Mercer University
6-1 , 4-0
ETSU
3-4 , 1-4
Team Stats
ETSU 3, MER 0
ETSU - Tyler Keltner 32 yd field goal 8 plays, 16 yards, TOP 2:33
ETSU 3, MER 7
MER - Austin Douglas 25 yd pass from Fred Payton (Devin Folser kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:00
ETSU 3, MER 14
MER - Drake Starks 4 yd pass from Fred Payton (Devin Folser kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 3:21
ETSU 10, MER 14
ETSU - Jacob Saylors 1 yd run (Tyler Keltner kick), 1 plays, 1 yards, TOP 0:06
ETSU 10, MER 21
MER - Ty James 15 yd pass from Fred Payton (Devin Folser kick) 8 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:47
ETSU 10, MER 28
MER - Drake Starks 21 yd pass from Fred Payton (Devin Folser kick) 1 plays, 21 yards, TOP 0:07
ETSU 17, MER 28
ETSU - Jacob Saylors 2 yd run (Tyler Keltner kick), 3 plays, 8 yards, TOP 1:37
ETSU 20, MER 28
ETSU - Tyler Keltner 49 yd field goal 7 plays, 40 yards, TOP 1:06
ETSU 23, MER 28
ETSU - Tyler Keltner 28 yd field goal 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 1:26
ETSU 23, MER 35
MER - Devron Harper 48 yd run (Devin Folser kick), 5 plays, 65 yards, TOP 2:01
ETSU 26, MER 35
ETSU - Tyler Keltner 39 yd field goal 17 plays, 53 yards, TOP 6:37
ETSU 26, MER 38
MER - Devin Folser 25 yd field goal 9 plays, 92 yards, TOP 3:22
ETSU 33, MER 38
ETSU - Isaiah Wilson 37 yd pass from Tyler Riddell (Tyler Keltner kick) 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 1:20
ETSU 33, MER 45
MER - Ty James 31 yd pass from Fred Payton (Devin Folser kick) 4 plays, 77 yards, TOP 1:04
ETSU 33, MER 48
MER - Devin Folser 33 yd field goal 7 plays, 62 yards, TOP 3:18
ETSU 33, MER 55
MER - Mike Campbell 41 yd interception (Devin Folser kick)
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Fred Payton Throws 5 TDs; Mercer Defeats ETSU 55-33
10/15/2022 8:05:00 PM | Football
Bears defeat defending SoCon champs
MACON, Ga. - Fred Payton threw for a Mercer record five touchdown passes and the Bears intercepted three passes to hold off ETSU 55-33 on Saturday evening from Five Star Stadium.
No. 11 Mercer (6-1, 4-0 SoCon) once again surpassed 500 yards of total offense, for the third consecutive game. The Bears have scored at least 40 points on their last three conference opponents. Fred Payton was 23-for-35 passing with 5 touchdown passes and one interception. It was Payton's first interception of the season.
The Bears held their fifth consecutive opponent to under 100 rushing yards. The Mercer defense added to its FCS leading 12 interceptions with three more, including a 41-yard pick-six from Michael Campbell. Myles Redding had a key interception in the end zone to keep it a two-score game with just over six minutes remaining in the game.
Ty James and Brandon Marshall each went for over 100 yards receiving. James led all players with 120 receiving yards to go along with seven receptions and two touchdowns. Running back Brandon Marshall had a career-high 110 receiving yards on three receptions. Marshall also added 67 rushing yards. Drake Starks caught two touchdown passes in the first half.
On the ground, Al Wooten led the Bears with 16 carries for 74 yards. Devron Harper had the Bears' lone rushing touchdown, his fourth consecutive game with a rushing touchdown.
Mercer's punt and kick coverage units struggled on the day. ETSU blocked one punt had a 72-yard kickoff return and 43-yard punt return. The Bucs'Â average starting field position was the 50-yard line.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After trailing for the first time since Auburn, Fred Payton threw a screen pass to Austin Douglas who took it to the end zone for a 25-yard touchdown to give the Bears the 7-3 lead.
On Mercer's next possession Fred Payton connected with Drake Starks for a 4-yard touchdown to give the Bears a 14-3 lead. ETSUÂ got some momentum back after they blocked a Trey Turk punt and recovered it at the Mercer 1-yard line. One play later, ETSU ran it in to make it 14-10 Bears.
The Bears struck back on their next possession after converting on a fourth-and-2, Payton hit Ty James over the middle for a 15-yard touchdown.
Then, after the first of two Michael Campbell interceptions, the next play Fred Payton completed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Drake Starks for his second score of the game to give the Bears a 28-10 lead.
ETSU scored the final 10 points of the half after Jacob Saylors scored his second touchdown of the game and then the Bucs tacked on a field goal to end the half with the Bears leading 28-20.
ETSU got to within five after a field goal early in the third quarter, but the Bears answered right back. Devron Harper took a jet sweep down the left sideline 48-yards for a touchdown to give the Bears a 35-23 lead.
Big time throw from @_fjpj 🤩💸#RaiseTheBar | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/38bwIeKpCG
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 15, 2022
After a Devin Folser field goal and an ETSU touchdown, the score was 38-33 Mercer. The Bears faced a third-and-4 with more than 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Payton completed a 40-yard pass to Marshall to keep the drive alive. The next play, Payton threw a perfect pass to the left corner of the end zone to Ty James for a 31-yard touchdown to give Mercer a 45-33 lead.
Myles Redding and Michael Campbell came up with two interceptions late in the game. Campbell had a 41-yard pick-six to seal the 55-33 win for Mercer.
UP NEXT
Mercer travels to play No. 9Â Chattanooga next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m.
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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