Mercer University
Wofford
Football Drops 2014 Season Finale to Wofford
11/22/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Mercer University football team closed the book on its 2014 season, falling to Wofford, 34-6, at Gibbs Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bears wrap up their first season in the Southern Conference with a 6-6 overall record and a 1-6 mark in league play.
"I was extremely proud of the way we came out in the second half defensively," said head coach Bobby Lamb. "You have to give credit to Wofford, they are very good at what they do and come at you in a lot of ways with their rushing attack. Offensively we just did not play very well at all today which falls back on me, but you have to be proud of the effort our guys gave all year.
Mercer, who came into the game as the SoCon's leader in scoring and total offense, could not overcome an early deficit, suffering its worst loss of the year after only a combined 31-point difference in the team's previous five conference defeats.
The Bears were held to a season-low 151 yards of total offense, as the league's top rushing defense controlled the line of scrimmage throughout the game. Meanwhile, Wofford's triple-option attack posted 374 yards on the ground en route to 405 yards of total offense.
Zach Jackson led the defense, which held the Terriers to just 111 yards in the second half, with nine tackles and an interception. Kyle Williams added nine solo tackles to finish his freshman campaign, while Tripp Patterson tallied seven stops on the day. Tyler Ward notched six tackles to reach triple digits and close out the year with a career-best 104 stops this season.
John Russ finished 11-of-25 for 85 yards to surpass 4,000 passing yards for his career, while also tallying the Bears' only score on a three-yard quarterback keeper. Tee Mitchell paced the rushing attack with 45 yards on just five carries to go along with a team-leading three receptions for 24 yards.
Mercer opened the game with three consecutive three-and-outs and Wofford took advantage of the stalled offensive attack. The Terriers held a 20-0 lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter thanks to a trio of physical drives, as they piled up 195 yards rushing on their first three possessions.
The Bears moved into Wofford territory for the first time during their fourth possession, but the drive would fall short after Russ' pass on fourth down fell incomplete. The Terriers responded with another scoring drive, heading into halftime with a 27-0 lead after Lorenzo Long's 22-yard touchdown run.
Wofford added to its lead late in the third quarter, after capitalizing on a short field thanks to a Mercer turnover. Long punched in his fourth touchdown, a two-yard scamper, to cap of a 23-yard drive for a 34-0 lead.
The Bears, who forced two turnovers in the contest, took advantage of a short field as well, as Corey Lockett helped start the team's only scoring drive with an interception at midfield. Mercer was on the scoreboard nine plays later, as Russ put the finishing touches on a 47-yard drive with his rushing touchdown from three yards out.
Mercer could not pull any closer though and saw its second season since reinstating the football program come to an end.
"Obviously it's disappointing to lose the way we did today, but there are a lot of positives from this season," Lamb added. "We did a marvelous job of coming together as a team and really battling as one of the youngest teams in the country. We have a lot to look forward to, but we need to have a great offseason as we start preparing for the 2015 season after Christmas break."
One year removed from a NCAA record 10 wins as a first-year program, the Bears made a statement in their first year in the Southern Conference after taking several of the league's top teams to the wire. All 22 starters are set to return for Mercer, who will sign its second scholarship class in February.
