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by ASHLEY DAVIS
Sports Editor
New Southern Conference member Samford University experienced a rite-of-passage Saturday afternoon in Birmingham, Ala. as Appalachian State University won their second conference game of the season 35-24.
Samford, rooted in Baptist practices, has Bulldog football advertisements posted around Seibert Stadium with tongue-in-cheek references to the Ten Commandments.
 Junior wide receiver Tavaris Washington scores the first touchdown of the game on Saturday. The Mountaineers will play Georgia Southern University this Saturday after prevailing over the Bulldogs 35-24. Photo by Adam Dixon
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“Thou shall not covet, but it’s okay to want a championship really, really bad,” was the ad most obviously relevant to Appalachian.
However, “Thou shall not lie, but a punt-fake is okay,” also related later in the game when Samford pulled many “rabbits out of the hat,” as Mountaineer head coach Jerry Moore referred to the trick-plays Samford utilized during the game.
Samford displayed their speed and strength early in the game taking a seven-point lead after freshman Bulldog quarterback Dustin Taliaferro rushed 1-yard into the end zone.
Less than two minutes later, Appalachian quarterback Armanti Edwards became the 7th player in NCAA Division I history to pass 5,000 yards and rush 3,000 yards, with a 16-yard pass to receiver T.J. Courman.
Two plays afterwards, the Mountaineers answered the scoring with Edwards completing a 44-yard touchdown-pass to junior Tavaris Washington to level the score 7-7.
Samford running back Chris Evans challenged the Mountaineers throughout the game, accumulating 51 rushing yards in the first quarter, and a touchdown, to put Samford ahead of Appalachian 14-7 on a 3-yard rush.
“People better take [Samford] serious,” Moore said following the game. “If you’re gonna play them, you better be ready for them.”
The momentum changed at the beginning of the second quarter however, after Mountaineer cornerback Cortez Gilbert blocked a Samford 32-yard field goal attempt, to give Appalachian possession of the ball.
Following the block, Appalachian scored 21 unanswered-points beginning with an 8-yard touchdown-rush by running back Robert Welton to tie the game again, 14-14.
Receiver Matt Cline returned to action again, making his first appearance in the game with a 12-yard reception for one of the quarter’s instrumental first downs.
Cline finished the game with three total receptions totaling 31 yards and 13 yards rushing on two attempts.
Edwards passed strongly the first half completing 18 of 20 attempted passes for 258 yards and three touchdowns, allowing the Mountaineers to enter half time leading 28-14.
Samford accumulated 146 yards total offense, compared to the Mountaineers’ 340 yards.
Throughout the third quarter, the Bulldog’s defense held Edwards, causing Appalachian to lose a yard of total offense.
Meanwhile, Samford scored the only points of the third quarter from a 22-yard field goal by John Paul Fraites to make the score 28-17.
Appalachian offense re-awakened at the beginning of the quarter with Edwards rushing 25 yards to score during the first drive of the quarter, amplifying Appalachian’s lead to 18 points.
Samford was able to score one last touchdown on a one-yard rush by Taliaferro to finalize the score, 35-24.
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