Saturday, November 12
Birmingham, Ala.
3:30 PM
Mercer University
5-5 , 3-4
19
at
24
Samford
7-3 , 5-2
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Mercer
0
10
0
9
19
Samford
21
0
0
3
24
Team Stats
MER
SAM
Total Yards
446
465
Pass Yards
183
411
Rushing Yards
263
54
Penalty Yards
20
53
1st Downs
28
18
3rd Downs
14
3
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
38:17
21:43
1st Quarter
MER 0, SAM 7
SAM - Karel Hamilton 5 yd pass from Devlin Hodges (Reece Everett kick) 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 2:23
MER 0, SAM 14
SAM - Karel Hamilton 2 yd pass from Devlin Hodges (Reece Everett kick) 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:01
MER 0, SAM 21
SAM - E. Obajimi 47 yd pass from Devlin Hodges (Reece Everett kick) 5 plays, 81 yards, TOP 1:35
2nd Quarter
MER 7, SAM 21
MER - Chandler Curtis 7 yd pass from John Russ (Cole Fisher kick) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:32
MER 10, SAM 21
MER - Cole Fisher 50 yd field goal 8 plays, 47 yards, TOP 2:54
4th Quarter
MER 16, SAM 21
MER - CJ Kleckley 2 yd run (John Russ passfailed), 14 plays, 87 yards, TOP 6:30
MER 19, SAM 21
MER - Cole Fisher 20 yd field goal 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:34
MER 19, SAM 24
SAM - Reece Everett 37 yd field goal 11 plays, 49 yards, TOP 3:29
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
0
TD
0
YDS
0
INT
0
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ FootballWR
/ Football
K
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
Upset Bid, Rally Falls Short at No. 21/22 Samford
11/12/2016 7:21:00 PM | Football
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Down 21 points at No. 21/22 Samford, Mercer scored 19 unanswered points but a Bulldogs field goal with 3:36 remaining kept a game-winning field goal off the table and an upset out of reach in a 24-19 loss Saturday in Birmingham.
John Russ carried Mercer's offense on his shoulders, running for 185 yards on a school record 41 carries and throwing for another 183 yards in the contest. The Bears (5-5, 3-4 SoCon) held No. 21/22 Samford (7-3, 5-2) to their second-fewest number of points scored this season.
TURNING POINT
Samford's Reece Everett hit a 37-yard field goal with 3:36 remaining, preventing Cole Fisher from kicking a game-winning field goal. That pushed the Samford lead out to five, forcing Mercer to score a touchdown on its last possession in order to win.
IT WAS OVER WHEN
John Russ' pass attempt was tipped with 38 seconds left in the game and the pass to Robert Brown fell incomplete forcing a turnover on downs and allowing Samford to run out the clock.
OFFENSIVE STAR
Quarterback John Russ put the entire offense on his shoulders as he ran for 185 yards on 41 carries while also passing for 183 yards and a touchdown on 13 completions in the contest.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT
Lendell Arnold may have led the team with eight total (and solo) tackles in a yeoman's effort but credit Stephen Houzah with an impressive outing. Houzah forced two fumbles – the first two of his career – and recovered one (also a first) while making four solo tackles against one of the most potent offenses in the nation.
HOW IT HAPPENED
One of the nation's most prolific passing attacks struck quick in the game as No. 21/22 Samford took a 21-0 lead after scoring three touchdowns on its first three possessions. Unfazed by a deficit (as it has been all year long), Mercer slowly whittled away at the lead starting with a Chandler Curtis seven-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter followed by Cole Fisher kicking a school record 50-yard field goal on the Bears' next possession.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Mercer struck again early in the fourth as CJ Kleckley scored on a run from two yards out but a failed two-point conversion left Mercer still trailing, 21-16. Fisher would be called upon once more as he connected on a 20-yard field goal as the Bears cut the deficit to two, 21-19.
Samford would drive down the field 49 yards in 11 plays but a stingy Mercer defense forced the Bulldogs to kick a field goal to go up 24-19 and prevent Mercer from winning on a field goal. Down by five, Mercer drove 50 yards with a chance to score but facing 4th and 12 Russ had a pass tipped at the line and his intended pass attempt for Robert Brown fell short, ending the upset bid.
RECORDS UPDATE
For complete coverage of Mercer Football, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerFootball (Twitter), /MercerFootball (Facebook) and @MercerFootball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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NOTABLES
Defense
Special Teams
John Russ carried Mercer's offense on his shoulders, running for 185 yards on a school record 41 carries and throwing for another 183 yards in the contest. The Bears (5-5, 3-4 SoCon) held No. 21/22 Samford (7-3, 5-2) to their second-fewest number of points scored this season.
TURNING POINT
Samford's Reece Everett hit a 37-yard field goal with 3:36 remaining, preventing Cole Fisher from kicking a game-winning field goal. That pushed the Samford lead out to five, forcing Mercer to score a touchdown on its last possession in order to win.
IT WAS OVER WHEN
John Russ' pass attempt was tipped with 38 seconds left in the game and the pass to Robert Brown fell incomplete forcing a turnover on downs and allowing Samford to run out the clock.
OFFENSIVE STAR
Quarterback John Russ put the entire offense on his shoulders as he ran for 185 yards on 41 carries while also passing for 183 yards and a touchdown on 13 completions in the contest.
DEFENSIVE STANDOUT
Lendell Arnold may have led the team with eight total (and solo) tackles in a yeoman's effort but credit Stephen Houzah with an impressive outing. Houzah forced two fumbles – the first two of his career – and recovered one (also a first) while making four solo tackles against one of the most potent offenses in the nation.
HOW IT HAPPENED
One of the nation's most prolific passing attacks struck quick in the game as No. 21/22 Samford took a 21-0 lead after scoring three touchdowns on its first three possessions. Unfazed by a deficit (as it has been all year long), Mercer slowly whittled away at the lead starting with a Chandler Curtis seven-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter followed by Cole Fisher kicking a school record 50-yard field goal on the Bears' next possession.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Mercer struck again early in the fourth as CJ Kleckley scored on a run from two yards out but a failed two-point conversion left Mercer still trailing, 21-16. Fisher would be called upon once more as he connected on a 20-yard field goal as the Bears cut the deficit to two, 21-19.
Samford would drive down the field 49 yards in 11 plays but a stingy Mercer defense forced the Bulldogs to kick a field goal to go up 24-19 and prevent Mercer from winning on a field goal. Down by five, Mercer drove 50 yards with a chance to score but facing 4th and 12 Russ had a pass tipped at the line and his intended pass attempt for Robert Brown fell short, ending the upset bid.
RECORDS UPDATE
- Mercer: 5-5 (3-4 SoCon)
- No. 21/22 Samford: 7-3 (6-2 SoCon)
- Mercer: hosts Furman on Nov. 19, 2016 at 3 p.m. in Macon, Georgia on FOX Sports Southeast
- No. 21/22 Samford: at East Tennessee State on Nov. 19, 2016 in Johnson City, Tennessee
For complete coverage of Mercer Football, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerFootball (Twitter), /MercerFootball (Facebook) and @MercerFootball (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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NOTABLES
- Samford now leads the all-time series, 12-10-1 including a 4-1 mark in Birmingham.
- Mercer is now 1-6 all-time against ranked opponents with five of those seven contests having been decided by one possession.
- Saturday's game at No. 21/22 Samford marked the 13th time in the last 19 games that a Bears football game has been decided by one possession.
- John Russ ran for a career-best 185 rushing yards on 41 carries in the game.
- John Russ' 185 yards rushing is second-most in school history.
- John Russ' 41 rushing attempts shattered the old school record of 28 set by JaTarii Donald (Stetson) on Nov. 23, 2013.
- John Russ has thrown a touchdown pass in 39 of his 44 contests over the course of his career.
- Mercer has now scored in 50 straight games dating back to a 52-0 loss to Rollins on Oct. 24, 1941.
- Marquise Irvin caught three passes for 46 yards but Saturday's game ended a stretch of six consecutive games in which Irvin has caught a touchdown pass.
Defense
- Mercer has forced a turnover in 27 of the last 32 games.
- Stephan Houzah recorded his first career forced fumble and fumble recovery in the third quarter, taking a way a Samford caught pass.
- Houzah followed that with a forced fumble in the fourth quarter, his second of the game and career.
- Lee Bennett recovered Houzah's second forced fumble marking Bennett's first fumble recovery of the season and fourth of his career.
- Tosin Aguebor has recorded a sack in 16 of his 33 career games.
Special Teams
- Cole Fisher's 50-yard field goal in the second quarter marked both a new school and career record for field goal distance.
- This game marked Cole Fisher's fifth career game with multiple field goals made.Â
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