Auburn Uses Fast Start to Defeat Mercer, 42-16

Saturday, September 3

Auburn, Ala.

7 P.M.

Mercer University

1-1 , 0-0

Auburn

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Mercer

Auburn

Auburn Uses Fast Start to Defeat Mercer, 42-16

9/4/2022 12:16:00 AM | Football, Athletics Department

Box Score

Devron Harper hauled in two touchdown receptions in loss

AUBURN, Ala. – Auburn scored a touchdown on four of its first five possessions and defeated Mercer, 42-16, on Saturday night before 84,562 fans at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Fred Payton led the Mercer offense, passing for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Devron Harper hauled in five passes for a team-high 45 yards and two scores. Austin Douglas rushed for 40 yards on nine carries and had four catches for 23 yards.

Auburn used a balanced offense and a stingy defense to take control of the game in the first half. The Tigers (1-0) rushed for 285 yards, including a game-high 147 by Tank Bigsby on 16 carries. Bigsby also reached the end zone twice for the Tigers.

Auburn held the Bears (1-1) to 271 yards of offense, surrendering only 101 before halftime.

Defensively, Myles Redding tallied a career-high 10 tackles (six solo). Ken Standley added nine stops, while Chris Joines and TJ Moore each picked off a pass.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Tigers scored on four of their first five drives of the first half. Jarquez Hunter capped an opening march of 11 plays and 68 yards with a 19-yard touchdown run to put Auburn up 7-0.

TJ Finley connected with John Samuel Shenker on the ensuing drive to give the Tigers a 14-0 lead. Hunter added a two-yard rushing score with 10:17 left in the second quarter to increase Auburn's advantage to 21-0.

The Tigers made it 28-0 on Bigsby's two-yard score with 5:04 let in the half.

Joines picked off a pass from Finley with 1:29 remaining in the second quarter to give Mercer the ball at Auburn's 29-yard line. It marked the first career interception for the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native.

Payton then led a nine-play drive for the Bears over the next 1:09 that culminated with a touchdown pass from five yards out to Harper.

With 4:47 left in the third quarter, Hunter reached the end zone for the third time of the night on a one-yard score, stretching the Tigers' lead to 35-7. Bigsby broke through the Mercer defense for his second touchdown run, this time from 39 yards out to give Auburn a 42-7 advantage.

The Bears put together two scoring drives in the fourth quarter. Devin Folser kicked a 33-yard field goal with 7:49 left in the contest, cutting the Tigers' lead to 42-10. Payton threw another touchdown pass to Harper on Mercer's final drive of the game to cap the scoring. The two connected on an eight-yard pass for their second score of the night.

UP NEXT

Mercer will enter a bye week and will return to Five Star Stadium to host The Citadel on Saturday, Sept. 17 in the Southern Conference opener. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 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.