Mercer University
9-2 , 8-0
Auburn
5-6 , 1-6
No. 6 Mercer Falls At Auburn In Regular Season Finale
11/22/2025 2:51:00 PM | Football
The setback snapped a nine-game overall win streak for the Bears (9-2), who also suffered their first road loss of the campaign as well. The triumph snapped a two-game skid for the Tigers (5-6) who evened out their home record at 3-3.
| THE BASICS |
| SCORE: Auburn 62, Mercer 17 RECORDS: Mercer 9-2 (8-0 SoCon); Auburn 5-6 (1-6 SEC) LOCATION: Auburn, Ala. (Jordan-Hare Stadium) |
| HOW IT HAPPENED |
| 1ST QUARTER |
| Auburn wasted little time in lighting up the scoreboard first as Deuce Knight broke loose on a 75-yard touchdown run down the far sideline on the game's first play from scrimmage to give the hosts the early lead. AU 7, MU 0 The Bears punched back on the ensuing possession as CJ Miller capped an 8-play, 75-yard touchdown drive with a 1-yard scoring plunge. Mercer converted a pair of 3rd down situations on the drive, but it was Braden Atkinson's 36-yard strike to Brayden Smith that fueled the end result. AU 7, MU 7 Braden Atkinson engineered a 13-play, 70-yard touchdown drive a few minutes later to give the Bears the lead. Atkinson completed four of his five pass attempts for 33 yards, including an 8-yard scoring toss in to the corner of the end zone, while CJ Miller ran six times for 27 yards. MU 14, AU 7 Deuce Knight took it upon himself to knot things back up nearly two minutes later. Auburn used the first four plays of the possession to settle near midfield, and Knight broke loose on a 51-yard touchdown run seconds later to culminate the drive. AU 14, MU 14
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| 2ND QUARTER |
| The Tigers put points on the board, again, with their initial drive of the second half, marching 80 yards in 10 plays, including a 9-yard touchdown run by Deuce Knight. That scoring play was set up by Knight's 30-yard pass to Malik Simmons that moved the Tigers into the red zone. AU 21, MU 14 Mercer answered on the ensuing drive, moving the ball 51 yards on 10 plays before settling for a 42-yard field goal from Reice Griffith. Braden Atkinson completed a trio of passes for double-digit yardage on the possession, including a 19-yard pass to Adjatay Dabbs that moved the Bears all the way down to the 26-yard line. AU 21, MU 17 Auburn struck again three minutes later when Deuce Knight culminated a 9-play, 65-yard scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown scamper. Knight carried the ball three times for 31 yards on the possession, including a 13-yard run on a 3rd-and-6 situation inside Mercer territory. AU 28, MU 17 Kaleb Harri's interception and ensuing 16-yard return three plays later set the Tigers up for another score right before the half. Deuce Knight completed three consecutive short-yardage passes in the seconds following, and then hit Cam Coleman on a 10-yard touchdown pass. AU 35, MU 17
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| 3RD QUARTER |
| Mercer received the opening kickoff in the second half, but it was Auburn who scratched the scoreboard for the first points of the second stanza. Elijah Melendez stepped in front of Braden Atkinson's pass on 2nd-and-12 from the MU 36 and returned the pickoff 41 yards for a score. AU 42, MU 17 A John McConnell punt pinned the Tigers inside their own 10-yard line a few minutes later, but the Tigers scored in a hurry. Deuce Knight connected with Malcolm Simmons on a 91-yard touchdown pass one play later. AU 49, MU 17
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| 4TH QUARTER |
| Auburn bridged the third and fourth quarters with a 7-play drive that mustered just 19 yards, but ultimately concluded with a 47-yard field goal by Alex McPherson. The Tigers attained a 1st-and-10 opportunity at the Mercer 26-yard line, but went backward after that, including an 8-yard sack by Isaac Prince. AU 52, MU 17 A strip sack by the Tigers on the ensuing drive set the hosts up deep in Mercer territory and Alex McPherson delivered a 49-yard field goal four plays later. The Tigers actually lost 12 yards on the first three plays of the possession thanks to tackles for loss from Tommy Bliss and Andrew Zock. AU 55, MU 17 Auburn needed just three plays on their next possession to tack up the final points of the afternoon. The Tigers opened the drive with two modest ground grains before Jackson Arnold called his own number on a 56-yard touchdown run. AU 62, MU 17
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| INSIDE THE BOX SCORE |
| + Freshman Braden Atkinson threw for 210 yards and one touchdown on 20-for-33 passing with a pair of interceptions. + Sophomore Adjatay Dabbs logged a team-best six receptions for 74 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter. Junior Brayden Smith hauled in five catches for a team-high 76 yards. + Junior CJ Miller carried the ball 14 times for 38 yards, while also logging a 1-yard touchdown dive in the opening period. + Tommy Bliss and Drew Clare led the defensive efforts for the Bears with seven tackles apiece. Isaac Prince turned in a team-best 2-1/2 tackles for loss, including one of two sacks for Mercer on the day. |
| NOTABLES |
| + Saturday's setback snapped school-record winning streaks for the Bears for both overall (9) and road (5) victories. It is the first time in the 51-plus history of the program that Mercer has logged five road wins in a single season. + Mercer's 14-7 lead late in the first quarter on Saturday marked the first time that Mercer has held a lead over an FBS squad since tacking up the first three points in a 49-3 loss at Army on Oct. 24, 2020. |
| UP NEXT |
| Mercer clinched the Southern Conference's automatic bid into the NCAA FCS Playoffs which begin on November 29 at designated campus sites ... The Bears are 2-2 all-time in the NCAA postseason and are set to make their third-straight postseason appearance this year ... The NCAA FCS Playoffs Selection show is scheduled for tomorrow (November 23) at Noon on ESPNU. |
| STAY CONNECTED |
| Follow Mercer Football on Twitter and Instagram and "Like" Mercer Football on Facebook. |
| SUPPORT THE BEARS |
| Support the Mercer athletics department by making a gift to the Mercer Athletic Foundation. To find out more information about the Mercer Athletic Foundation, email maf@mercer.edu. |
Team Stats
MER 0, AUB 7
AUB - Knight,Deuce 75 yd run (McPherson,Alex kick), 1 plays, 75 yards, TOP 00:15
MER 7, AUB 7
MER - Miller,CJ 1 yd run (Griffith,Reice kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 03:53
MER 14, AUB 7
MER - Dabbs,Adjatay 8 yd pass from Atkinson,Braden (Griffith,Reice kick) 13 plays, 70 yards, TOP 06:08
MER 14, AUB 14
AUB - Knight,Deuce 51 yd run (McPherson,Alex kick), 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 02:31
MER 14, AUB 21
AUB - Knight,Deuce 9 yd run (McPherson,Alex kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 03:53
MER 17, AUB 21
MER - Griffith,Reice 41 yd field goal 10 plays, 51 yards, TOP 03:51
MER 17, AUB 28
AUB - Knight,Deuce 20 yd run (McPherson,Alex kick), 9 plays, 65 yards, TOP 02:54
MER 17, AUB 35
AUB - Coleman,Cam 10 yd pass from Knight,Deuce (McPherson,Alex kick) 4 plays, 33 yards, TOP 00:25
MER 17, AUB 42
AUB - Melendez,Elijah 41 yd interception (McPherson,Alex kick)
MER 17, AUB 49
AUB - Simmons,Malcolm 91 yd pass from Knight,Deuce (McPherson,Alex kick) 1 plays, 91 yards, TOP 00:15
MER 17, AUB 52
AUB - McPherson,Alex 47 yd field goal 7 plays, 19 yards, TOP 03:28
MER 17, AUB 55
AUB - McPherson,Alex 49 yd field goal 4 plays, -12 yards, TOP 02:16
MER 17, AUB 62
AUB - Arnold,Jackson 56 yd run (McPherson,Alex kick), 3 plays, 67 yards, TOP 01:35
