Mercer Closes SoCon Schedule at ETSU

Saturday, November 16

Johnson City, Tenn.

1 p.m.

Mercer University

ETSU

11/14/2019 4:27:00 PM | Football

ESPN+Listen Live Stats Game Notes

Bears travel to Johnson City to meet the Bucs on the gridiron

By: Jace Sanders

MACON, Ga. – Mercer will wrap up its 2019 Southern Conference football slate with a trip up to Johnson City, Tenn., to square off with ETSU at William B. Greene Jr. Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m. (ET).

The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and, as always, fans can listen in as "Voice of the Bears" Rick
Cameron and his crew broadcast across the airwaves on The Creek (100.9 FM) and the SportsMic App.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
» Date/Time: Saturday, Nov. 16 / 1:05 p.m. (ET)
» Teams: Mercer (4-6, 3-4 SoCon) at ETSU (2-8, 0-7 SoCon)
» Location: Johnson City, Tenn. | William B. Greene Jr. Stadium (7,694)
» Television: ESPN+
» Television Talent: David Jackson (Play-by-Play) | Mark Hutsell (Analyst) | Kasey Marler (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

SERIES HISTORY | LAST MEETING
Mercer and ETSU have split the four games of the all-time series, 2-2, with three of the previous matchups coming in Macon. The only time the teams met in Johnson City, the Bucs won an overtime thriller, 26-23, over the Bears.

Last November, Mercer found the end zone just once and failed to capitalize offensively in the fourth quarter in a 21-18 defeat to No. 22 ETSU on Homecoming at Five Star Stadium. The loss dropped Mercer to 4-5 overall and 3-3 in Southern Conference play, while the Bucs clinched at least a share of the league title with the road victory. The Bears scored a first-quarter touchdown but totaled just 11 points the rest of the way on three field goals and a safety.

WHERE THE BUC STOPS
The Bucs have lost six games by seven points or less – two of which in overtime – and are 0-7 in SoCon contests. ETSU boasts one of the top defenses in the league, however, led by two-time SoCon Defensive Player of the Week Artevius Smith. The Bucs have allowed the sixth fewest passing yards in FCS football in 2019.

QUICK HITS

Junior linebacker Sidney Otiwu leads the team with 81 tackles on the season – 21 of those came in the win over Samford on Nov. 2, setting the school record in the category.
Bears running back Tyray Devezin enters the final two games of the season needing 219 yards to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the year -- he had 193 against VMI on Oct. 19.
Senior safety Eric Jackson jumped Will Coneway for the third most career tackles in school history last week, now with 272 in his four years – which also ranks 17th among active FCS players.
Three Mercer student-athletes were named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Football Team Thursday for their efforts both on the field and in the classroom. Tucker Cannon (3.78 GPA - Chemical Commerce), Dorian Kithcart (3.63 GPA - Master's Mechanical Engineering) and Jack Raines (4.00 GPA - Finance) represented the Orange & Black on the list. They will automatically advance to the Academic All-American ballot.

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.