No. 20 Football Flies Past Morehead State In Home Opener

Saturday, September 9

Macon, Ga.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

2-1 , 0-0

Morehead State

1-1 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Morehead St.

Mercer

No. 20 Football Flies Past Morehead State In Home Opener

9/10/2023 12:25:00 AM | Football

Box Score Highlights Postgame Presser Photo Gallery

MACON – The 20^th-ranked Mercer football team racked up more than 450 yards of total offense, including 253 yards in the second half alone, to battle back from a late second-quarter deficit and turn back visiting Morehead State, 48-22, on Saturday evening at Five Star Stadium.

It was the third-straight win in a home opener for the Bears (2-1) who limited their Pioneer Football League foes to just 98 yards of offense in the third and fourth periods, including a paltry 43 rushing yards. It was the second-straight season that Morehead State (1-1) has walked away from Macon empty-handed.

Senior Ty James caught five passes for 146 yards to slide atop the program's all-time receiving yards list, while fellow preseason all-American Devron Harper flirted with the school's single-game all-purpose yards mark, including a 53-yard punt return for a touchdown in the final period.

The Bears got a team-best nine tackles from junior Ken Standley who paced a defensive unit that registered eight tackles for loss in the contest. Senior Solomon Zubairu turned in four stops, including a pair of tackles for loss, and two quarterback hurries.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 48, Morehead State 22
RECORDS: Mercer 2-1, 0-0 SoCon; Morehead State 1-1, 0-0 PFL
LOCATION: Macon, Ga. (Five Star Stadium)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

Devron Harper rushed around the left side for a 38-yard gainer on 2^nd-and-16 from the Mercer 45-yard line, and quarterback Carter Peevy handled the rest with a 17-yard scoring scamper that put the first points of the night on the board. MU 7, MSU 0

Morehead State responded with a 14-play, 53-yard scoring drive that milked more than 8-1/2 minutes off of the game clock, but ultimately settled for a 39-yard field goal from Nathan Hazlett. MU 7, MSU 3

Devron Harper hauled in a 50-yard reception from Carter Peevy on a 3^rd-and-10 situation from the Mercer 20-yard line, and Al Wooten II followed with a 30-yard touchdown run down the near sideline to put the hosts up by two scores. The 3-play, 80-yard drive took just 53 seconds to complete. MU 14, MSU 3

.@Cpeev7 with a 50-yd dime to @DevronHarper 🎯#RaiseTheBar | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/DkMxVnPdT6
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 9, 2023

2ND QUARTER

Morehead State bridged the first and second quarters with a 7-play, 56-yard scoring drive that was capped with a 26-yard field goal by Nathan Hazlett. The Eagles keyed the scoring drive with a 34-yard pass from Carter Craven to Isaiah Davis that moved the visitors into the red zone. MU 14, MSU 6

The Eagles used a costly 15-yard personal foul to key success on their ensuing possession. Caleb Ramseur aided the touchdown drive with a 22-yard rush off right guard to start the possession, but it was Kyle Daly's 24-yard scoring reception that ultimately sealed the deal. MU 14, MSU 12

Morehead State took their first-ever lead at Five Star Stadium late in the period on Nathan Hazlett's 22-yard field goal that capped a 12-play, 46-yard drive. The Eagles tallied a trio of 15-yard gainers on the possession, including two that converted third downs. MSU 15, MU 14

Mercer would take the lead for good on the ensuing possession, ultimately scoring on an 8-yard run by Al Wooten II that put the finishing touches on a 6-play, 68-yard scoring drive that spanned just 99 seconds. MU 21, MSU 15

Touchdown Bears!

Tough running from @newera20ii who scores his 2nd @TruistNews TD of the game! 😤

Q2 | 0:32
Mercer 21, Morehead State 15#RaiseTheBar | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/HrQpLWMwcT
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 10, 2023

3RD QUARTER

Mercer took the lead on the first play from scrimmage in the second half. Carter Peevy hit Ty James on a quick pass, and the senior created his own space on the way to a 75-yard score. MU 27, MSU 15

The Bears went to work again on their next offensive possession, and pushed their lead out to 15 points, 30-15, on a 24-yard field goal from Reice Griffith. Mercer tallied a trio of plays that gained 14 or more yards, including a 16-yard reception by Sawyer Burt, but the drive stalled at MSU's 7-yard line. MU 30, MSU 15

Morehead State finally scratched the scoreboard again on the ensuing possession, capping an 8-play, 71-yard scoring drive with a 13-yard touchdown pass from Carter Cravens to Ryan Upp. It would prove to be the final points of the evening for the visitors. MU 30, MSU 22

Well that's a great way to start the second half 😁

@Cpeev7 connects with @wr_james for a 75 yard @TruistNews TD!#RaiseTheBar | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/Rda1BzXW5O
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 10, 2023

4TH QUARTER

Mercer added to its lead in the early stages of the fourth quarter, but this time unconventionally. The Orange & Black defense forced a 3-and-out with the Eagles standing on their own goal line, and the resulting punt was returned 53 yards for a touchdown by Devron Harper. A 2-point conversion pass from Hess Horne to Gavin McKay made it a three-score game. MU 38, MSU 22

Big-gain plays was the story of the following possession for the Bears as Devron Harper (18 yards), Tyrell Coard (21) and Carter Peevy (19) strung together three consecutive rushing attempts for 58 yards. Coard's 11-yard scoring scamper three plays later capped the 5-play, 74-yard touchdown drive. MU 45, MSU 22

Mike McGowan shouldered a bulk of the offensive load on the final possession of the night for the hosts, but it was Reice Griffith that put the last points of the night on the board via a 37-yard field goal. McGowan carried the ball four times on the 9-play possession. MU 48, MSU 22

That man @DevronHarper is electric with the ball in his hands! 👀⚡️

53-yd punt return for the @TruistNews TD!

Harper is up to 312 all-purpose yards tonight! Second most in a game in school history!#RaiseTheBar | #RoarTogether pic.twitter.com/f0yx4lIYNf
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 10, 2023

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Senior Ty James hauled in five catches for 146 yards – his ninth career 100-yard receiving game – while senior Devron Harper caught a team-high six catches for 100 yards. It was the first time that Mercer posted a pair of 100-yard receiving days since both put up 100-yard receiving nights in the 2022 finale at Samford.
+ Senior Devron Harper totaled 337 all-purpose yards on the night, the second time in his career that he has tallied 300 or more all-purpose yards in a contest. Harper returned two punts for 76 yards, four kickoffs for 74 yards and had three rushes for a team-best 72 yards.
+ Sophomore quarterback Carter Peevy threw for 268 yards and one touchdown on 13-of-19 passing, while also posting 10 rushing yards. It was the most passing yards for Peevy since throwing for a career-best 406 yards against Furman in the 2020-Spring 2021 campaign.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer moved to 8-3 all-time in home openers since football returned to campus in 2013. It is also a program superlative-matching third-straight win in such contests. It is the first time that the Bears have won three-straight home openers since 2013-15.
+ The Bears improved to 5-0 in September against non-FBS squads, and have now outscored FCS foes in the calendar year's ninth month by a 203-39 disparity.
+ The Orange & Black improved to 39-19 all-time in Five Star Stadium, including a 13-3 clip in their home stadium under head coach Drew Cronic. Mercer has now captured seven of their last eight contests in Macon as well.

UP NEXT

The Bears will enjoy a week off before opening up Southern Conference play on September 23 at Furman. Kickoff for that contest has been slated for 1 p.m. in Greenville, S.C.

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SUPPORT THE BEARS

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