(STATS) – When Samford held a lead on Florida State until the closing minutes last Saturday night, this thought seemed far-fetched:
The team favored in the Southern Conference won’t qualify for the FCS playoffs.
But a week later, the scenario has changed a lot. The possibility of no postseason grew on Saturday when No. 9 Samford lost its conference opener to visiting Mercer 30-24.
Coach Chris Hatcher’s squad boasts the likes of All-Americans Devlin Hodges (quarterback), Kelvin McKnight (wide receiver) and Ahmad Gooden (defensive end), but its record is only 1-2, and the season-opening win against Division II Shorter won’t count toward an at-large playoff resume should the Bulldogs not win the SoCon’s automatic bid to the playoffs. The selection criteria usually requires seven D-I wins.
The Bulldogs can guarantee themselves the bid by sweeping their final seven SoCon games and having Mercer and the rest of the teams lose at least two conference games (a three-way tie at 7-1 each isn’t a guarantee for Samford). But it will be difficult to be flawless in a deep title race which is led by defending champion Wofford (2-0 conference mark).
Samford’s playoff resume could get a boost from one of the FCS season’s bigger nonconference games – a Sept. 29 visit to No. 7 Kennesaw State. Last season, the Bulldogs beat the Big South champ in the regular season, but then lost to the Owls in the first round of the playoffs.
But there’s a trip to Chattanooga up next Saturday, and Samford desperately needs to get back on track and start a conference winning streak.
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