Mercer University
Wofford
Football Drops Overtime Heartbreaker to Wofford, 34-33
10/3/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
MACON, Ga. – The Mercer University football team rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but dropped a heartbreaker to Wofford in overtime, 34-33, on Saturday night at Five Star Stadium.
RECORDS UPDATE
Mercer slides to 2-2 on the year and 0-1 in the Southern Conference, while Wofford moves to 3-2 and 1-0 in the league.
TURNING POINT
After coming back from 10 points down in the fourth quarter, Mercer wasted no time finding the end zone in overtime, as John Russ hit Avery Ward for a 25-yard score on the first play of the period. However, the Bears would miss the extra point, allowing Wofford to escape with the win following a 14-yard scamper by Evan Jacks and the ensuing extra point by David Marvin.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bears went into halftime trailing 13-10, after Tee Mitchell wrapped up a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run in the final minutes of the half. After trading scores in the third quarter, Wofford pushed its lead to 27-17 on Lorenzo Long's 53-yard burst on the team's first drive of the fourth quarter.
Mercer responded with an 80-yard scoring drive to cut the deficit to three, 27-24, as Russ closed out the series with a 17-yard screen pass to Avery Ward for the score. The Bears failed to recover the on-side attempt, but a memorable fumble recovery by Corey Lockett on the next play had the home team back in business with 3:15 remaining.
Five players later, Mercer was back in the red zone as Mitchell's 14-yard run set up a first and goal from the Terrier's four yard line. Wofford's defense stood tall with the game on the line, as the Bears had to settle for Jagger Lieb's game-tying field goal that set up the wild finish in overtime.
STAT OF THE GAME
Mercer racked up 31 first downs compared to just 18 from Wofford. However, the Bears, who came into the game with 23 plays of 20 yards or more through the first three games, had just three big plays on Saturday night.
OFFENSIVE STANDOUT
Mitchell, the SoCon's leading rusher, cleared 100 yards on the ground for the third straight game, picking up 110 yards on 24 carries. The sophomore had back-to-back scores for the Bears, finding pay dirt on runs of 13 yards and two yards.
DEFENSIVE STAR
Tripp Patterson was all over the field on Saturday night, racking up a career-high 14 tackles to go along with a forced fumble and one tackle-for-loss. Six of those tackles came in the fourth quarter, helping the Bears' rally late.
MERCER NOTABLES
- The offense eclipsed the 400-yard mark for the fourth time this year, piling up 464 yards including 277 through the air and another 187 on the ground.
- Mercer was held below 250 yards rushing for the first time this season, finishing with 187 yards on the night.
- With Lieb's field goal in the first quarter, Mercer has scored in 33 straight games dating back to October 1941.
- Wofford rushed for 391 yards on 52 carries in the game, marking the first time that Mercer has given up over 100 yards on the ground this season.
- The Bears forced a turnover for the 14th time in its last 15 games, recording two fumbles recoveries, the team's first fumble recoveries of the year.
OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS
- Russ threw a touchdown pass for the fourth straight game, giving him seven passing scores this season. He also went over 250 yards through the air for the second time this year, finishing with 277 yards on the night.
- Russ also broke his own record for completions for the second straight game, connecting on 23 passes to seven different receivers.
- Mitchell recorded two rushing touchdowns, marking his first multi-touchdown game on the ground of his career. The sophomore now has four rushing touchdowns on the season and six in his career.
- Avery Ward had the best performance ever by a Mercer receiver, hauling in eight catches for 95 yards and a program-record two receiving touchdowns.
- Mitchell's 24-yard run in the first quarter, helped set up Mercer's first score of the game and gave the sophomore his fourth run of 20 yards or more this season.
- Avery Ward led the receiving corps with a career-high seven receptions, covering 63 yards including his second score of the year.
- Jagger Lieb connected on two first half field goals, 27 and 26 yard attempts, before breaking a program record with his third field goal of the game, a 19-yarder in the third quarter.
- 23 different players recorded tackles on Saturday night, including five players with five tackles or more.
- Lockett had a big night for the Bears, finishing with four tackles, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
- Kyle Trammell became the first Mercer player to block two kick attempts (a field goal and extra point) in a game since the Bears restarted the program in 2013.
- Trammell's second quarter field goal block was the program's first since recording a block at Marist on Nov. 16, 2013.
UP NEXT
Mercer hits the road for its first Southern Conference road test of the season, as the Bears travel to Western Carolina for a 3:30 p.m. kick-off next Saturday, October 10.
