Birmingham, Ala. – Western Carolina amassed 456 yards of total offense including 310 yards through the air and 156 rushing yards on Saturday but were held out of the endzone in settling for a career-best four Richard McCollum field goals as No. 21/22 Samford handed the Catamounts a league-opening 35-12 setback at Seibert Stadium.
 
McCollum split the uprights all four field goal attempts, the most for a Catamount kicker in a single game since Joshua Gibson hit four in a 26-7 win over VMI back in 2017. The Sanford, N.C., product connected from 20, 24, 30, and 31 yards, respectively, in accounting for all WCU's points in the road loss. WCU finished 4-for-6 in the redzone in Saturday's defeat.
 
Returning to the starting lineup after missing the Presbyterian win due to injury, quarterback Carlos Davis was 29-of-44 passing for 301 yards but was intercepted twice, both coming in the endzone that thwarted would be scoring drives. Jalynn Williams finished with a career-high 130 all-purpose yards including a team-best 61 rushing yards and 69 yards on four receptions. Terrence Horne matched with four catches for 39 yards but was held out of the endzone for the first time this season with tailback TJ Jones also posting four grabs for 31 receiving yards as 12 different Catamounts tallied catches.
 
Samford (3-1, 1-0 SoCon) jumped out to a 14-point lead early in the second quarter, capitalizing on a goal line stand for a 99-yard drive to take the two-score advantage. McCollum's first field goal made it 14-3 at halftime. Out of the locker room, WCU earned a defensive stop as KJ Milner hit Samford QB Michael Hiers on the arm with the deflected pass intercepted by Andreas Keaton. The Catamounts were only able to convert the takeaway into a second McCollum field goal and a 14-6 margin early in the third quarter.
 
Samford connected on a 60-yard pass play to extend the margin to 21-6 before a third McCollum three-spot late in the third made it 21-9. The Bulldogs capped the game with a 14-point fourth quarter and McCollum's fourth field goal to provide the final tally.
 
Hiers finished 24-of-30 for 292 passing yards with four touchdown passes to four different receivers while tossing his first interception of the season. Chandler Smith caught eight passes for a game-high 125 yards and a score with Jay Stanton finishing with 86 rushing yards including a 49-yard TD late.
 
Keaton paced the Catamounts with eight tackles including six solo stops, posting his fourth career interception on the opening drive of the second half. Defensive end KJ Milner was credited with six stops including a pair of sacks with Jaquairus Guinn tallying one and EJ Porter and Micah Nelson combining on one of WCU's four sacks on the day.
 
Western Carolina (2-2, 0-1 SoCon) returns to home to open the home portion of its league schedule next Saturday, Oct. 1, hosting the VMI Keydets (1-2) at Bob Waters Field / E.J. Whitmire Stadium in Cullowhee. Kickoff of the annual Family Weekend game and EBCI Day is slated for 3:30 p.m. on ESPN3 (cable subscription required) with coverage through the Catamount Sports Network airing at 2:30 p.m.