Game Preview: No. 16 Mercer Visits SoCon Champs in No. 9 Samford

Saturday, November 19

Birmingham, Ala.

1 p.m. ET

Mercer University

Samford

Game Preview: No. 16 Mercer Visits SoCon Champs in No. 9 Samford

11/18/2022 12:46:00 PM | Football

Mercer looks to join Georgia as only teams to defeat Samford this season

MACON, Ga. – Mercer travels to Birmingham, Alabama to take on the regular season conference champion Samford Bulldogs on Saturday, Nov. 19. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. ET.
 
GAME DAY INFORMATION
» Date | Time: Saturday, Nov. 19 | 1 p.m. ET
» Teams: Mercer (7-3, 5-2) at Samford (9-1, 7-0)
» Location: Birmingham, Ala. | Page Seibert Stadium (6,700) 
» Television: ESPN+
» Television Talent:  Curt Bloom (Play-by-Play), Damian Mitchell (Analyst), Blake Gardner (Sideline)
» Radio: Mercer Sports Network | 100.9 The Creek FM | SportsMic
» Radio Talent: Rick Cameron (PxP), Bryce Koon (Analyst), Charles Davis (Sideline)
» Live Stats:  StatBroadcast
» Twitter Updates: @MercerFootball

QUICK FACTS

Samford enters the final week of the regular season having already clinched at least a share of the Southern Conference championship.
This is the 29th all-time meeting between the two schools. Samford leads the series 14-13-1. Mercer has won three of the last five meetings.
A win would be Mercer's first over a ranked opponent since Nov. 13, 2021, when the Bears defeated No. 19 Chattanooga 10-6.
The game features the top four receivers in the SoCon in receiving yards.

SCOUTING SAMFORD

Samford is led by head coach Chris Hatcher who is in his eighth year with the program. Hatcher is 48-37 over his eight years as head coach with the Bulldogs.
The Bulldogs haven't lost a regular season conference game this year. Their lone loss this season was a 33-0 defeat to reigning national champion Georgia.
Samford ranks second in the conference in scoring offense, averaging 31.9 points per game.
Samford quarterback Michael Hiers leads all Division I quarterbacks with a 76.7 completion percentage. Hiers leads the SoCon and ranks third in the FCS with 31 passing touchdowns.
Samford has two receivers in Chandler Smith (No. 0) and Kendall Watson (No. 84) who each have over 700 receiving yards and have combined for 19 receiving touchdowns.
Defensively, the Bulldogs rank in the middle of the pack in the conference in most defensive categories. Their leading tackler is Noah Martin (No. 32) who leads the team with 71 tackles.

SCHOOL RECORDS SET THIS SEASON

Quarterback Fred Payton set a Mercer school record for most passing touchdowns in a game with 5 against ETSU. His 30 passing touchdowns on the season is also a school record.
Payton set the school record for single-season passing yards with 2,505 yards last week against Furman.
Wide receivers Devron Harper and Ty James broke the school record for receiving touchdowns in a season. James leads the SoCon with 11 and Harper is right behind him with 10 receiving touchdowns.
Harper set a program record for most all-purpose yards in a game with 293 yards against VMI. Last week against Furman Harper broke three more records: most receptions in a game (14), most all-purpose yards in a season (1,566) and most receiving yards in a season (862).

DYNAMIC DUO AT WIDE RECEIVER

Wide receivers Ty James and Devron Harper have proven to be dangerous weapons in the Mercer offense.
Harper leads the SoCon in receiving yards with 862 yards. James ranks third in the conference with 754 yards.
Harper and James have each set a Mercer school record for most receiving touchdowns in a season with 10.
Harper has 16 total touchdowns on the season. That is tied for the fourth-most in the FCS.
In his last four games, James has six receiving touchdowns.
Harper is the only player in the SoCon to score in four different ways – receiving (10), rushing (4), kick return (1) and punt return (1).

DOMINANT DEFENSE

Mercer's defense has been one of the best in the FCS this season. The Bears have held six of their last eight opponents to less than 100 yards rushing.
The defense is top-12 in the FCS in scoring defense (12^th) and total defense (8^th).
Mercer's defense has 17 interceptions to lead the FCS.
The Bears' defense leads the SoCon in total defense (19.3 ppg), and is second in scoring defense (308.6).
In Mercer's 17-0 win over The Citadel, linebacker Isaac Dowling tied a career-high with 17 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack in the game.
Against Gardner-Webb, the Bears forced three Gardner-Webb turnovers. Cam Sims had a 67-yard pick-six to give the bears a 21-point lead at halftime.
The Defense has given up just 17 points in the fourth quarter all year.

BY THE NUMBERS

30: Mercer quarterback Fred Payton has thrown for a career-high 30 touchdown passes this season. Only Samford quarterback Michael Hiers has more in the conference with 31.
51: Mercer has scored 51 touchdowns this season. That is third most in program history. The most is 60, set in 2013.
557: Devron Harper has 557 all-purpose yards in his last two games. Harper broke the program record for all-purpose yards in a game against VMI with 293 yards.

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