Hiers accounts for 5 TDs to help Samford beat ETSU 55-45

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (AP) — Michael Hiers passed for 446 yards and four touchdowns and added 2-yard scoring run to help Samford beat East Tennessee State 55-45 Saturday night.

Hiers completed 45 of 51 passes with no interceptions and finished with 50 yards rushing on 13 carries. Kendall Watson had 11 receptions for 146 yards and a touchdown and Chandler Smith, who also finished with 11 catches, had 97 yards receiving — including a 5-yard TD that gave Samford (6-1, 4-0 Southern Conference) the lead for good at 31-24 late in the second quarter.

The Bulldogs have won five on a row since a 33-0 loss to No. 1 Georgia on Sept. 10.

Tyler Riddell threw completed 25 of 43 passes for 389 yards and five touchdowns for ETSU (3-5, 1-5).

Samford finished with 34 first downs and 609 total yards.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2