The Samford Bulldogs football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Samford University located in Homewood, Alabama. The team competes at the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level as a member of the Southern Conference (SoCon). Samford's first football team was fielded in 1902. The team was known as the Howard Bulldogs through the 1965 season when Howard College was renamed as Samford University. Howard was located in Birmingham, Alabama prior to 1957. Since 1958, the Bulldogs have played their home games at Pete Hanna Stadium, which now has a seating capacity of 6,700, in Homewood. Chris Hatcher served as Samford's head coach since the from 2015 to 2025.
Contents
History
Classifications
1937–1971: NA
1972: NCAA College Division
1973: NCAA Division III
1974–1983: no program
1984–1988: NCAA Division III
1989–present: NCAA Division I-AA/FCS
Conference memberships
1902–1905: independent
1906–1931: Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association
1931–1954: Dixie Conference
1955–1972: independent
1973: NCAA Division III independent
1974–1983: no program
1984–1988: NCAA Division III independent
1989–2002: NCAA Division I-AA independent
2003–2007: Ohio Valley Conference
2008–present: Southern Conference
Conference Championships
The Bulldogs have won 4 conference championships, with three coming in the Dixie Conference and two in the Southern Conference.
† Co-champions
NCAA Division I-AA/FCS playoff results
The Bulldogs have appeared in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs six times with an overall record of 3–6.
Notable former players
Michael “The Steel” Deen
Bobby Bowden
James Bradberry
Cortland Finnegan
Jimbo Fisher
Scott Fountain
Jeremy Towns
Ahmad Gooden
Efrem Hill
Devlin Hodges
Chris Oladokun
Michael Pierce
Nate Schenker
Jaquiski Tartt
Montrell Washington
Corey White
Nick Williams
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of January 23, 2026.