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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. In a battle of two of the country's top-15 defenses, it was the Elon offense which was able to put points on the board to lead the 10th-ranked Phoenix to a 27-7 Southern Conference win against host Samford in the regular-season finale for both squads.
The win improved Elon to 9-2 overall and 7-1 in the conference and improved the Phoenix's chances for a playoff berth. The nine-win season was the first for the program since 1999.
Samford ends its season at 5-6 overall and 3-5 in the league.
Elon will learn its playoff fate when ESPNews televises the FCS selection show at 3 p.m. today. If the Phoenix receives a bid, it would be the first for the program since the move to NCAA Division I play in 1999.
Terrell Hudgins became the NCAA Division I all-time leader with his 27th career 100-yard receiving game, eclipsing the century mark late in the first half.
Elsewhere
FURMAN 58, WOFFORD 21: Six turnovers put a damper on the final game of the season for Wofford as the Terriers were defeated by host Furman. Wofford had four fumbles and two interceptions in the game and the Paladins put up 469 yards of offense.
The Terriers end the season 3-8 and 2-6 in the Southern Conference. Furman (6-5, 5-3).
GARDNER-WEBB 21, PRESBYTERIAN 14: Patrick Hall rushed for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and Gardner-Webb turned a 14-0 halftime lead into a win against host Presbyterian in both teams' season finale.
Hall scored on a two-yard rumble with 3:28 left in the first quarter to put Gardner-Webb (6-5, 3-3 Big South) in front 7-0, and darted 49 yards with 1:16 left in the game for a 21-7 lead.
NORFOLK STATE 28, WINSTON-SALEM 21: Winston-Salem State's bid to close the season with a victory came up short in Norfolk, Va., when Jean Julmiste's pass on third and 10 from the Norfolk State 46-yard line was intercepted, preserving a Spartans' win and ending WSSU's season at 1-10 overall.
S.C. STATE 28, N.C. A&T 10: Malcolm Long passed for two touchdowns and ran for another as host S.C. State beat N.C. A&T.
Long was 18-for-31 for 222 yards passing, with three interceptions. Malcolm threw touchdown passes of 12 and 49 yards to TreOliver Young, who had six catches for 123 yards.
CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 30, COASTAL CAROLINA 23: Coastal Carolina wrapped up its season with a Big South Conference loss at host Charleston Southern. Winless on the road this year, the Chanticleers finished the year at 5-6 and 3-3 in Big South play, while the Buccaneers wrapped up the season 6-5, 4-2.
JACKSONVILLE 34, CAMPBELL 14: Campbell (3-8, 2-6 Pioneer Football League) dropped the season finale to visiting Jacksonville (7-4, 6-2).
Redshirt sophomore C.J. Oates led the offensive charge with 125 yards rushing and a touchdown. The Camels ran for 173 yards as a team and ended the year with 2,087 yards on the ground.
N.C. CENTRAL 35, SAVANNAH STATE 14: Michael Johnson threw four touchdown passes and host N.C. Central defeated Savannah State.
Johnson, who was 15 of 23 for 233 yards, broke a 7-7 tie on a 56-yard pass to Will Scott with 12:17 left in the second quarter.
The Tigers (4-7) pulled within 21-14 before N.C. Central's Tony McCord scored on an 80-yard run with 11:34 left to play.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 13, CITADEL 6: Minutes after host Georgia Southern's victory against The Citadel, GSU athletic director Sam Baker fired football coach Chris Hatcher.
Hatcher was 18-15 in three years at Georgia Southern, including a 12-11 mark in the Southern Conference.
