GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Cally Chizik recovered a fumble on the two-yard line in overtime to seal a 44-37 Furman victory over Samford in Southern Conference football action Saturday afternoon at Paladin Stadium.

Furman trailed Samford, 37-23, early in the fourth quarter, but Hamp Sisson connected with Ryan DeLuca on a 31-yard touchdown strike and a throwback screen to Ryan Miller, who outran the Samford defense for a 73-yard scoring play to tie the game at 37-37 with 2:59 remaining in regulation.

Devin Wynn gave the Paladins a 44-37 lead with a nine-yard run touchdown run to start overtime.

The Bulldogs completed two passes and used a pair of penalties to secure first-and-goal at the Furman 2.  The threat ended, however, when Furman defensive tackle Matt Sochovka dislodged the ball from Samford running back Jay Stanton and Chizik recovered it at the Paladin 2 to end the game and nail down the victory for Furman (2-1, 2-1 SoCon).

Chizik's game winning play, which capped his six-tackle performance, came in the collegiate starting debut for the sophomore cornerback from Auburn, Ala.

Wynn rushed for 106 yards and one touchdown on 21 carries.

Sisson overcame a rough start to finish with 277 yards passing and three touchdowns.

DeLuca had four catches for 114 yards, and Miller registered a pair of touchdown receptions in the contest.

The Paladins finished with 525 yards in total offense.

Furman jumped on top early after Austin Jones pounced on a fumble at the Samford 20 on the opening kickoff. Five rushes later Sisson beat the Bulldog defense to the pylon on a 4-yard scoring run to help stake the Paladins to a 7-0 lead.

The rest of the first quarter was all Samford, however, as the Bulldogs tied it at 7-7 with a Chris Edmonts 45-yard interception return for a score.  

After Mitchell Fineran put Samford up, 10-7, with 50-yard field goal, Montrell Washington made it 17-7 when he fielded a punt at his own 45, eluded defenders, and raced 55 yards for a touchdown.

Samford extended its first quarter advantage to 24-7 with 1-yard scoring plunge by Stanton, who set up his touchdown with 64-yard run on the six-play, 78-yard drive.

The Paladins used a Timmy Bleekrode 36-yard field goal, his first of three field goal on the day, and a 10-yard scoring toss from Sisson to Miller in the second quarter to cut Samford's advantage to 24-17 at the half.

Samford seemed to be in control after an 85-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Liam Welch to Ty King and Fineran's third field goal of the game, from 46 yards, gave the Bulldogs a 37-23 lead a minute  into the fourth quarter.  Furman, though, roared back to score touchdowns on three of its final four possessions.

The 17-point comeback was the largest by Furman in Paladin Stadium history (236 games), and the overtime win snapped a streak of five straight extra period losses by the Paladins.