Scott Riddle throws for 416 yards and 3 TDs to lead Elon to 24-19 SoCon victory over Samford

Riddle helps Elon hold on to beat Samford 24-19

ELON, N.C. — Scott Riddle threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns as Elon held on to defeat Samford 24-19 on Saturday.

The Phoenix (2-3, 1-1 Southern Conference) jumped to a 17-0 lead, including touchdown passes from Riddle to Kierre Brown for 36 yards and Sean Jeffcoat for 2 yards.

Samford’s Cameron Yaw kicked a career-long 48-yard field goal to make it 17-3 at halftime, then added a 22-yarder after an Elon fumble to open the second half. Another Phoenix fumble off a Riddle sack set up Kelsey Pope’s 1-yard TD run to make it 17-13 with 7:27 left in the third quarter.

Riddle, who was 36-for-44 passing, responded with his third touchdown pass, a 9-yarder to Andre Labinowicz.

Pope scored on another 1-yard run with 10:34 to go, but the two-point conversion failed.

Chris Evans had 115 yards on 12 carries for Samford (2-3, 0-2), while Bryce Smith had a career-high 17 tackles.