Mercer Closes Season with Furman on Senior Day

Saturday, November 17

Macon, Ga.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

Furman

Tickets

Photo by: Judy Stapleton

Mercer Closes Season with Furman on Senior Day

11/15/2018 9:49:00 AM | Football

Watch Listen Live Stats

Bears are seeking their best finish in SoCon play

By: Gerrit W. Van Genderen

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will seek to finish the 2018 regular season with a 5-3 record in Southern Conference play as it hosts Furman for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day on Saturday at Five Star Stadium.

Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. The Bears (5-5, 4-3 SoCon) can earn their best finish in conference play since joining the league in 2014 with a win over the visiting Paladins (5-4, 5-2), who are still in contention for a share of the SoCon title.

Saturday's game will be broadcasted via ESPN+. Fans can also tune into the "Voice of the Bears" Rick Cameron and Mercer Sports Network on 100.9 The Creek FM or the SportsMic app.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
» Date/Time: Saturday, November 17 | 3 p.m. (ET)
» Teams: Mercer (5-5, 4-3 SoCon) vs. Furman (5-4, 5-2 SoCon)
» Location: Macon, Ga. | Five Star Stadium (10,200)
» Television: ESPN+
» Television Talent: Frank Malloy (PxP), Chad Pilcher (Analyst), Kristin Banks (Sideline)
» Radio: Mercer Sports Network | 100.9 The Creek FM | SportsMic
» Radio Talent: Rick Cameron (PxP), Roger Jackson (Analyst), Charles Davis (Sideline)
» Live Stats: MercerBears.com
» Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball
» Game Notes: Mercer | Furman | SoCon

THANK YOU, SENIORS!
Saturday is Senior Day for 17 Bears who will be playing in their final home game at Five Star Stadium. The Class of 2018 has won 21 games since the 2015 season and has continued to build the foundation of Mercer's football program.

» LeMarkus Bailey (2014-18)
» Isaiah Buehler (2014-18)
» Dylan Calhoun (2017-18)
» Brandon Coney (2014-18)
» Bradley Earnest (2018)
» Travonte' Easley (2014-18)
» Cole Fisher (2015-18)
» Brandon Gurley (2014-18)
» Stephen Houzah (2015-18)
» Marquise Irvin (2015-18)
» Kam Lott (2016-18)
» David May (2017-18)
» Tee Mitchell (2014-18)
» Steven Nixon (2015-18) *expected to be early graduate
» Matt Shiel (2015, 2018)
» Sam Walker (2014-18)
» Austin Wysor (2014-18)

MILITARY APPRECIATION DAY
Saturday is also Military Appreciation Day at Five Star Stadium. All active Military personnel and veterans, along with their immediate families, receive free general admission to the game.

QUICK HITS

Bobby Lamb will face his alma mater, Furman, for the fifth time since becoming Mercer's head coach. Lamb starred at quarterback at Furman before joining the Paladins' coaching staff for 25 years, including nine years as their head coach.
Lamb will also be coaching against former teammate and staff member Clay Hendrix, who is in his second year as head coach at Furman. Lamb and Hendrix grew up together in Commerce, Ga., and were teammates at Commerce High School and Furman. They won three SoCon titles as players and six SoCon titles and the 1988 national championship as coaches at Furman.
Mercer can go 5-3 in SoCon play, which would be its best finish since joining the league in 2014. The Bears have gone 4-4 in league play each of the last two seasons.
Tee Mitchell needs 94 all-purpose yards to break Mercer's program record of 3,526.
Mercer is 2-2 against Furman in the modern era (2013-present). All four games have been decided by seven points or less.
A win on Saturday would be Mercer's 100th all-time victory in Macon. The Bears are 99-56-3 all-time in Macon.
Stephen Houzah leads the SoCon with 17.2 yards per catch and was the SoCon Special Teams Player of the Week (Nov. 12) for his 177 kick return yards at Chattanooga on Nov. 10.
Mercer has held two opponents (Jacksonville, Sept. 8; Chattanooga, Nov. 10) without touchdowns this season.
The Bears rank seventh nationally in red zone offense. They are 33-for-36 in the red zone with 24 touchdowns scored.
Mercer ranks seventh in the FCS with an average of 25.57 yards per kick return, highlighted by Houzah and David Durden's individual efforts.

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.