In a thrilling contest on Saturday, East Tennessee State University overcame an early deficit to secure a 31-28 victory against Samford, thanks to a strong performance from quarterback Jaylen King, who threw three touchdown passes. One of these was a breathtaking 75-yard connection with AJ Johnson, igniting a momentum shift that saw the Buccaneers rally for 17 consecutive points.

With under four minutes remaining in the game, a crucial play saw Ray Coney tackle Samford’s quarterback, Quincy Crittendon, resulting in an 11-yard loss deep in Bulldogs territory. Following this, Xavier Gaillardetz managed a 34-yard return on the ensuing punt, although a personal foul penalty pushed the ball back to Samford’s 33-yard line. King then engineered a drive, connecting with Johnson for a critical 34-yard gain, placing the Buccaneers in a first-and-goal situation at the 6. After a pass interference call on the Bulldogs, Gino English rushed in from a yard out just two plays later, marking the first lead for ETSU.

Earlier in the game, Crittendon had ignited Samford’s offense with an impressive 89-yard touchdown thrown to Rayf Vinson, establishing an early 7-0 lead after East Tennessee’s opening drive faltered at the Samford 5-yard line. The Buccaneers quickly responded, as King found Hakeem Meggett in the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown, equalizing the game by the end of the first quarter.

In a back-and-forth battle, Crittendon retaliated with a 41-yard touchdown pass to E. Jai Mason, followed shortly by a 23-yard score to Wesley Carlock, extending Samford’s lead to 21-7. King responded, executing a 15-yard touchdown pass to Johnson to narrow the gap to seven points by halftime.

After the break, Crittendon added to the scoreboard with a 7-yard touchdown reception by Mason, putting the Bulldogs ahead 28-14. However, King answered back with another spectacular touchdown pass to Johnson, bringing the Buccaneers within seven as they headed into the final quarter.

In the early moments of the fourth quarter, Ewan Johnson kicked a 23-yard field goal, closing the deficit to 28-24. King finished the game with a record of 268 passing yards on 15 completions from 27 attempts, despite throwing three interceptions. He also contributed significantly with his legs, rushing for 80 yards on 19 carries, while Johnson wrapped up his day with 146 receiving yards on seven catches. For Samford, Crittendon completed 27 out of 36 passes, accumulating a total of 306 yards alongside four touchdown passes.