Bears Winning Streak Snapped By Keydets

Saturday, October 16

Macon, Ga.

4 p.m.

Mercer University

4-2 , 3-1

VMI

5-2 , 3-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

VMI

MER

10/16/2021 7:09:00 PM | Football

Box Score

VMI drops Mercer in contest at Five Star Stadium

By: Zach Durkee

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Bears (4-2, 3-1) fell to the defending SoCon champs, VMI Keydets (5-2, 3-1), by a 45-7 scoreline. With the setback, a six-game home winning streak at the friendly confines of Five Star Stadium was snapped.

Special teams played well, forcing two turnovers – blocking both a field goal and a punt – which kept VMI off of the scoreboard on two occasions.

The Bears lone points of the game came off a 71-yard bomb from Carter Peevy to Ethan Dirrim late in the fourth quarter.

Ethan Dirrim highlighted the Bears offensive attack with a career high of 125 receiving yards.

The Keydets were able to take advantage of miscommunication from the Mercer offense as Alex Oliver picked off Fred Payton and took it back 39 yards for the first score of the contest on the game's first play from scrimmage. On the ensuing Bears drive, the visitors forced a second turnover when Charles Dixon made Payton cough the ball. VMI then took advantage of the extremely short field to double their lead to 14 when Seth Morgan called his own number and rushed for the score.

Following consecutive scores by the Keydets, the Bears defense held the visitors to a three-and-out in an attempt to get some momentum.

When the Bears' defense finally halted a Keydet drive, Mercer defender Barron King blocked a 49-yard field goal try. The blocked kick was the first miss of the season by VMI's Jerry Rice, the reigning SoCon special teams player of the week.

VMI's first drive of the second quarter was one of the best for the Mercer defense with Ty James blocking a punt, which set up a drive inside the red zone for the Bears. After the offense sputtered with another three-and-out, Devin Folser missed from 21 yards away.

As VMI took over after the missed Mercer field goal, Rashad Raymond raced for an 80-yard score touchdown to bring their advantage to 21-0.

Rice converted a 26-yard field goal from a successful fourth down convert to up the Keydet lead to 24-0 going into the intermission.

Starting off where they left off, the Keydet offense drove the ball 75 yards on 12 plays to move their advantage to 31-0. After another interception thrown by Payton, the Keydets used a 48-yard drive to up their lead to 38. The Keydets used their next drive to up the advantage to 45-0.

Mercer got on the board when Carter Peevy and Ethan Dirrim connected on a 71-yard reception for the touchdown at the end of the fourth quarter to bring the score to 45-7.

Offensive Star
Ethan Dirrim led the Bears offensive attack with five catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. He caught the Bears lone score of the day when Carter Peevy found him for a 71 yard bomb.

Defensive Star(s)
Isaac Dowling led the team with five solo tackles and two tackles for loss. Ken Standley had a team high of eight tackles.

Stats That Matter
The Bears special teams were the highlight of the game. Mercer blocked both a punt and a field goal on the game. Barron King was credited with the field goal block and Ty James was credited with the punt block.

Notables

The Bears start the season 3-1 in SoCon play.
Ethan Dirrim had five catches for 125 yards and a touchdown. The 125 yards was a career high.
The series history is now 5-3-0 in favor of Mercer.
Mercer is 2-2-0 against the Keydets in Macon.
Ty James is credited with a punt block
Barron King is credited with a kick block
Ken Standley led the team with eight tackles
Isaac Dowling led the team in solo tackles (5) and tackles for loss (2).

Up Next
Mercer will return to action on Saturday at 6 p.m. when they will face the Wofford Terriers at Five Star Stadium.

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.