Mercer Returns to SoCon Play at VMI

MACON, Ga. – When it comes to Southern Conference play, Mercer is returning to the site where it all began this week. The Bears (1-2, 0-1 SoCon) head to VMI (2-1, 0-0) and Foster Stadium – site of Mercer's inaugural Southern Conference victory – with a game against the Keydets Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Mercer will be hosted by a team desperate to host. Although we are into week five of the season, this will be VMI's first home game as the Keydets began the year with three consecutive road games with a bye week inserted in that stretch.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
Date: Saturday, Oct. 1 | 1:30 p.m.
Teams: Mercer (1-2, 0-1 SoCon) at VMI (2-1, 0-0)
Location: Lexington, Va. | Foster Stadium
Broadcast: ESPN3 | Watch ESPN
Broadcast Talent: Wade Branner (play-by-play), Dave Harding (analyst)
Radio: Mercer Sports Network (Flagship: 97.3 FM The Bull Icons) | iHeartRadio
Radio Talent: Rick Cameron (play-by-play), Roger Jackson (analyst), Megan Trammell (sideline)
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast
Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball
Game Notes: Mercer | SoCon | VMI

SERIES HISTORY
The series history between Mercer and VMI may be brief, but it does not bode well for the home team. The two teams have split a pair of meetings over the last couple years with the road team winning each time. The 2014 game, at VMI, marked a Mercer win and the Bears first victory in a Southern Conference game. Last season VMI visited Macon and left with a win for the Keydets.

LAST TIME OUT
John Russ threw two touchdowns and ran for two more, leading Mercer to its first win of the season with a 34-27 victory over Tennessee Tech on Saturday. Russ threw for 259 yards for the Bears (1-2). Sam Walker caught both scoring passes and Cole Fisher kicked a pair of field goals.

Mercer trailed through much of the game but was able to capitalize on two Tennessee Tech turnovers in the second half, the second leading to a Russ touchdown throw to Walker that put the Bears on top for the first time, 24-21,
with 2:44 left in the third quarter.

A fumble recovery for a score had Tennessee Tech up 27-24 but a Russ scoring run with 8:04 left in the fourth and Fisher's second field goal helped put Mercer back on top for good.

Michael Birdsong threw for 239 yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Golden Eagles (1-2).

CREDIT COLE
Although just a sophomore, Cole Fisher is well on his way to making a big impact as the Bears' kicker. Entering this week's game, Fisher is one of the top kickers in both the country and the Southern Conference. He is ranked first in the nation in field goals per game (2.00), 18^th nationally and second in the SoCon in field goal percentage (.857) and seventh in the nation in scoring among kickers (8.3 ppg).

"TOUCHDOWN JOHN RUSS"
Let's face it, that phrase has been uttered a lot over the last four years. And it keeps getting uttered this season. Mercer QB John Russ has ran for four touchdowns this season - that's actually more than four teams have scored so far this year. Marist (3), Columbia (3), Savannah State (2) and Yale (2) all enter this week with fewer overall touchdowns scored than John Russ has achieved by running.

Including touchdowns Russ is responsible for (running and passing), he has a total of seven which is more than 15 different teams. That list includes the four teams listed above as well as Murray State (6), Maine (6), Northwestern State (6), Lamar (6), ETSU (6), Penn (6), Cornell (6), Robert Morris (5), Presbyterian (5), Florida A&M (5) and Delaware State (5).

How to Follow the Bears:
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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Players Mentioned

Cole Fisher

John Russ

Sam Walker

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