Holmes, ETSU mount comeback 24-17 win over Samford

Updated Feb. 20, 2021 5:26 p.m. ET

Associated Press

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Quay Holmes scored two touchdowns and ran for 125 yards and East Tennessee overcame a slow start to beat Samford 24-17 on Saturday in the spring opener for both teams.

Tyler Riddell threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to Juliun Lane-Price who beat his defender on an outside route.

On Samford's final drive,

Samford established immediate control using a 17-play, 88-yard scoring drive when Oladokun threw a 5-yard scoring pass to Dakota Chapman to make it 7-0. The Buccaneers coughed up the ball nine plays into their opening drive which led to a 10-play, 76-yard scoring drive for the Bulldogs. Jay Stanton ran it in from a yard out for a 14-0 advantage.

Following a punt, ETSU fumbled it away again, but the Bucs defense settled in and picked off Oladokun then forced three straight punts by the Bulldogs before halftime.

Holmes scored on a pair of runs from a yard out, the first with five seconds to go before halftime and the second with 9:18 left in the third to tie it at 14.

Oladokun threw for 222 yards for Samford.

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