West Georgia Victorious in Division-I Debut, Thanks to Wydner’s 3 Touchdowns; Defeats Samford 38-29

West Georgia secured a 38-29 victory over Samford in their Division-I debut with quarterback Davin Wydner leading the way. The Wolves made the transition from Division II to the FCS this season and celebrated their new era under coach Joel Taylor with a win. Wydner, an Ole Miss transfer, showcased his skills by throwing for two touchdowns, running for one, and accumulating 271 passing yards along with 58 rushing yards on 24-of-35 passing.
Karmello English recorded six catches for 108 yards, while Chase Belcher contributed by scoring two rushing touchdowns for West Georgia. The Wolves reclaimed the lead at 32-29 after Belcher’s 4-yard run following a turnover forced by Malachi Williams, who caused a fumble that led to the decisive score at the Samford 30-yard line. Wydner extended their lead to 38-29 with an impressive 21-yard scramble eight minutes before the end of the game.
Wydner’s 44-yard Hail Mary pass to Dylan Gary at the end of the first half provided a substantial lead of 26-14 for the Wolves. Although Samford fought back and briefly took a 29-26 lead in the third quarter with Quincy Crittendon’s 68-yard touchdown pass to Brendan Jenkins, West Georgia managed to regain control and secure the victory.
Crittendon, on the other hand, displayed a strong performance for Samford with 302 passing yards, two touchdowns, one interception, 95 rushing yards, and two additional scores. The Wolves’ successful debut in Division-I football marked a promising start to their new journey in the FCS.