CULLOWHEE, N.C. (AP) DeMarcus Ware ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns, including the deciding score with 6:28 left in the game as Samford Bulldogs held off a second-half comeback by Western Carolina Catamounts to earn a 42-37 victory in the Southern Conference opener for both teams Saturday.

Ware ran 44 yards for the game's first score, then scored from the 4 on the final play of the first quarter to give the Bulldogs a 13-0 lead. Liam Welch threw 33 yards to Montrell Washington in the second quarter to push the Samford lead to 20-3.

The Catamounts (0-3) scored four straight touchdowns, two on touchdown passes from Rogan Wells and a third when Western Carolina sacked Welch in the end zone early in the third quarter. Wells found Calvin Jones with a 52-yard score with 4:23 left to get within a touchdown of the lead.

Welch was 27 of 48 for 352 yards and a touchdown but was picked off four times for Samford (2-1).

Wells was 25 of 56 for Western Carolina and had three touchdowns to go with three interceptions. He carried 16 times for 120 yards.

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