The win snaps a two-game losing streak for Wofford and marks a significant conference road victory, moving their record to 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the SoCon. For Samford, who entered the contest as the reigning conference champions and had a two-game winning streak, the loss drops them to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in league play.

Wofford’s defensive unit set the tone early and never relented. After kicker Alec Romeno put the Terriers on the board with a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, defensive back Ira Mister electrified the stadium by intercepting Hiers and returning it 50 yards for a touchdown, pushing Wofford’s lead to 10-0.

Samford responded with a 1-yard rushing touchdown from Jay Stanton early in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 10-7. However, Wofford’s defense quickly answered. Just minutes later, Max Ford joined the pick-six party, snaring a Hiers pass and returning it 44 yards to the end zone, extending Wofford’s advantage to 17-7. Samford added a 46-yard field goal from Brendan Porso before halftime, making it 17-10 at the break.

“That’s a team win,” said Wofford head coach Shawn Watson following the game, as quoted on the Wofford Athletics website. “Offense was taking care of the ball, the defense was getting takeaways and special teams was doing their job. That’s how you win football games. We battled, we had to go through some adversity with penalties, but we fought through it. I’m really proud of this football team and what they’ve learned.”

The Terriers’ special teams continued to contribute in the second half. Romeno connected on two more field goals, a 29-yarder in the third quarter and another 29-yarder early in the fourth, pushing Wofford’s lead to 23-10. Samford fought back, as Hiers found Ty King for a 20-yard touchdown pass, reducing the margin to 23-16 with just over eight minutes left. However, Wofford responded with a final 29-yard field goal from Romeno to put them up 26-16.

Even as Samford attempted a comeback, Wofford’s defense sealed the game with two crucial fourth-quarter interceptions. David Miller nabbed a key pick, and then D.J. Barksdale delivered the final dagger with his own interception with just over a minute remaining, effectively ending any hopes for a Bulldog rally. While Hiers finished with 283 passing yards and a touchdown, the four turnovers proved insurmountable for Samford.

Offensively, Wofford leaned on a balanced approach to manage the clock and protect the ball. Quarterback Jimmy Weirick completed 8 of 17 passes for 96 yards, while the ground game was led by D.J. Evans, who carried the ball 20 times for 75 yards. Wofford finished with 212 total yards (116 rushing, 96 passing), compared to Samford’s 324 total yards (41 rushing, 283 passing). The significant difference came in the turnover battle, where Wofford had zero turnovers to Samford’s four. Penalties were a concern for Wofford, incurring 12 for 105 yards, but they managed to overcome them.

Wofford will look to carry this momentum forward as they travel to Greenville, South Carolina, to face SoCon rival Furman next Saturday, November 4. Samford will aim to rebound on the road against Chattanooga on the same day.

*For more details on the game, visit the Wofford Athletics official recap: [https://woffordterriers.com/sports/football/stats/2023/samford/boxscore/10425](https://woffordterriers.com/sports/football/stats/2023/samford/boxscore/10425)*