Samford Breaks Through With Dominant Win Over VMI
By Steve Irvine
HOMEWOOD, ALABAMA - September 27, 2026
A Samford football team in desperate need for something good to happen opened up Saturday’s game against visiting VMI was a 45-yard pick six by defensive back LaShon Young on the third play of the game.
That opened the door for the Bulldogs best game of the season in the 45-7 victory, albeit against an opponent not as good as the first three teams Samford has faced, and the first chance for John Grass to take home a game ball as the Samford head coach.
It was a chance for everyone involved with the Samford football program, as well as a crowd of 10,033 on Family Weekend on the campus, to go home with a smile.
“I just thought we had a great day,” said Grass who brought the game ball with him to the postgame press conference podium. “I thought it was a great day just from the weather to the fans, everything. Family day, so there were a lot of people in the stands, packed house. What a great day to play well, you know. I think we played a complete game (in) all three phases. Very, very pleased with that and I thought we handled the open week really well and kind of hit at a good time, especially before you play a triple-option team. We talked about start fast. We've not started a game really fast all year. And we, we start off with a pick six, no better way to start it there.”
After that, the Bulldogs (1-3 overall, 1-1 SoCon) dismantled the Keydets (0-5 overall, 0-1 SoCon) in every single phase.
Quarterback Gabarri Johnson, who has been an offensive bright spot from the start of the season, had what Grass described as his best game of the season. Johnson, a junior transfer from Oregon State, was 22-of-26 for 222 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 34 yards and another score to lead the offense. The running game also chipped in for the first time this season by contributing 221 yards on 43 carries with touchdown runs by Johnson, Emerson Russell and Domonique Thomas.
Defensively, VMI gained 212 yards in total offense with the triple option producing just 61 yards on the ground. The Bulldogs didn’t allow VMI to cross midfield until 5:10 left in the third quarter. By that time, the game was decided.
Russell’s 16-yard touchdown run got the Samford offense on the scoreboard in the first quarter and the Bulldogs got Johnson touchdown passes of 23 yards to Marquise Henderson and 16 yards to Preston Bird in the second quarter. Samford then built the lead to 42-0 on Johnson’s 1-yard plunge and Thomas’ 13-yard run. The second touchdown came with just under six minutes left in the third quarter and most of the starters were done for the day.
It will come after a night of celebrating this win but now Samford can turn its attention to next week’s game against crosstown UAB.
“Well, I mean, I think you treat that like another playoff game,” Grass said. “This'll be like a semifinal game. They're a very talented bunch. They flipped that roster. I think they took almost 70 new guys on that roster. Had a big win last night against Navy, so we'll have our work cut out for us. But just got to look at how we play. We don't care who we play. It's all about if we execute. We execute, I like our chances. We just got to go out and play good football. Those kind of kind of games grow you too. I think that's going to help us going in the last part of the SoCon play and hopefully getting in the playoffs and advancing.”