Dec. 20, 2005

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - A trip to ACC power Georgia Tech highlights the 2006 Samford football schedule, released by Director of Athletics Bob Roller on Tuesday.

Samford opens the season with a home game against the cross-town Miles College Golden Bears on Thursday, Aug. 31, at Seibert Stadium.

"I think it will be good for our community to be able to open with Miles," Samford head coach Bill Gray said. "We are expecting a large crowd, playing on a Thursday night, and then you add that we are playing a team from the city of Birmingham, so it should be a good night to open the season with.

"Our trip to Georgia Tech two years ago was a positive for our program, and hopefully it will be the same way this year," Gray said. "We will be able to play a I-A game that is just two hours down the road and in an area that we do a lot of heavy recruiting, so it should be good for us. The biggest positive I see is that we have three of the first four at home as opposed to three of the first four on the road like it was last year."

Following the Miles game, Samford will play at Georgia Tech for the second time in three years when the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets meet on Sept. 9, in Atlanta. Samford's final non-conference game will be on Thursday, Sept. 14, when the Samford plays host to future Ohio Valley Conference member Austin Peay.

Samford will open OVC play on Sept. 23, with a home game against Eastern Illinois. The Bulldogs then play at Southeast Missouri on Sept. 30, followed by a home game against Eastern Kentucky on Oct. 7.

Samford plays at Murray State on Oct. 14, and the Bulldogs return home to take on Tennessee-Martin for Homecoming on Oct. 21. The Bulldogs then travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Tennessee State on Oct. 28.

The final home game on the 2006 schedule is set for Nov. 4 against Tennessee Tech. Samford then wraps up the regular season by playing at Jacksonville State on Nov. 11.

2006 SAMFORD FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Aug. 31, MILES COLLEGE
Sept. 9, at Georgia Tech
Sept. 14, AUSTIN PEAY
Sept. 23, EASTERN ILLINOIS*
Sept. 30, at Southeast Missouri*
Oct. 7, EASTERN KENTUCKY*
Oct. 14, at Murray State*
Oct. 21, TENNESSEE-MARTIN (HC)*
Oct. 28, at Tennessee State*
Nov. 4, TENNESSEE TECH*
Nov. 11, at Jacksonville State*