Bears Use Big First Quarter To Quell Road Drought Against Samford

Saturday, October 17

Birmingham, Ala.

7 p.m.

Mercer University

6-2 , 3-1

Samford

1-6 , 1-3

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Mercer	21	7	0	3	31
Samford	8	3	3	7	21

Bears Use Big First Quarter To Quell Road Drought Against Samford

10/17/2026 6:18:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Press Conference

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Visiting and 16^th-ranked Mercer tacked up 21 points in the game's first seven minutes and used a big-play run game to accumulate nearly 32 minutes of possession time as the Bears pick up their third road win in the 119-year-old series with Samford with a 31-21 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday night at Pete Hanna Stadium.

The result snapped a three-game series road losing streak for the Bears (7-2, 3-1 SoCon) who became the first home team to win a game in the series since 2017. It was the third-straight loss for Samford (1-6, 1-3) who has now dropped six of the last nine matchups with the Orange & Black as well.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 31, Samford 21
RECORDS: Mercer 6-2 (3-1 SoCon); Samford 1-6 (1-3 SoCon)
LOCATION: Birmingham, Ala. (Pete Hanna Stadium)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

The Bears chewed up yards in large chunks amid a game-opening 6-play, 92-yard scoring drive that was capped on a 6-yard scoring jaunt by JP Pickles. Devon Caldwell ran for 25 yards on the first two plays of the possession, and Eric Rasheed followed with a 47-yard sprint that moved Mercer into the red zone. MU 7, SU 0

It was the Mercer defense's turn to scratch the scoreboard just 47 seconds later when Jyarius Carter tipped a pass attempt from Gabarri Johnson into the air, secured the loose ball and returned it 32 yards for a score. MU 14, SU 0

Mercer kept its machine going full steam on its next offensive possession, driving 64 yards on just four plays, including a 22-yard touchdown run down the far sideline by JP Pickles. Pickles completed both of his pass attempts for 13 yards, while Devon Caldwell's 29-yard scamper moved the visitors into Samford territory. MU 21, SU 0

Ken Cherry keyed a 6-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the ensuing possession that got Samford off the mark. The sophomore carried the ball three times for 65 yards, including a 57-yard sprint midway through, but it was ultimately Gabarri Johnson's 12-yard pass to Preston Bird in the back of the end zone that culminated the possession that was accentuated by a successful 2-point conversion try. MU 21, SU 8

@CarterJyarius PICK 6‼️😮‍💨 Just like that it's 14-0 Bears! 🐻 1Q | 11:08 Mercer 14, Samford 0 #ATTACK https://t.co/oWsbG1PoQq
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 17, 2026

2ND QUARTER

The Bears put together an impressive 9-play, 87-yard touchdown drive on their initial possession of the third period. Mercer converted a pair of 3^rd-and-long situations and got 53 rushing yards from Devon Caldwell, including a 43-yard run that moved Mercer into Samford territory on just the second play of the drive. MU 28, SU 8

The Bulldogs put the final points on the scoreboard right before the half, but did not need a whole lot of movement to do so. Samford moved inside Mercer's 25-yard with less than 10 seconds to go, but an ill-timed personal foul ultimately forced the Bulldogs to settle for a 53-yard field goal from Ty Ippolito. MU 28, SU 11

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️ That's 3⃣ rushing touchdowns in the first half for @JPPickles19 👀 2Q | 10:07 Mercer 28, Samford 8 #ATTACK https://t.co/XRrKdpTmxV
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 18, 2026

3RD QUARTER

Samford came out of the halftime gates with a bit of a surge, and turned the energy into points with a 30-yard field goal from Ty Ippolito. The hosts ate up 41 yards on the first four plays of the possession and converted a 3^rd-and-long situation midway through, but a costly holding call later two plays later ultimately led to the drive stalling inside the red zone. MU 28, SU 14

INTERCEPTION‼️ @CameronGoggins1 with his 5th pick of the season! 🤝 #ATTACK https://t.co/OYsagC2VlN
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 18, 2026

4TH QUARTER

Mercer logged 29 yards on seven plays over the last 3-1/2 minutes of the third quarter, and then notched a 29-yard field goal from Simon Zeidan on the opening play of the final period. An 11-yard pass from JP Pickles to Asa Gregg moved the Bears inside the red zone, but the Bulldogs turned in a key stop on 3^rd-and-4 at the 12-yard line. MU 31, SU 14

Samford would rake in the final points of the evening, driving 78 yards in 10 plays before tacking on a 10-yard touchdown run from Coulter Cleland with 25 seconds left to play. The possession spanned just 103 seconds and was aided by a trio of costly penalties by the Bears, including a pass interference call that gave the hosts a fresh set of downs at the 10-yard line. MU 31, SU 21

@SimonZeidan97 connects on the 29-yard field goal! That's Zeidan's 16th made field goal of the season, tying a single-season school record 👏 4Q | 14:57 Mercer 31, Samford 14 #ATTACK https://t.co/h77qW9oFfC
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 18, 2026

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Junior JP Pickles accounted for 194 offensive yards on Saturday, including an 86-yard, 3-touchdown performance on the ground (17 carries). He also threw for 108 yards on 16-for-22 passing.
+ Freshman Devon Caldwell walked away with his third 100-plus yard rushing performance of the season, this time amassing 134 yards on 13 carries. He also caught two passes for nine yards. Caldwell tallied four carries of 10 or more yards, including a 43-yard gainer in the second quarter.
+ 5^th Year Travion Solomon led the receiving corp with five catches for 37 yards. Senior Brayden Smith and 5^th Year Zahmari Palode-Gary both turned in a trio of catches.
+ Freshman Ronin Dangler posted six tackles to lead the way for the Bears on defense, but Mercer also logged a pair of interceptions, including a 32-yard pick-six from Jyarius Carter in the first quarter. Senior Cameron Goggins recorded his team-leading fifth interception of the campaign as well.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer evened up the 119-year-old series with Samford, 16-16-1, but recorded just its third road win against the Bulldogs on Saturday evening. The Orange & Black won its first road game in the series on Oct. 12, 1912, but did not find success in Birmingham again until a 30-24 triumph in 2018. Mercer dropped a 44-20 road game to the Bulldogs in 2020, a 50-44 setback in double overtime in 2022 and a 55-35 setback to Pete Hanna Stadium in 2024.
+ JP Pickles became the seventh different player in program history to register three rushing touchdowns in a game, and the first since CJ Miller ran for three scores in last year's win at Western Carolina. Pickles is the second Mercer quarterback to accomplish the feat, joining Carter Peevy who ran for three touchdowns against Samford in 2023.
+ Simon Zeidan matched a school record with his 16^th field goal of the season early in the fourth quarter. He is now one of three kickers atop that listing, joining Cole Fisher (2016) and Reice Griffith (2024) on the chart. He ranks third among those kickers with 19 attempts so far this year.

UP NEXT

Mercer will hit the brakes for a much-needed bye week next Saturday (October 24), but will be back in action again on October 31 when it welcomes The Citadel to Five Star Stadium to culminate Homecoming Week on campus. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

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