BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The game plan was simple for Eastern.

The Panthers ran over, ran around and ran through Samford en route to a 24-13 victory Saturday night at Seibert Stadium and the tenth consecutive Ohio Valley Conference win for the Panthers.

Eastern used its conference-leading rushing offense to pile up 240 yards on the ground, most of it by Vincent Webb Jr.

“He had a huge day and he carried us,” Eastern quarterback Mike Donato said.

The Panthers senior running back rushed for a career-high 208 yards on 29 carries and a touchdown, continuing his career success against the Bulldogs. Last year, Webb ran for 94 yards on 20 carries and two scores as the Panthers won 43-14 at O’Brien Stadium and in 2004 rushed for 147 yards against the Bulldogs.

“Vincent ran tough tonight,” Eastern acting head coach Mark Hutson said. “He made some plays for us early and late in the game.”

Webb passed Kevin Staple for fifth all-time on the Eastern career rushing list with 3,386 yards. He now needs 80 yards to pass Jamie Jones for fourth.

“To be fifth all-time on the rushing list, it’s a great honor,” Webb said.

The beginning of this contest gave the indication it would just as easy as Webb ran for 74 yards on six attempts, including a 53-yard-run up the gut of the Samford defense.

The opening drive ended when on first-and-goal from the three-yard line, Donato faked a hand-off and completed a play-action rollout to find tight end Jordan Campanella for the game’s first score.

Donato finished 14 of 18 for 120 yards (104 in the first half) with two touchdowns.

So while Webb earned more yards and more records Saturday night, he may have a lighter wallet this week after he thanks his offensive line.

“Last season, every time we had a 100-yard game we’d go out to dinner,” Webb said. “So maybe this week we’ll go out to dinner. If not I’ll take care of them in Hawaii.”

The Eastern defense that had been shaky in the prior three games was able to slow down the Bulldogs’ quick tempo passing offense that features multiple formations. The Panthers held Samford scoreless in the first quarter and a mere 77 yards of total offense in the first half.

“Somebody said we got some takeaways, we held them to 13 points and we knocked the quarterback out of game,” Eastern defensive coordinator Roc Bellantoni said. “That’s kind of what we got used to last year.”

Eastern (2-2, 1-0) was able to control the line of scrimmage as the Bulldogs, which came in ranked 99th in the country in rushing, didn’t make much effort to run the ball. The Panthers attacked Samford starting quarterback Dante Williams and knocked the sophomore signal caller out of the game early in the second quarter.

“It’s like a yo-yo at that position,” Samford head coach Bill Gray said.

Right after Williams threw an interception to cornerback B.J. Brown, Williams was knocked to his side by Panthers linebacker Donald Thomas. Thomas was cited for roughing the passer and the drive continued but Williams left the game with a hip pointer and did not return.

Williams’ backup, Jefferson Adcock, performed efficiently as he lead the Bulldogs to all of its 13 points and ended the evening 24 of 30 for 212 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Adcock, who had been the starter for the past 14 games for Samford, was able to come off the bench to keep his team in the game.

“I knew it was my time and I’m disappointed because I thought we played hard and came very close to beating a great team,” Adcock said. “We drove the ball well especially in the second half but couldn’t punch it in.”

With the score tied at 7-7, Eastern made two passing plays to quiet the Samford crowd. Donato completed two throws deep over the middle to Campanella and wide receiver Micah Rucker for a combined 63 yards. The statement drive culminated with a 35-yard touchdown pass to Rucker as Donato got cornerback T.C. Myers to bite on a play-action fake and once Rucker was able to use his 11-inch height advantage on his defender, he had his sixth touchdown of the season. The transfer from Minnesota had three catches for 51 yards and that touchdown.

Saturday marked the first time Eastern led at halftime as the Panthers went into the locker room up 14-7.

Late in the third quarter the Panthers made it a two-possession game but were extremely close to making it 21-7. Out of the shotgun, Donato again faked a handoff and tossed it to Rucker who had beaten Myers again to the angle but Myers this time dived onto Rucker’s back to save another touchdown and was called for pass interference. Seven plays later, Eastern kicker Zach Yates connected a career-high 47-yard field goal to make the Samford deficit 17-7.

“I told coach I definitely want this,” Yates said. “In practice, I’ve kicked over fifty but that’s my career long.”

The clinching play was Webb breaking through the middle of Samford’s defense once again for a 27-yard touchdown on fourth-and-one situation. The St. Louis native went untouched between the tackles and stiff-armed Bulldogs defensive back Sean Hill at the five-yard line to make it 24-7 and clinch its third straight victory against Samford and its fifth consecutive OVC road win.

After conference favorites Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State both lost on the road this week, the Panthers hold a critical one-game lead over both after every school has played its opener.

“It may become like basketball,” Hutson said, “where road wins are hard to come by.”