Saturday, September 23
Johnson City, Tenn.
3:30 p.m.
Mercer University
1-3 , 0-2
23
at
26
ETSU
2-2 , 1-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
OT
F
Mercer
0
6
14
0
3
23
ETSU
7
3
0
10
6
26
Team Stats
MER
ETSU
Total Yards
406
387
Pass Yards
257
284
Rushing Yards
149
103
Penalty Yards
95
119
1st Downs
23
22
3rd Downs
2
6
4th Downs
0
0
TOP
24:03
35:57
1st Quarter
MER 0, ETSU 7
ETSU - Austin Herink 3 yd run (JJ Jerman kick), 4 plays, 21 yards, TOP 2:20
2nd Quarter
MER 0, ETSU 10
ETSU - JJ Jerman 25 yd field goal 12 plays, 49 yards, TOP 5:34
MER 6, ETSU 10
MER - Chandler Curtis 39 yd pass from Kaelan Riley (Cole Fisher kickfailed) 9 plays, 85 yards, TOP 3:31
3rd Quarter
MER 13, ETSU 10
MER - CJ Leggett 2 yd run (Cole Fisher kick), 4 plays, 74 yards, TOP 1:27
MER 20, ETSU 10
MER - Tee Mitchell 2 yd run (Cole Fisher kick), 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:44
4th Quarter
MER 20, ETSU 13
ETSU - JJ Jerman 49 yd field goal 13 plays, 54 yards, TOP 4:43
MER 20, ETSU 20
ETSU - Blake Rodgers 1 yd run (JJ Jerman kick), 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:52
OT Quarter
MER 23, ETSU 20
MER - Cole Fisher 29 yd field goal 6 plays, 13 yards, TOP 0:00
MER 23, ETSU 26
ETSU - Jajuan Stinson 25 yd pass from Austin Herink () 1 plays, 25 yards, TOP 0:00
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
15
TD
1
YDS
257
INT
0
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
K
/ Football
K/P
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DL
/ FootballQB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
Photo by: Judy Stapleton
Bears Fall at ETSU, 26-23, in Overtime
9/23/2017 8:16:00 PM | Football
Mercer totals 406 yards but squanders 10-point lead in fourth quarter
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Mercer totaled 406 yards of offense but committed an uncharacteristic 10 penalties and fell to ETSU, 26-23, in overtime at William B. Greene, Jr. Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
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The Bears (1-3, 0-2 Southern Conference) owned a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter before ETSU (2-2, 1-1 SoCon) rallied to force overtime and seal the conference win on its home turf. Mercer fell to 1-2 in overtime contests in the modern era (2013-present).
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Turning Point
Mercer missed a 35-yard field goal with eight minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the game, setting up an eight-play, 80-yard drive by ETSU that ended with a game-tying touchdown run by Blake Rodgers.
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It Was Over When
ETSU quarterback Austin Herink hit Jajuan Stinson for with a game-winning 25-yard touchdown on the Bucs' first play of their overtime possession after Mercer managed a field goal on its own overtime drive.
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Offensive Star
Chandler Curtis finished with 124 all-purpose yards (91 receiving, 33 kickoff return) and one touchdown in what was his most impressive individual performance of the season. The senior became Mercer's all-time receiving touchdowns leader (13) with a 39-yard haul in the second quarter. He also caught a 49-yard pass on Mercer's first offensive play of the game.
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Defensive Standout
Jalen Penn totaled six tackles (three solo), three tackles for loss and two sacks against the Bucs. It was the first two-sack performance of his career.
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How It Happened
A fumble by Mitchell on Mercer's opening drive was returned 50 yards and set up a three-yard touchdown run by ETSU's Austin Herink. The fumble spoiled a 49-yard wheel-route from Kaelan Riley to Curtis on the Mercer's first offensive play of the game. A pair of punts on the Bears' two following drives put them in a seven-point deficit heading into the second quarter.
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After the Bucs opened the second quarter with a 12-play, 49-yard drive that ended in a field goal, Mercer responded with an 85-yard drive of its own, capped by a 39-yard touchdown reception by Curtis.
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A two-yard touchdown run by Leggett gave Mercer its first lead of the game, 13-10, with 10:10 left in the third quarter. The drive lasted only 1:27 as Riley found Avery Ward for a 33-yard reception, followed by a 22-yard run from Leggett before he quickly punched it in two plays later.
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Mercer's defense came up with a stand on ETSU's next drive as the Bucs went 70 yards on 13 plays only to come up empty-handed after a missed 23-yard field goal. The stop translated into the Bears' longest drive of the game, a pivotal 80-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Mitchell. The score was set up by a 40-yard completion to Marquise Irvin.
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However, ETSU would respond with the next 10 points via 13- and eight-play drives that ended in a 49-yard field goal and one-yard touchdown run. The touchdown came after Cole Fisher missed a 35-yard field goal attempt.
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Mercer had the first offensive possession in overtime and went to Leggett four consecutive times as he pushed the ball to the ETSU 12-yard line. Riley attempted to find Irvin in the corner of the end zone on a fade route on third-and-eight, but it was incomplete. Fisher connected with a 29-yard field goal, but ETSU ended the game on its first offensive play of overtime with a 25-yard touchdown pass.
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Coach Lamb's Take
"We had several chances in the fourth quarter to put it away and win the game, but we gave ETSU the opportunity to win on its own turf. It is a crazy game when you commit only two penalties in front of a crowd of 90,000 [people at Auburn last week] and then commit 10 today in front of 8,000 [people]. This loss falls on me as the head coach. We didn't get it done and we'll work on it heading into next week."
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"We went with our running game late as we had been running the ball really well all game with CJ [Leggett] and Tee [Mitchell]. In overtime, we got stuffed on second down and then went to a fade route to Marquise [Irvin] in the corner. We ended up knocking a field goal through but then [ETSU] made the nice play with the isolation route by their running back to win the game."
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Notables
Team
» This was Mercer's first overtime game since a 33-30 win at VMI on Oct. 1, 2016 and third in the modern era (2013-present).
» Saturday marked Mercer's first road game at ETSU.
» This was only Mercer's sixth loss when totaling 400 or more yards (18-6).
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Offense
» Curtis' record-breaking touchdown catch puts him one score ahead of teammate Avery Ward and former Bear JT Palmer (12) on the career list.
» Leggett rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries, marking the first time since Nov. 12, 2016 a Bear has reached the century mark. His touchdown was his second of the season.
» Riley's 257 passing yards are a career-best. He found six receivers on the day.
» Mercer's 23 first downs are its most since recording 25 against Jacksonville on Aug. 31.
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Defense
» Mercer held ETSU to 103 rushing yards on 41 carries (2.5 yards per carry).
» Logan Craighead and Destin Guillen were credited with their first career sacks.
» Penn's two sacks give him five total for his career.
» Eric Jackson finished with a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo).
» Mercer totaled 12 tackles for loss, the second best single-game total in program history.
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Special Teams
» Cole Fisher's missed extra point in the second quarter was only the second of his career.
» Grant Goupil punted five times for an average of 42.6 yards, including two inside the ETSU 20-yard line.
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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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The Bears (1-3, 0-2 Southern Conference) owned a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter before ETSU (2-2, 1-1 SoCon) rallied to force overtime and seal the conference win on its home turf. Mercer fell to 1-2 in overtime contests in the modern era (2013-present).
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Turning Point
Mercer missed a 35-yard field goal with eight minutes and 33 seconds remaining in the game, setting up an eight-play, 80-yard drive by ETSU that ended with a game-tying touchdown run by Blake Rodgers.
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It Was Over When
ETSU quarterback Austin Herink hit Jajuan Stinson for with a game-winning 25-yard touchdown on the Bucs' first play of their overtime possession after Mercer managed a field goal on its own overtime drive.
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Offensive Star
Chandler Curtis finished with 124 all-purpose yards (91 receiving, 33 kickoff return) and one touchdown in what was his most impressive individual performance of the season. The senior became Mercer's all-time receiving touchdowns leader (13) with a 39-yard haul in the second quarter. He also caught a 49-yard pass on Mercer's first offensive play of the game.
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Defensive Standout
Jalen Penn totaled six tackles (three solo), three tackles for loss and two sacks against the Bucs. It was the first two-sack performance of his career.
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How It Happened
A fumble by Mitchell on Mercer's opening drive was returned 50 yards and set up a three-yard touchdown run by ETSU's Austin Herink. The fumble spoiled a 49-yard wheel-route from Kaelan Riley to Curtis on the Mercer's first offensive play of the game. A pair of punts on the Bears' two following drives put them in a seven-point deficit heading into the second quarter.
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After the Bucs opened the second quarter with a 12-play, 49-yard drive that ended in a field goal, Mercer responded with an 85-yard drive of its own, capped by a 39-yard touchdown reception by Curtis.
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A two-yard touchdown run by Leggett gave Mercer its first lead of the game, 13-10, with 10:10 left in the third quarter. The drive lasted only 1:27 as Riley found Avery Ward for a 33-yard reception, followed by a 22-yard run from Leggett before he quickly punched it in two plays later.
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Mercer's defense came up with a stand on ETSU's next drive as the Bucs went 70 yards on 13 plays only to come up empty-handed after a missed 23-yard field goal. The stop translated into the Bears' longest drive of the game, a pivotal 80-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run by Mitchell. The score was set up by a 40-yard completion to Marquise Irvin.
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However, ETSU would respond with the next 10 points via 13- and eight-play drives that ended in a 49-yard field goal and one-yard touchdown run. The touchdown came after Cole Fisher missed a 35-yard field goal attempt.
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Mercer had the first offensive possession in overtime and went to Leggett four consecutive times as he pushed the ball to the ETSU 12-yard line. Riley attempted to find Irvin in the corner of the end zone on a fade route on third-and-eight, but it was incomplete. Fisher connected with a 29-yard field goal, but ETSU ended the game on its first offensive play of overtime with a 25-yard touchdown pass.
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Coach Lamb's Take
"We had several chances in the fourth quarter to put it away and win the game, but we gave ETSU the opportunity to win on its own turf. It is a crazy game when you commit only two penalties in front of a crowd of 90,000 [people at Auburn last week] and then commit 10 today in front of 8,000 [people]. This loss falls on me as the head coach. We didn't get it done and we'll work on it heading into next week."
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"We went with our running game late as we had been running the ball really well all game with CJ [Leggett] and Tee [Mitchell]. In overtime, we got stuffed on second down and then went to a fade route to Marquise [Irvin] in the corner. We ended up knocking a field goal through but then [ETSU] made the nice play with the isolation route by their running back to win the game."
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Notables
Team
» This was Mercer's first overtime game since a 33-30 win at VMI on Oct. 1, 2016 and third in the modern era (2013-present).
» Saturday marked Mercer's first road game at ETSU.
» This was only Mercer's sixth loss when totaling 400 or more yards (18-6).
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Offense
» Curtis' record-breaking touchdown catch puts him one score ahead of teammate Avery Ward and former Bear JT Palmer (12) on the career list.
» Leggett rushed for 109 yards on 19 carries, marking the first time since Nov. 12, 2016 a Bear has reached the century mark. His touchdown was his second of the season.
» Riley's 257 passing yards are a career-best. He found six receivers on the day.
» Mercer's 23 first downs are its most since recording 25 against Jacksonville on Aug. 31.
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Defense
» Mercer held ETSU to 103 rushing yards on 41 carries (2.5 yards per carry).
» Logan Craighead and Destin Guillen were credited with their first career sacks.
» Penn's two sacks give him five total for his career.
» Eric Jackson finished with a game-high 10 tackles (seven solo).
» Mercer totaled 12 tackles for loss, the second best single-game total in program history.
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Special Teams
» Cole Fisher's missed extra point in the second quarter was only the second of his career.
» Grant Goupil punted five times for an average of 42.6 yards, including two inside the ETSU 20-yard line.
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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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