Birmingham, Ala. – Samford quarterback Liam Welch rushed for three touchdowns while throwing for two scores as the Bulldogs broke open a one-point game at halftime, outscoring Western Carolina 34-7 in the second half to hand the Catamounts a 55-27 setback in Southern Conference football action at Seibert Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
WCU redshirt sophomore kicker Richard McCollum hit a pair of second-quarter field goals from 44 and 45 yards out – both representing the longest of his career, surpassing the 33-yarder he nailed against North Greenville in 2019 – as WCU clawed back to within one, 21-20, at halftime after trailing 21-7. The Bulldogs responded, however, in the second half with three-consecutive scores in a 20-point third quarter, tacking on two TDs in the fourth quarter.
 
Graduate transfer QB Ryan Glover threw for 306 yards and a pair of scores on 25-of-43 passing with two interceptions for the Catamounts with Donnavan Spencer rushing for 79 yards and a touchdown on the day. Eight different receivers caught passes for WCU including a career-best seven receptions for 62 yards and a TD for freshman Calvin Jones with tight end Clayton Bardall catching four passes for 42 yards and a score.
 
WCU (0-5, 0-2 SoCon) drove Saturday's opening kickoff 75 yards in six plays for an early 7-0 lead for a second-consecutive week as Glover found Jones on a two-yard scoring strike, the first points of Jones' career and first passing TD for Glover in a Catamount uniform. However, the Bulldogs responded with 21-straight points between the first and second quarters to lead by two scores, 21-7, before halftime.
 
The Catamounts answered with 13-straight points to close the opening half. McCollum split the uprights from 44 yards out to make it 21-10 before Glover hooked-up with Bardall from 34-yards out with just under six minutes to play before the break. McCollum capped the first-half scoring with a career-long 45-yard field goal – a yard longer than his previous career-best earlier in the quarter – to make it 21-20 at intermission.
 
Samford took over in the third quarter, though, posting 20-straight points before Spencer broke free for a 24-yard scoring romp – his first of the season and the 15th rushing score of his career. The Bulldogs tacked on two more scores on a Welch six-yard run and a 57-yard rush by Ty Boles to provide the final tally.
 
WCU senior linebacker Ty Harris recorded the 11th double-digit tackle performance of his career with 12 stops including 2.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks. Dorian Davis was credited with a career-high eight stops, matching linebacker Trevor Childers, while Laquavion Haynes tallied a career-high seven solo stops. Willie Hampton (1.0) and Jaquarius Guinn (0.5) added to WCU's three sack total.
 
Welch finished 26-of-36 for 311 yards and two touchdowns, adding 83 rushing yards and three scores to pace the Bulldogs. Three Bulldog running backs scored led by Jay Stanton who ran for 135 yards and a 4-yard touchdown while A.J. Toney (9-for-77) and Kendall Watson (2-for-24) hauled in receiving touchdowns.

WCU's offense rolled-up a season-best 449 yards including season-highs of 143 yards rushing and 306 passing yards.
 
Western Carolina opens the home portion of its spring 2021 schedule next Saturday, March 6 by hosting the VMI Keydets (1-0, 1-0 SoCon), which upset 10th-ranked Furman on Saturday in Lexington, Va., in its first game of the 2020-21 season. Kickoff at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field is scheduled for 1:00 pm and will be broadcast on ESPN+ (paid subscription required) with live audio on the Catamount Sports Network beginning at Noon.