Mercer University
VMI
Football Defeats VMI for First SoCon Victory
9/27/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
LEXINGTON, Va. – The Mercer University football team claimed its first Southern Conference victory, holding off VMI, 27-24, on Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium.
"I'm very proud of our football team for coming on the road in the Southern Conference and winning a big-time league game," said head coach Bobby Lamb. "People really don't know how hard it is to go on the road in the Southern Conference. We had a lot of adversity in the first half and the kids just overcame and kept fighting and that is what this team is all about."
The Bears (4-1, 1-1 SoCon) scored on their first two possessions of the second half to grab a 27-14 lead in third quarter, but VMI rallied back. The Keydets' tallied 10-straight points to pull within a field goal, before Mercer's defense came up with a big stop in the closing minute. Sophomore safety Zach Jackson picked off VMI quarterback Al Cobb at the Bears' five-yard line to preserve the victory, as the offense went to victory formation to run out the clock.
In a game that featured two of the SoCon's leading offenses, it was Mercer's defense that proved to be the story of the game. The Bears forced four turnovers in the contest, holding VMI's high-powered attack to 24 points despite facing a short field on several occasions.
"Our defense was phenomenal in the first half, they forced three turnovers and the two touchdowns only came after we gave them a short field," Lamb said. "Our secondary made some phenomenal plays, but Zach Jackson made the biggest play of all on that last interception. I how was proud of our whole team for bending, but not breaking."
Tyler Ward and Alex Avant led the Bears' defensive effort. Ward finished with a team-high 11 tackles, while Avant notched a season-best 10 tackles to go along with three pass break-ups and a forced fumble. Jeremy James tallied eight tackles, LeMarkus Bailey and Mike Gray each forced fumbles.
Mercer's offense overcame three turnovers of its own to rack up 445 yards of total offense, behind the power of 269 yards rushing. Alex Lakes, the SoCon's leading rusher, paced the Bears' offense with 98 yards and two scores on the ground, while Tee Mitchell added 72 yards on 11 carries. Freshman Chandler Curtis used a pair of big plays to finish with a team-high 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
The two teams played a wild first half, as turnovers proved to be front and center for both squads. Each team turned the ball over three times in the opening period, as two of the Southern Conference's highest scoring offenses entered halftime with just 27 combined points with 20 of those coming in the final three minutes of the half.
Mercer struck on its first offensive possession, using a methodical 11-play, 79-yard drive for a 7-0 advantage on Lakes' 18-yard touchdown run. The Bears maintained the 7-0 lead for most of the first half, as the defense kept VMI scoreless through the first four drives and 27 minutes of the game.
However, the Keydets tied the game late in the second half, starting its fifth drive of the game at the Mercer 13-yard line following a muffed punt by the Bears. Four plays later Jabari Turner would punch in a one-yard score to tie the game at 7-7.
Mercer answered on its ensuing drive, marching 75 yards in just eight plays to go back on top. Curtis scored his first touchdown of the game to wrap up the drive, taking a reverse 23 yards to the end zone. However, the Bears led just 13-7 after a missed extra point.
After a 40-yard kick-off return by the Keydets, Lendell Arnold picked off a pass at the Bears' 20 to turn the momentum but VMI was able to come up with an interception of its own on the very next play. The wild ending to the half continued, as the Keydets took a 14-13 advantage into the break after J.C. Garvin found the end zone on a screen pass from Cobb.
The Bears came out of the break strong, covering 75 yards in just eight plays to regain the lead, 20-14, on Lakes' second rushing score of the game. Mercer added another score five minutes later, as John Russ found Curtis streaking over the middle for a 62-yard scoring strike.
VMI answered with a 49-yard field goal and 28-yard touchdown reception by Sam Patterson, but it was too little, too late as Jackson's interception helped Mercer seal its first SoCon win.
"This win gives us great confidence, heading into next week's road game against a great Samford team," Lamb added. "We have to go back and look at the tape, find areas to improve, have a great week of practice and go give it our all in Birmingham, Ala."
Mercer will be back in action next Saturday, October 4, as it continues Southern Conference play at Samford. Kick-off is set for 3 p.m. EST.
