Mercer Hosts No. 17 Furman

MACON, Ga. – For the second straight week, the Mercer football team will face a ranked opponent. This time, Mercer hosts No. 17 Furman at Five Star Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.

If you can't make the game, catch the broadcast on ESPN+. 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, April 3 | 3:30 p.m.
» Teams: Mercer (3-5, 3-2 SoCon) vs. Furman (3-2, 3-2 SoCon)
» Location: Macon, Ga. | Five Star Stadium (10,200)
» Television: ESPN+
» Television Talent: Frank Malloy (PxP), Terry Harvin (Analyst), Megan Birdsong (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/LiveStats
» Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball
» Game Notes: Mercer | Furman | SoCon

The matchup pits the Bears against the Paladins and is the 19^th meeting between these two programs. Furman leads the all-time series, 10-6-2.

SCOUTING FURMAN
The Paladins enter the matchup with the Bears with a 3-2 record both overall and in conference play. The Paladins are ranked No. 17 in the FCS Coaches' Top 25. This will be the third matchup between these two programs with Furman being ranked.

Furman is led by redshirt sophomore quarterback Hamp Sisson who has thrown for 957 yards and 10 touchdowns. Lining up behind him is All-SoCon performer Devin Wynn. Wynn has rushed for 2,382 rushing yards and is 13 yards shy of cracking Furman's top career rushing yard chart. Junior tight end Ryan Miller has had a strong spring with 12 receptions for 173 yards and four touchdowns.

Furman's defense has been solid thru the first five games of the SoCon slate. They have limited opponents to 18.2 points per game and 294.6 yards per game. The Paladins defense is yielding just 3.3 yards per rush and league best 100.6 yards per game.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Nicky Kuzemka is having a strong first season as he leads the team with 32 tackles.

Quick Hits

The Bears cracked the win column against a ranked team for the first time since September 15, 2018, with a 35-28 victory at No. 9 Chattanooga on Saturday. The last time the Bears defeated a ranked team before Chattanooga was a win over Samford, 30-24, which was also on the road. Mercer is 5-13 all-time against ranked teams. The win over the ranked Chattanooga team was second over a ranked Mocs team.
The Bears will play their third ranked opponent during the 2020-21 season on Saturday and the second-straight against a ranked opponent. The Bears are currently 1-1 against ranked teams this year with a loss to No. 17 Wofford, 31-14, and a victory over No. 9 Chattanooga, 35-28. The three games against a ranked school is the most since 2018 when Mercer went 1-2 against ranked schools.
Solomon Zubairu had a career day against the Mocs. The defensive lineman had seven tackles – three for a loss – and tallied 1.5 sacks. The sophomore from Lawrenceville, Ga., doubled his tackles for a loss on the season and sacks. This season, Zubairu has tallied 31 tackles, six for a loss, and three sacks. What does Zubairu have in store for the Paladins?
Saturday the Bears will be looking for their fourth Southern Conference victory of the season. A win would tie the most wins Mercer has had in a single season in SoCon history. Mercer has won four games in each of the following seasons: 2016, 2017 and 2018. Mercer has three games remaining during the spring season to see if they can top the four win mark.
Saturday's contest against Furman will be the 19th time the Bears have squared off against a ranked team and the third time this season. Mercer opened Southern Conference play against then-No. 17 Wofford and played then-No. 9 Chattanooga last week. Since 2016, Mercer has faced two or more ranked teams each season. During the 2017 season, Mercer faced six ranked teams, four ranked teams from the FCS and two more from the FBS ranks. With the win last weekend, Mercer looks for back-to-back wins over ranked schools for the first time in program history.
Mercer has recorded 21 sacks in eight games played this season. This is the most sacks in the Southern Conference. The next closest team is VMI with 19. Isaac Dowling leads the team with 5.5 sacks. He is one of 11 Mercer players to record a sack this season. The Bears' Solomon Zubairu doubled his sack total at Chattanooga with 1.5. He is second on the team with three sacks. The team's 21 sacks are the third most in program history. The Bears are two sacks away from tying the 2016 team for second in program history with 23 sacks. The 2013 team recorded the most sacks in program history with 35. Tosin Aguebor has the most sacks in the program's single-season history with 10 in 2013. Isaac Dowling has 5.5 this season, the fourth most all-time, is only 4.5 sacks away from tying the school record.
The Bears have been holding opponent's pass games in check this season. The defensive backs for Mercer are allowing 158.8 yards per game, the second-fewest in the Southern Conference. In its two conference games at Five Star Stadium, Mercer has held its opponents to under 100 yards passing both times. Mercer has held three teams under 100 yards and four under 150 yards. Can Mercer hold Furman under 100 yards passing?
The Bears defense has been playing behind the line of scrimmage this season. So far the Bear shave tallied 42 tackles for a loss forcing opponents to lose 132 yards. Seventeen different players have recorded a tackle for a loss. The most tackles for a loss in a single season came by Tosin Augebor during the 2013 season when he tallied 13. Leading the way for Mercer in 2020-21 is Solomon Zubairu who has six. Zubairu is currently a 1.5 tackles shy of cracking into the top seven.

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

Isaac Dowling

Solomon Zubairu

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