Samford Bulldogs

The Samford Bulldogs have emerged as one of the Southern Conference's most exciting modern programs, known for a high-tempo, pass-heavy offense out of Birmingham, Alabama. After decades of on-and-off football history, Samford has reinvented itself as a legitimate FCS contender, drawing national attention for its scoring output and NFL-caliber talent. The garnet and blue Bulldogs have quickly become a program opponents circle on the schedule.

Samford's football roots trace to 1902, when the school was known as Howard College, playing as the Howard Bulldogs until the 1965 renaming to Samford University. The program was discontinued after 1973, revived at the Division III level in 1984, and elevated to FCS in 2001, joining the Southern Conference in 2008. Samford won its first outright SoCon championship in 2022 with a perfect 8-0 conference mark, punching its ticket to the FCS playoffs. The Bulldogs have made six FCS playoff appearances in their modern era.