No. 23 Football Secures Program’s First Berth Into FCS Playoffs
11/19/2023 7:04:00 PM | Football
INDIANAPOLIS – An historic season for the 23rd-ranked Mercer football team was rewarded handsomely on Sunday afternoon when the program notched another first with an invitation to the NCAA FCS Football Playoffs. The Bears will welcome Gardner-Webb to Macon on November 25 for the opening round.
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Mercer (8-3) will welcome a familiar foe to Macon on Saturday (November 25) when it battles Gardner-Webb (7-4) in a 3 p.m. tilt inside Five Star Stadium. Seats for the game can be purchased for $20 by visiting MercerBears.com/Playoffs.
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Saturday's appearance in the NCAA postseason will mark the first for Mercer who is in the midst of its 11th season since football returned to campus in 2013. The Orange & Black has captured six of its last seven outings, and will roll into the weekend on a 4-game win streak, including a 28-21 victory over 2022 Southern Conference champion Samford at home. The Orange & Black showcases the nation's 31st-ranked total defense, behind the nation's 19th-best tackles for loss (6.9/game) squad.
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The Bulldogs, which picked up an automatic berth into the FCS Playoffs by virtue of capturing the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference regular season crown, has won six of their last seven games as well, and will ride a 5-game win streak into Middle Georgia this weekend. Gardner-Webb closed out the month of October with a 38-34 upset victory over then-No. 13 UT Martin that sparked their current winning skein. G-W, conversely, boasts the nation's 38th-ranked total defense which registers 7.8 tackles for loss per game (3rd NCAA).
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Mercer has faced Gardner-Webb just one previous time – a 45-14 victory by the Bears last season in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Bears limited G-W to just 47 rushing yards in that outing, while also tallying a trio of interceptions.
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Mercer (8-3) will welcome a familiar foe to Macon on Saturday (November 25) when it battles Gardner-Webb (7-4) in a 3 p.m. tilt inside Five Star Stadium. Seats for the game can be purchased for $20 by visiting MercerBears.com/Playoffs.
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Saturday's appearance in the NCAA postseason will mark the first for Mercer who is in the midst of its 11th season since football returned to campus in 2013. The Orange & Black has captured six of its last seven outings, and will roll into the weekend on a 4-game win streak, including a 28-21 victory over 2022 Southern Conference champion Samford at home. The Orange & Black showcases the nation's 31st-ranked total defense, behind the nation's 19th-best tackles for loss (6.9/game) squad.
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The Bulldogs, which picked up an automatic berth into the FCS Playoffs by virtue of capturing the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference regular season crown, has won six of their last seven games as well, and will ride a 5-game win streak into Middle Georgia this weekend. Gardner-Webb closed out the month of October with a 38-34 upset victory over then-No. 13 UT Martin that sparked their current winning skein. G-W, conversely, boasts the nation's 38th-ranked total defense which registers 7.8 tackles for loss per game (3rd NCAA).
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Mercer has faced Gardner-Webb just one previous time – a 45-14 victory by the Bears last season in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Bears limited G-W to just 47 rushing yards in that outing, while also tallying a trio of interceptions.
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