In a game of lasts, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (1-11/0-8) football team dropped a 30-7 decision to Samford (6-5/4-4) at Finley Stadium. Not only was it Senior Day, it was also the last game of the Rodney Allison era as head coach.
The game started with a bang for the Bulldogs as quarterback Dustin Taliaferro hooked up with Riley Hawkins on a 65-yard touchdown completion on a post route. The score came just 54 seconds into the contest and made it 6-0 after the missed Bob Hooper point after kick attempt.
Samford would score again before the Mocs could answer on a nine-yard rush by Southern Conference rushing leader Chris Evans. Evans made it 14-0 converting the PAT on a sweep to the left.
The Mocs answered on its next possession marching 64 yards in 11 plays (5:45) capped by a nine-yard Erroll Wynn run to make it 14-7. Samford tacked on 10 more points before the halftime whistle to take a 24-7 lead into the break.
After a scoreless third quarter, Evans struck again from six yards out with 11:00 to go in the fourth quarter to make it 30-7. During the nine-play, 80-yard drive, Evans set a new single-season school rushing record (1,284 yards) for Samford.
The Mocs offense never found its rhythm on the day accounting for 196 total yards. Junior wide receiver Clint Woods’ five catches set a new career high for receptions with 49 bypassing the 45 he had in 2007.
Defensively, true freshman safety Jordan Tippit put on a show with 12 tackles, 10 solo, with one for loss. Junior linebacker Joseph Thornton ended his season with seven stops leading the unit for the season with 79.
Fourteen seniors ended their careers. They include: LB Aaron Adams, DB Raeshon Ball, DT Rodney Beamon, DB Anthony Brodnax, DE Neil Brown, OT/DT Robbie Elliott, OT William Giles, FB Brent Hayes, OT Brian Heflin, WR Thomas Hinton, LB/LS Mitchell Meadows, LB Jarvis Newson, TE Joseph Pitman and LB Kenny Scrivens.
Evans gained 134 yards on the day on 25 rushes. His three scores and one PAT accounted for 20 of the Bulldogs’ 30 points. Taliaferro (sounds like Tolliver) was an efficient 13 of 18 passing for 190 yards and the touchdown to Hawkins. Rodney Shepherd led the defense with 12 stops and three sacks.