Saturday, October 21
Greenville, S.C.
1:30 p.m.
Mercer University
4-4 , 3-3
21
at
28
Furman
5-3 , 4-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Mercer
7
0
14
0
21
Furman
0
14
7
7
28
Team Stats
MER
FUR
Total Yards
435
340
Pass Yards
289
158
Rushing Yards
146
182
Penalty Yards
93
35
1st Downs
19
24
3rd Downs
4
7
4th Downs
1
4
TOP
29:13
30:47
1st Quarter
MER 7, FUR 0
MER - Tee Mitchell 1 yd run (Cole Fisher kick), 15 plays, 91 yards, TOP 6:06
2nd Quarter
MER 7, FUR 7
FUR - Antonio Wilcox 6 yd run (Grayson Atkins kick), 9 plays, 77 yards, TOP 4:12
MER 7, FUR 14
FUR - Antonio Wilcox 1 yd run (Grayson Atkins kick), 14 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:26
3rd Quarter
MER 14, FUR 14
MER - CJ Leggett 1 yd run (Cole Fisher kick), 5 plays, 30 yards, TOP 2:21
MER 21, FUR 14
MER - Marquise Irvin 25 yd pass from Kaelan Riley (Cole Fisher kick) 9 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:54
MER 21, FUR 21
FUR - Andy Schumpert 18 yd pass from PJ Blazejowski (Grayson Atkins kick) 13 plays, 89 yards, TOP 6:35
4th Quarter
MER 21, FUR 28
FUR - Antonio Wilcox 4 yd run (Grayson Atkins kick), 14 plays, 70 yards, TOP 7:00
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
26
TD
1
YDS
289
INT
1
Players Mentioned
DL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
K
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ FootballQB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
WR
/ Football
LB
/ Football
Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Bears’ Streak Snapped in 28-21 Loss at Furman
10/21/2017 6:09:00 PM | Football
Furman scores final 14 points in Southern Conference clash
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman scored the final 14 points with 89- and 70-yard touchdown drives to defeat Mercer, 28-21, and snap the Bears' three-game Southern Conference win streak at Paladin Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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Furman (5-3, 4-1) won its fifth straight game despite Mercer (4-4, 3-3) totaling 435 yards of offense, highlighted by Kaelan Riley's 289 yards on 26-of-34 passing. Chandler Curtis added 202 all-purpose yards, anchored by 112 receiving yards.
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Turning Point
Furman responded to a 74-yard touchdown drive by Mercer with one of its own, going 89 yards on 13 plays to tie the game at 21-21 with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter. It was the first of two consecutive touchdown drives by the Paladins that led them to their fifth straight victory.
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It Was Over When
Riley's heave to the end zone from the Furman 26-yard line was intercepted by Joe Farrar with three seconds left, ending the Bears' shot at forcing overtime in Greenville.
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Stat of the Game
Furman was a perfect 4-of-4 on fourth-down conversions while the Bears failed on their lone attempt. A key conversion on fourth-and-1 at the Mercer five-yard line set up the Paladins' go-ahead touchdown with less than five minutes remaining.
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Offensive Star
Curtis had career-highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (112) en route to his 202 all-purpose yards. Despite being held out of the end zone for only the second time in five games, he hauled in receptions of 18, 13, 11 26 and 14 yards.
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Defensive Standout
Lee Bennett totaled a career-high 17 tackles (three solo, 14 assisted) and added 0.5 tackle for loss against the Paladins' offense. The 17 tackles are the second most in a single game in program history (Tyler Ward, 18, vs. Furman, Sept. 6, 2014).
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How It Happened
After Furman pinned the Bears at their own nine-yard line with a 53-yard punt, Mercer marched 91 yards on 15 plays and found the end zone with a one-yard rush by Tee Mitchell in the first quarter. Kaelan Riley hit Sam Walker twice for 21 yards and Chandler Curtis once for 18 yards on a shovel pass en route to the touchdown and 7-0 advantage.
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Mercer reached Furman territory again on its following drive, which stretched into the second quarter, but turned the ball over on downs when Riley was dropped for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-1 at the Paladin 43-yard line. Furman took advantage, driving 77 yards for its first touchdown, capped by a six-yard rush by Antonio Wilcox on fourth-and-2.
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Furman struck again with 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter after the Bears went three-and-out on their fourth drive of the game. Wilcox punched it in from the one-yard line, capping an 80-yard drive that gave Furman its first lead, 14-7. Cole Fisher had a shot to tighten the score with a 41-yard field goal attempt, but missed wide right as time expired, giving way to halftime.
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The Legion of Chaos provided a spark plug six seconds into the second half as Will Coneway jarred the ball loose from Kealand Dirks' grasp. Eric Jackson came up with the fumble recovery, setting up the Bears' offense at the Furman 30-yard line. Riley found Curtis for a 26-yard gain to the Furman nine-yard line, giving way to an eventual game-tying one-yard touchdown run by CJ Leggett. Following another Furman punt, Mercer reclaimed the lead with a 25-yard touchdown strike from Riley to Marquise Irvin with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter. The Bears drove 74 yards on nine plays and led 21-14.
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However, Furman would respond with 14 unanswered points on its following two drives of 89 and 70 yards and take a 28-21 lead into the final five minutes of action. With the game tied at 21-21, the Paladins converted their fourth fourth-down attempt at the Mercer five-yard line, giving way to Wilcox's third touchdown run of the day.
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Punts were exchanged on the following two drives before Mercer took over with 1:44 left at its own 15-yard line. The Bears drove 59 yards on 10 plays, including passes of 15, 17 and 14 yards by Riley to Irvin, Avery Ward and Curtis, respectively. Furman sealed the win when Riley was picked off by Joe Farrar in the end zone with three seconds remaining.
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Coach Lamb's Take
"We won the first and third quarters, but Furman won the second and fourth [quarters]," said head coach Bobby Lamb. "At the end the day, you won't beat anyone with the number of penalties we had [10-93]. We shot ourselves in the foot so many times today, but credit Furman, which came out and played well, specifically running the ball.
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"Furman converted every one of its fourth down attempts; when we're in those situations, we have to figure out a way to get off the field. We didn't do that. We have to play better and coach better. That all falls on me."
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Notables
Team
» The Bears trail Furman 8-6-2 all-time. The programs are tied, 2-2, in the modern era (2013-present).
» Mercer fell to 0-3 this season when trailing at halftime.
» Six of Mercer and Furman's combined seven touchdown drives were 70 yards or longer.
Offense
» Leggett and Mitchell have both scored at least once in each of the last five games. Mitchell tallied a season-long 46 yard rush as well.
» Walker was utilized early, catching three passes for a season-high 52 yards.
» Irvin's first three receptions came on Mercer's third-quarter touchdown drive that ended with his 25-yard touchdown. He finished with six catches for 80 yards.
» Curtis' 11 receptions and 112 receiving yards are the second and third most, respectively, in a single game in program history.
» Riley's 26 completions are a season-high. He completed 76 percent of his passes, the third-highest percentage in a single game in program history.
» Riley's interception was his first in 106 pass attempts dating back to Sept. 30 vs. VMI. He's completed 46 of his last 61 attempts for 521 yards.
Defense
» Coneway's forced fumble was his second of the season and third of his career.
» Jackson's fumble recovery was the first of his career. He added one pass break-up.
» Destin Guillen, Austin Barrett, Coneway and Bennett all totaled 0.5 tackles for loss apiece.
Special Teams
» Curtis' 202 all-purpose yards are tied for the third most in program history. He tallied 68 kickoff return yards and 22 punt return yards.
» Grant Goupil punted four times for an average of 40.2 yards per punt. He notched a career-long 53-yarder.
» Fisher is 2-for-5 on field goal attempts of 30 yards or longer after he missed a 41-yard attempt at the end of the first half.
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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Furman (5-3, 4-1) won its fifth straight game despite Mercer (4-4, 3-3) totaling 435 yards of offense, highlighted by Kaelan Riley's 289 yards on 26-of-34 passing. Chandler Curtis added 202 all-purpose yards, anchored by 112 receiving yards.
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Turning Point
Furman responded to a 74-yard touchdown drive by Mercer with one of its own, going 89 yards on 13 plays to tie the game at 21-21 with 40 seconds remaining in the third quarter. It was the first of two consecutive touchdown drives by the Paladins that led them to their fifth straight victory.
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It Was Over When
Riley's heave to the end zone from the Furman 26-yard line was intercepted by Joe Farrar with three seconds left, ending the Bears' shot at forcing overtime in Greenville.
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Stat of the Game
Furman was a perfect 4-of-4 on fourth-down conversions while the Bears failed on their lone attempt. A key conversion on fourth-and-1 at the Mercer five-yard line set up the Paladins' go-ahead touchdown with less than five minutes remaining.
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Offensive Star
Curtis had career-highs in receptions (11) and receiving yards (112) en route to his 202 all-purpose yards. Despite being held out of the end zone for only the second time in five games, he hauled in receptions of 18, 13, 11 26 and 14 yards.
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Defensive Standout
Lee Bennett totaled a career-high 17 tackles (three solo, 14 assisted) and added 0.5 tackle for loss against the Paladins' offense. The 17 tackles are the second most in a single game in program history (Tyler Ward, 18, vs. Furman, Sept. 6, 2014).
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How It Happened
After Furman pinned the Bears at their own nine-yard line with a 53-yard punt, Mercer marched 91 yards on 15 plays and found the end zone with a one-yard rush by Tee Mitchell in the first quarter. Kaelan Riley hit Sam Walker twice for 21 yards and Chandler Curtis once for 18 yards on a shovel pass en route to the touchdown and 7-0 advantage.
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Mercer reached Furman territory again on its following drive, which stretched into the second quarter, but turned the ball over on downs when Riley was dropped for a one-yard loss on fourth-and-1 at the Paladin 43-yard line. Furman took advantage, driving 77 yards for its first touchdown, capped by a six-yard rush by Antonio Wilcox on fourth-and-2.
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Furman struck again with 29 seconds remaining in the second quarter after the Bears went three-and-out on their fourth drive of the game. Wilcox punched it in from the one-yard line, capping an 80-yard drive that gave Furman its first lead, 14-7. Cole Fisher had a shot to tighten the score with a 41-yard field goal attempt, but missed wide right as time expired, giving way to halftime.
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The Legion of Chaos provided a spark plug six seconds into the second half as Will Coneway jarred the ball loose from Kealand Dirks' grasp. Eric Jackson came up with the fumble recovery, setting up the Bears' offense at the Furman 30-yard line. Riley found Curtis for a 26-yard gain to the Furman nine-yard line, giving way to an eventual game-tying one-yard touchdown run by CJ Leggett. Following another Furman punt, Mercer reclaimed the lead with a 25-yard touchdown strike from Riley to Marquise Irvin with 7:24 remaining in the third quarter. The Bears drove 74 yards on nine plays and led 21-14.
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However, Furman would respond with 14 unanswered points on its following two drives of 89 and 70 yards and take a 28-21 lead into the final five minutes of action. With the game tied at 21-21, the Paladins converted their fourth fourth-down attempt at the Mercer five-yard line, giving way to Wilcox's third touchdown run of the day.
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Punts were exchanged on the following two drives before Mercer took over with 1:44 left at its own 15-yard line. The Bears drove 59 yards on 10 plays, including passes of 15, 17 and 14 yards by Riley to Irvin, Avery Ward and Curtis, respectively. Furman sealed the win when Riley was picked off by Joe Farrar in the end zone with three seconds remaining.
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Coach Lamb's Take
"We won the first and third quarters, but Furman won the second and fourth [quarters]," said head coach Bobby Lamb. "At the end the day, you won't beat anyone with the number of penalties we had [10-93]. We shot ourselves in the foot so many times today, but credit Furman, which came out and played well, specifically running the ball.
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"Furman converted every one of its fourth down attempts; when we're in those situations, we have to figure out a way to get off the field. We didn't do that. We have to play better and coach better. That all falls on me."
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Notables
Team
» The Bears trail Furman 8-6-2 all-time. The programs are tied, 2-2, in the modern era (2013-present).
» Mercer fell to 0-3 this season when trailing at halftime.
» Six of Mercer and Furman's combined seven touchdown drives were 70 yards or longer.
Offense
» Leggett and Mitchell have both scored at least once in each of the last five games. Mitchell tallied a season-long 46 yard rush as well.
» Walker was utilized early, catching three passes for a season-high 52 yards.
» Irvin's first three receptions came on Mercer's third-quarter touchdown drive that ended with his 25-yard touchdown. He finished with six catches for 80 yards.
» Curtis' 11 receptions and 112 receiving yards are the second and third most, respectively, in a single game in program history.
» Riley's 26 completions are a season-high. He completed 76 percent of his passes, the third-highest percentage in a single game in program history.
» Riley's interception was his first in 106 pass attempts dating back to Sept. 30 vs. VMI. He's completed 46 of his last 61 attempts for 521 yards.
Defense
» Coneway's forced fumble was his second of the season and third of his career.
» Jackson's fumble recovery was the first of his career. He added one pass break-up.
» Destin Guillen, Austin Barrett, Coneway and Bennett all totaled 0.5 tackles for loss apiece.
Special Teams
» Curtis' 202 all-purpose yards are tied for the third most in program history. He tallied 68 kickoff return yards and 22 punt return yards.
» Grant Goupil punted four times for an average of 40.2 yards per punt. He notched a career-long 53-yarder.
» Fisher is 2-for-5 on field goal attempts of 30 yards or longer after he missed a 41-yard attempt at the end of the first half.
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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