Samford 43, Elon 31

Published Oct. 15, 2011 10:02 p.m. ET

foxsports

Behind the lead of Fabian Truss, Samford rushed for 348 yards and five touchdowns Saturday in a 43-31 victory over Elon in Southern Conference play.

Truss ran roughshod over the Phoenix (4-3, 2-2), carrying the ball 26 times for 191 yards and three touchdowns. His second score came on a 64-yard run in the second quarter.

Samford (4-2, 2-2) led early, 24-7, but Elon kept it close behind the passing of quarterback Thomas Wilson. He completed 35 of 61 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns - one to Aaron Mellette, who caught 15 passes for 171 yards.

Although Wilson was also intercepted four times, Elon got back into it in the third quarter. A 16-yard blocked punt return for a touchdown by A.J. Harris and a short touchdown run cut it to 37-31 entering the fourth quarter. But Samford's defense stifled Elon and Truss' 1-yard TD clinched it.