No. 21 Mercer Uses Punishing Run Game To Pummel VMI

Saturday, October 3

Lexington, Va.

1:30 p.m.

Mercer University

4-2 , 1-1

VMI

0-6 , 0-2

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Mercer	10	17	10	17	54
VMI	3	0	0	0	3

No. 21 Mercer Uses Punishing Run Game To Pummel VMI

10/3/2026 1:02:00 PM | Football

Box Score Postgame Press Conference

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

LEXINGTON, Va. – Visiting and 21^st-ranked Mercer amassed nearly 650 yards of total offense, including 391 yards on the ground, and climbed on the backs of a stalwart defense to fuel a 54-3 win over Southern Conference rival VMI on Saturday afternoon at Foster Stadium.

It was the second-straight win for the Bears (4-2, 1-1 SoCon) who also put the wraps on a 3-game road trip with the fireworks display as well. VMI (0-6, 0-2), who was limited to just 102 yards of offense (61 rushing) on Saturday, has now dropped 16-straight games.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 54, VMI 3
RECORDS: Mercer 4-2 (1-1 SoCon); VMI 0-6 (0-2 SoCon)
LOCATION: Lexington, Va. (Foster Stadium)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

The Bears got the scoring started almost from the get-go as Sam Martin Jr.'s 68-yard return on the game's opening kickoff set the visitors up at the VMI 29-yard line. Mercer lost seven yards on the ensuing possession, however, and settled for a 39-yard field goal from Simon Zeidan. MU 3, VMI 0

VMI evened the score back up a few possessions later after Terry Dorsey stepped in front of a Jaylen King pass near midfield and set the Keydets up at the Mercer 46-yard line. The Keydets chipped away on the next five plays, but ultimately got a 49-yard field goal from Jack Joyce to culminate the possession. MU 3, VMI 3

The Bears retook the lead on the ensuing possession, driving 68 yards in 10 plays, including a 3-yard scoring pass from JP Pickles to Jackson Kostmayer on 4^th-and-2 from the 3-yard line. A 3-yard run from Pickles midway through the possession converted a key 3^rddown, and a 25-yard run from the senior quarterback seconds later moved the Bears into VMI territory. MU 10, VMI 3

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️

On 4th and goal @JPPickles19 finds @jacksonkostmay3 for the touchdown! 🫡

End 1Q
Mercer 10, VMI 3#ATTACK pic.twitter.com/g8u9K1mU0y
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 3, 2026

2ND QUARTER

Mercer strung together its longest drive of the season to tack up more points on the scoreboard late in the second period. The 14-play drive was highlighted by consecutive 10+-yard pass completions from Jaylen King midway through, but the possession was capped on Simon Zeidan's 3-pointer from 36 yards out. MU 13, VMI 3

The Bears used a long gainer from Zahmari Palode-Gary to extend their lead late in the second period. Although the 64-yard scoring scamper highlighted the possession, Palode-Gary shouldered the entire load on the possession, setting up his long jaunt with runs of 3 and 18 yards on the first two plays of the drive. MU 20, VMI 3

A chess match, of sorts, gave Mercer another chance to put points on the board right before the halftime break, and the Bears delivered. The impressive 6-play, 92-yard scoring drive was jumpstarted by Jaylen King's 36-yard pass to Brayden Smith, but it was King's 40-yard touchdown strike to Kel Calixte down the far sideline on 4^th-and-11 from the VMI 40-yard line that dealt the final blow. MU 27, VMI 3

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️@Jaylenk1ng drops it in the bucket to @newerakel for a 40-yard TD! 🪣 🤩

2Q | 0:14
Mercer 27, VMI 3#ATTACK pic.twitter.com/FjBaKFp1Xb
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 3, 2026

3RD QUARTER

Mercer's defense forced a 3-and-out on the opening possession of the second half, and then let its offense continue to grind. Eric Rasheed hauled in a 23-yard pass from JP Pickles to move the visitors inside the red zone, but the 8-play, 60-yard drive ended on Simon Zeidan's third field goal of the game, this time from 28 yards away. MU 30, VMI 3

The Bears continued to add to their onslaught on their next possession, driving 45 yards on five plays, including five of the rushing variety. JP Pickles ate up a big chunk of yardage with a 27-yard sprint midway through, and then was, literally, carried five yards into the end zone on the drive's final play. MU 37, VMI 3

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️@JPPickles19 and the O-Line won't be denied 😤

3Q | 6:42
Mercer 37, VMI 3#ATTACK pic.twitter.com/szSKKCP5jq
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 3, 2026

4TH QUARTER

Newcomer Adrian Parker got in on the scoring party for the Bears early in the fourth quarter when he capped a 10-play, 82-yard touchdown drive with a 20-yard scoring strike to Kaden Hanson. Hanson actually caught two long-gainers on the scoring drive, including a 23-yard toss from Jaylen midway through that moved Mercer into VMI territory. MU 44, VMI 3

Rushing continued to be the main ingredient in the offense's recipe for success as the Bears added to their onslaught with their next possession. Micah Bell carried the ball three times for 34 yards to eat up a large chunk of the 9-play, 49-yard scoring drive, but the possession was ultimately culminated by a 23-yard field goal from Simon Zeidan. MU 47, VMI 3

Mercer continued to grind in the fourth quarter, but needed just one play to light up the scoreboard once again later in the fourth period. Freshman Karlise Price used his hot wheels to find the near sideline quickly, staved off one tackler and then raced 52 yards to the end zone. MU 54, VMI 3

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️

Freshman @KarlisePrice just scored his first career touchdown from 52-yards out! 🙌

4Q | 6:24
Mercer 54, VMI 3#ATTACK pic.twitter.com/88z0v712Qm
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) October 3, 2026

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ 5^th year Zahmari Palode-Gary ran for 130 yards and one touchdown on 10 carries to lead the Mercer rushing attack. Five players (Palode-Gary, Karlise Price, JP Pickles, Micah Bell, Billy Martin) recorded at least 34 rushing yards on Saturday, while four backs tallied at least one run of 25 yards or longer.
+ Senior Jaylen King threw for 202 yards and one touchdown on 14-of-23 passing, while also carrying the ball five times for 25 yards. Senior JP Pickles threw for 34 yards and one touchdown, while also running for 66 yards and an additional score.
+ Senior Brayden Smith caught three passes for a team-best 58 yards, while three players (Kel Calixte, Kaden Hanson, Jackson Kostmayer) logged a touchdown reception.
+ Sophomore Simon Zeidan finished the day with a perfect 10-for-10 tally on kicking attempts, including a 4-for-4 clip on field goals. His 18 points shattered former Mercer standout Devin Folser's 4-year-old school record for points by a kicker. That record had since been matched three times.
+ Sophomore Marquis Williams logged 2-1/2 tackles for loss to anchor a stubborn defensive effort for Mercer. Shareef Jackson posted a solo sack, while Ean Johnson-Kelley and Aiden Holewski combined for a sack.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer has now outscored the Keydets, 188-6, over the last four series matchups and has outgained VMI, 2,416-582. The Bears have limited VMI to 155 or fewer yards in three of those contests.
+ Jack Joyce's 49-yard field goal midway through the first quarter snapped a 2+-year scoring drought for the Keydets who had not scratched the scoreboard against Mercer since a 46-yard field goal from Caden Beck early in the third quarter of the 2023 matchup in Macon. The series scoring drought had reached nearly 157 minutes (146:48) before Joyce's triple on Saturday.
+ Mercer's 658 yards on Saturday is the fourth-highest offensive output in program history. Its 402 yards on the ground matches the second-highest rushing output in school history.

UP NEXT

Mercer will return home for the first time in nearly a month on October 10 when it welcomes Southern Conference nemesis Western Carolina (2-3, 0-1 SoCon) to Middle Georgia. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET at Five Star Stadium and tickets can be purchased by visiting MercerBears.com/Tickets.

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