Mercer Football Heads to SoCon Leading VMI

MACON, Ga. – The Mercer Football team makes the trek north to face VMI in Southern Conference action on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. from Foster Stadium at Alumni Memorial.

If you can't make the game, catch the broadcast on ESPN+/NexStar. As always, the game will also be broadcast by Rick Cameron and his crew on The Creek (100.9 FM) and the SportsMic App.

GAMEDAY LINEUP
» Date | Time: Saturday, March 13 | 1:30 p.m.
» Teams: Mercer (1-4, 1-1 SoCon) at VMI (2-0, 2-0 SoCon)
» Location: Lexington, Va. | Foster Stadium at Alumni Memorial (10,000)
» Television: NexStar/ESPN+
» Television Talent: Pete Yanity (PxP), Jared Singleton (Analyst)
» Radio: Mercer Sports Network | 100.9 The Creek FM | SportsMic
» Radio Talent: Rick Cameron (PxP), Roger Jackson (Analyst), Charles Davis (Sideline)
» Live Stats: VMIKeydets.com
» Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball
» Game Notes: Mercer | VMI | SoCon

The matchup pits the Bears against the Keydets for the seventh time in program history. The Bears lead the series 5-1 and have won the last four meetings.

SCOUTING VMI
The Keydets of VMI enter the contest with the Bears with a perfect 2-0 record to lead Southern Conference. VMI opened the season with a 14-13 win over Furman before beating Western Carolina, 30-7. VMI's victory over Western Carolina gave the Keydets their first 2-0 start since 2005 when they were a member of the Big south Conference.

The VMI defense continued to step up at Western Carolina and allowed the fewest points in a game (7) since a 37-7 win over ETSU on October 8, 2016. Prior to a fourth quarter touchdown by Western Carolina, the VMI defense kept opponents off the scoreboard for five straight quarters going back to the second half of the season opener against Furman.

Connor Riddle leads the defense with 21 tackles and leads the team with 4.5 tackles for a loss. Stole Snyder is second on the team with 14 tackles, and he leads the team with 2.5 sacks. The VMI defense has forced two turnovers this season.

Under center for the Keydets is Reece Udinski, who has started both games. He is completing 72 percent (57-for-79) of his passes this season for three touchdowns and 487 yards passing. He is averaging 243.5 yards per game. Udinski notched his 20^th career 200-yard passing game last weekend against Western Carolina.

After producing just 20 yards rushing in the opener against Furman, VMI's ground attack thrived last Saturday as the Keydets netted 199 yards rushing. Junior running back Korey Bridy led the charge with a career-high 91 yards and also reached the end zone a career-high two times on runs of six yards and one yard. Freshman Rashad Raymond added 74 yards as the Keydets enjoyed their best rushing outing as a team since 220 yards against Mars Hill on September 7, 2019.

Quick Hits

The last time the Bears took to the field was Feb. 27 against The Citadel at Five Star Stadium. The Bears came away with a 42-28 victory, the first Division I win for Head Coach Drew Cronic.
The last time the Bears matched up against the Keydets was on Oct. 19, 2019. The Bears led 27-6 entering the fourth quarter and had to hold on as VMI's comeback fell short. Mercer came away with a 34-27 victory. In the contest, Harrison Poole etched his name into the school record book with five pass breakups.
The Bears were clicking on all cylinders against The Citadel. Mercer scored a passing and rushing touchdown on the offensive side of the ball. Did you know, the second touchdown of the game for the Orange & Black was a defensive touchdown? Yahsyn McKee picked up a fumble and went 27 yards for the score. Special teams touchdown? Sure, Mercer's Ethan Dirrim took an on-side kick attempt back for a 45-yards touchdown.
Freshman Carter Peevy had himself a ball game in his first collegiate start to lead the Bears to their first win. Peevy broke his career-highs he set the previous week in passing yards (208) and touchdowns (3). His first collegiate touchdown came on the first play of the game against The Citadel, when he found Drake Starks for a 75-yard touchdown reception
Against the Bulldogs, the Bears tallied their first first-half shutout since Sept. 7, 2019 against Presbyterian. The Bears defense was outstanding in the first half against The Citadel as they only allowed 81 yards on 30 plays in the first half. The defense limited the Bulldogs to five first downs in the first half.
The Bears defense came to play against the Bulldogs of The Citadel. On the second Citadel possession, the Bulldogs fumbled and it was recovered by McKee who took it to the end zone for a touchdown. The defense wasn't done forcing turnovers as it forced another fumble in the fourth carter that was recovered by Solomon Zubairu. The last possession for the Bulldogs ended with the Bears first interception of the season. Michael Campbell picked off the pass to end the game.
Redshirt sophomore Deondre Johnson does it all for the Bears. He ranks 36th nationally in all-purpose yards this season. He is averaging 112 all-purpose yards this season. He has 195 yards on kick returns, 141 receiving and 111 yards rushing this season.

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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Players Mentioned

Michael Campbell

Ethan Dirrim

Deondre Johnson

Yahsyn McKee

Carter Peevy

Harrison Poole

Drake Starks

Solomon Zubairu

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