BIRMINGHAM, Ala.?A trip to Orlando to play UCF, a home game against cross-town rival Miles and a full Southern Conference slate highlight Samford’s 2009 football schedule, released by head coach Pat Sullivan on Thursday.

 

“We are excited about our schedule for next year,” Sullivan said. “We open up with a game at Central Florida, going to Orlando to play, and that is a trip I know our players will be excited about.

 

“Then we come home and have two games here, including one with Miles College, which I hope we can set the attendance record for Samford with two teams from Birmingham playing,” Sullivan said.

 

Samford will open the 2009 season on Sept. 5 with a game at UCF in Orlando. The meeting will be the first between the two schools since 1997. The game will mark the 11th meeting overall between the two programs, with UCF holding a7-3 advantage in the series.

 

Next up, Samford will play host to Jacksonville University on Sept. 12. The meeting will be the first ever between the Bulldogs and the Dolphins.

 

Samford will wrap up the non-conference portion of its schedule on Sept. 19 when the Bulldogs play host to Miles College. Samford and Miles will be meeting for the third time with Samford winning both of the previous meetings. The teams last met in 2006, with Samford winning by a score of 37-7.

 

“After those three games we go straight into the conference schedule,” Sullivan said. “We have to go to Appalachian State right off the bat, so we will be tested right away. This will be an exciting schedule for us to play. We have good home games and we will look forward to another exciting year.”

 

Samford opens its second season of Southern Conference play on Sept. 26 at defending conference champion Appalachian State. Samford and ASU have met three times, with the Mountaineers holding a 2-1 advantage in the series.

 

Samford’s first home SoCon game of the season will be on Oct. 3 against Western Carolina. Samford holds a 5-1 advantage in its all-time series with the Catamounts. The game will mark WCU’s first trip to Samford since 1992.

 

Next up, Samford will play host to Chattanooga on Oct. 10. The Mocs are Samford’s most frequent opponent on the 2009 schedule. The meeting will be the 35th between the two programs, with UTC holding a 22-9-3 advantage in the series.

 

Samford will then travel to Furman on Oct. 17. The Bulldogs and the Paladins will be meeting for the 12th time, with Furman holding a 6-5 lead in the series.

 

After an open date on Oct. 24, Samford will travel to The Citadel on Oct. 31. The meeting will be just the third all-time between the programs, with the series tied at 1-1.

 

Samford’s Homecoming game is scheduled for Nov. 7 against Georgia Southern. The teams will be meeting for the fifth time, with GSU holding a 3-1 lead in the series.

 

The Bulldogs will then travel to Wofford on Nov. 14 for their final road game of the 2009 regular season. The Bulldogs and Terriers have met six times prior to this season, with Samford leading the series, 4-2.

 

Samford’s final regular-season game is scheduled for Nov. 21 against the Elon Phoenix. The game will mark the eighth meeting in the series, which Elon leads, 5-2.

 

2009 SAMFORD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

 

Sept. 5                  at UCF                                                  

Sept. 12                Jacksonville                                       

Sept. 19                Miles College                                    

Sept. 26                at Appalachian State*                   

Oct. 3                    Western Carolina*                         

Oct. 10                  Chattanooga*                                  

Oct. 17                  at Furman*                                        

Oct. 31                  at The Citadel*                 

Nov. 7                   Georgia Southern (HC)*              

Nov. 14                 at Wofford*                                      

Nov. 21                 Elon*                                                    

 

*-Southern Conference Game