Samford
1-11 2025 finalSamford is the SoCon program that came closest to a national championship in 1991 (lost 12-2 in the semifinal) and won a title in 2022 — but has never broken through to the next level despite consistent contention.
The Bulldogs are patient.
Samford is the SoCon program that came closest to a national championship in 1991 (lost 12-2 in the semifinal) and won a title in 2022 — but has never broken through to the next level despite consistent contention.
Samford remains a SoCon power under Chris Hatcher (11 years), who built the 2022 SoCon championship team. The Bulldogs are competing at a high level but have not returned to the FCS playoffs since 1991. The program is chasing that…
Offseason
69 days
until kickoff · Sun Aug 30 · 17:00 UTC
The 2026 Outlook
The Pulse on Samford
What moved it — offseason · last 30 days
Aspiration Ladder
Brief Part III §33.4 · Samford
The season's first milestone.
Competitive for the conference crown.
24-team bracket qualifier — realistic in a strong year.
The FCS championship weekend. A generational leap.
Samford · Next-Season Outcome Band
Floor / Base / Ceiling
Variance assumed at ±2 wins from last-season record. Replace with the season-path projection once preview data is built.
Who We Are
Fanbase Health Index · Samford · medium confidence
Stable (37)
Home-Field Advantage · Samford · 2018-present
Strong
53% home win rate vs 36% on the road. margin runs +8.8 better at home.
Act IIILast Season Reviewed
2025 season · tap to expand
Recent Form · last 10 games
Hibernating
Zero of five. Reset territory.
Southern Standing · 2025
8th in the Southern
Samford is 8th of 9 in the Southern at 1-11. The path to the title is steep — the focus is on playoff positioning and rivalry wins.
| # | Program | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercer | 9-3 |
| 2 | East Tennessee State | 7-5 |
| 3 | Western Carolina | 7-5 |
| 4 | Furman | 6-6 |
| 5 | Wofford | 6-6 |
| 6 | Chattanooga | 5-7 |
| 7 | The Citadel | 4-8 |
| 8 | Samford | 1-11 |
| 9 | VMI | 1-11 |
Schedule Strength · Samford · 2025
Balanced
Average opponent win rate 52% across 12 finalized games. 1 FBS top-25 opponent played (Texas A&M).
FCS → NFL Pipeline
2022–2022Developing
1 picks last 5 cycles. The pipeline is real but still building volume.
Moment of the Year · Samford · 2025
Lost 0-48 at Texas A&M
Week 13 of 2025. A reckoning loss — the data point the next season must answer.
From the Archive — Samford
2021: Lost 48-55 vs East Tennessee State
In 2021, the program lost 48-55 vs East Tennessee State — a close home result, 7 points either way.
Bulldogs eat tonight.