Samford Uses Big First Quarter To Stun No. 7 Mercer

Saturday, October 19

Birmingham, Ala.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

6-1 , 3-1

Samford

3-3 , 2-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Mercer

Samford

Samford Uses Big First Quarter To Stun No. 7 Mercer

10/19/2024 2:31:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Samford scored a quartet of touchdowns in the game's first 6-1/2 minutes and never looked back as the Bulldogs snapped visiting and seventh-ranked Mercer's school record six-game win streak with a 55-35 victory over the Bears on Saturday at Pete Hanna Stadium.

The result marked the third-straight road loss in the series for the Bears (6-1, 3-1 SoCon) who fell to 2-6 all-time against the Bulldogs (3-3, 2-1) in Birmingham, Ala. Saturday's outcome also marked the first loss for the Bears against a SoCon rival since a 22-10 home setback against Chattanooga on October 14 of last season.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Samford 55, Mercer 35
RECORDS: Mercer (6-1, 3-1 SoCon); Samford (3-3, 2-1 SoCon)
LOCATION: Birmingham, Ala. (Pete Hanna Stadium)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

A 3-and-out followed by a shanked punt attempt gave the Bulldogs the ball at the Mercer 30-yard line, and the hosts scored five plays later to hand the Bears just their second deficit of the season. Quincy Crittendon went 3-for-3 for 30 yards on the possession, including a 15-yard touchdown pass to DJ Rias. SU 7, MU 0

A fumble on Mercer's ensuing possession gave Samford short field again, this time at the 15-yard line. The Bulldogs did not waste any time tacking on another score as Quincy Crittendon found DJ Rias alone in the end zone on the opening play of the drive. SU 14, MU 0

Jaden Mosley picked off DJ Smith on the ensuing possession to give the Bulldogs a short field again, and the Bulldogs stretched their advantage out to a trio of scores three plays later. The Bears stuffed the hosts on the first two plays of the possession, but Quincy Crittendon threw a 24-yard scoring strike to E. Jai Mason on third down. SU 21, MU 0

Samford began its next possession on their own side of the 50-yard line, but finished with the same result. Quincy Crittendon rolled out on first down and found a wide open Iaan Cousin down the middle of the field, and the graduate transfer finished off the 77-yard scoring strike with a 35-yard sprint. SU 28, MU 0

The Bears got something going on their sixth possession of the afternoon as DJ Smith engineered an 8-play, 55-yard touchdown drive that took the goose egg off of the scoreboard. Smith found Dwayne McGee on a 30-yard pass to open the possession, but MU covered the remainder of the drive on the ground, including Smith's 1-yard scoring dive up the middle. SU 28, MU 7

A screen to @DeeWeeBig3 picks up 30 yards and a @CadenceBank first down! pic.twitter.com/6iuNXyusu0
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 19, 2024

2ND QUARTER

Samford pushed its lead back out to four scores with a time-consuming 15-play, 73-yard scoring drive. Quincy Crittendon completed five of his seven passing attempts for 65 yards, and Damonta Witherspoon culminated the possession with a 2-yard touchdown run off left tackle. SU 35, MU 7

The Bulldogs added another score right before the half, capping a 6-play, 89-yard touchdown drive with Damonta Witherspoon's 4-yard run up the middle. Quincy Crittendon fueled the drive with consecutive big-gainers – a 38-yard scramble through the MU defense, followed by a 35-yard pass to Witherspoon. SU 42, MU 7

INTERCEPTION!@MylesTooNice with the pick, his fourth interception of the season! pic.twitter.com/3s6TkMRwJT
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 19, 2024

3RD QUARTER

The Bears sliced into their five-score deficit with a 5-play, 60-yard scoring drive that was culminated with a 1-yard drive up the middle by Dwayne McGee. A 32-yard pass to Kelin Parsons followed by a 22-yard pass to Samuel Albee fueled the drive, but McGee took care of the last five yards himself. SU 42, MU 14

Myles Redding's second interception of the afternoon and ensuing 48-yard return set Mercer up in 1^st-and-Goal situation at the Samford 2-yard line. Dwayne McGee delivered the package moments later with a 2-yard run off right guard. SU 42, MU 21

Mercer continued to whittle away at its deficit with another touchdown late in the third period. The visitors took to the air on all four plays of the 67-yard scoring drive as DJ Smith completed three of his four passing attempts. SU 42, MU 28

A big gain as @IAmPr1metime0 finds an open @AdjatayD for a pickup of 38 yards! pic.twitter.com/tX2SvVS2Au
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 19, 2024

4TH QUARTER

The Bulldogs broke their scoring drought with an unconventional score in the early moments of the fourth quarter. Xavier Nurse's blindside sack of DJ Smith forced a loose ball, and Gavin Sam Morris scooped up the football and returned it 55-yards down the near sideline for a score. Wilson Beaverstock's extra-point attempt sailed wide left, however. SU 48, MU 28

Samford used its defense to get on the board again midway through the final period. Linebacker Noah Martin stepped in front of a bullet pass from Whitt Newbauer and returned the pickoff 26 yards for a touchdown. SU 55, MU 28

Mercer answered with the final points of the afternoon on the ensuing possession when Whitt Newbauer engineered a 9-play, 75-yard scoring drive that was capped with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Smith. Newbauer completed all four of his pass attempts on the possession for 65 yards, including a 38-yard strike to Smith on 2^nd-and-10 near midfield. SU 55, MU 35

First career @Truist touchdown pass for freshman @whitt_newbauer ➡️ @BraydensmithMU pic.twitter.com/JEasELb7nl
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 19, 2024

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior DJ Smith threw for 263 yards and one touchdown on 17-of-28 passing before exiting the game with an injuy in the fourth quarter.
+ Freshman quarterback Whitt Newbauer registered a team-best 39 rushing yards (7 carries), while also throwing for 89 yards and a touchdown on 7-of-11 passing.
+ Senior Kelin Parsons caught six passes for 106 yards to pace the receiving corps for the Bears. Eight other players caught at least one pass in Saturday's setback as well.
+ Senior Isaac Dowling tallied five tackles to move atop Mercer's all-time list for total tackles, while fellow linebacker Ken Standley recorded four tackles to become the program's all-time leader in that category.

NOTABLES

+ Samford's scoring output marked the most points surrendered by the MU defense against an FCS opponent since a 50-44 loss in double overtime in Birmingham, Ala., in 2022.
+ Saturday's result snapped Mercer's seven-game win streak against Southern Conference competition. MU's last loss against a SoCon rival heading into the weekend was a 22-10 home setback to Chattanooga on Oct. 14, 2023.
+ Samford's triumph also snapped Mercer's six-game win streak in regular season road games. Prior to Saturday, the last regular season road loss for the Bears was a 38-14 result at then-No. 7 Furman in the league opener for both teams last year.

UP NEXT

The Bears will open up a two-game home stand on October 26 when they suit up to take on Southern Conference-leading Western Carolina (4-3, 3-0 SoCon) on Education Day at Five Star Stadium. Tickets are still available, and can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

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