Mercer's Defense Comes Up Big In 31-2 Win At Bethune-Cookman

Saturday, September 7

Daytona Beach, Fla.

3 p.m.

Mercer University

2-0 , 0-0

Bethune-Cookman

0-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Mercer

Bethune-Cookman

Mercer's Defense Comes Up Big In 31-2 Win At Bethune-Cookman

9/7/2024 6:41:00 PM | Football

Box Score

By: Todd Anderson, anderson_t02@mercer.edu

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Visiting Mercer used a 21-point second quarter to emerge from an early slump and limited Bethune-Cookman to just 156 yards of total offense on the afternoon to key a 31-2 victory over the Wildcats on Saturday afternoon at Daytona Stadium.

The Bears (2-0) tacked up more than 460 yards of total offense on the afternoon and limited Bethune-Cookman (0-2) to just 29 yards on the ground on the way to improving to 8-4 in FCS road openers since football returned to campus in 2013. Ten of Bethune-Cookman's drives on Saturday spanned five plays or less, including seven 3-and-outs. MU's stop unit limited the hosts to just 70 yards of total offense in the first half.

THE BASICS

SCORE: Mercer 31, Bethune-Cookman 2
RECORDS: Mercer (2-0, 0-0 SoCon); Bethune-Cookman (0-2, 0-0 SWAC)
LOCATION: Daytona Beach, Fla. (Daytona Stadium)

HOW IT HAPPENED

1ST QUARTER

No scoring.

FUMBLE‼️@BraydenManley5 falls on the loose ball and the Bears get a big takeaway in the red zone! 😤 pic.twitter.com/wr9enHvotI
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 7, 2024

2ND QUARTER

Mercer finally scratched the scoreboard with their initial possession of the second period when DJ Smith culminated an 8-play, 85-yard scoring drive with a 50-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Smith. Dwayne McGee keyed the methodical drive as well with three rushes for 17 yards. MU 7, BCU 0

The Bears pushed their advantage out to a pair of scores with an impressive drive right before the half. Mercer opened up the 6-play, 55-yard touchdown drive with four-straight running plays that chewed up 41 yards, before Parker Wroble hauled in a short first-down pass from DJ Smith and covered the remaining 14 yards. MU 14, BCU 0

It turned out that the Orange & Black was not done scoring in the opening stanza, however, as a TJ Moore interception on the ensuing play from scrimmage set the visitors up with short field at the 35-yard line. DJ Smith took care of the rest, finding a wide-open Kelin Parsons on the following play on a 35-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field. MU 21, BCU 0

TOUCHDOWN BEARS‼️

The offense wastes no time cashing in off the takeaway as on the next play @IAmPr1metime0 connects with @ParsonsKelin for the 35-yd @TruistNews TD! 💰

Q2 | 0:57
Mercer 21, Bethune-Cookman 0 pic.twitter.com/zOrAO747f9
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 7, 2024

3RD QUARTER

Despite being in the shadows of its own end zone, Mercer continued to pad its advantage with an 11-play, 94-yard scoring drive that milked nearly six minutes off of the game clock. DJ Smith went 4-for-4 for 53 yards to key the possession, but Dwayne McGee ultimately capped the run-heavy drive with a 1-yard plunge up the middle. MU 28, BCU 0

A solid punt from BCU's Anthony Frederique pinned the visitors inside their own 10-yard line and allowed the Wildcats to get on the board, albeit unconventionally. An untimely holding call and a pair of sacks, including one in the middle of the end zone, allowed Bethune-Cookman to throw a safety up on the board. MU 28, BCU 2

Read the screen all the way and delivered the hit too 😤 @MarquesThomas10 pic.twitter.com/kbIFjOH0zq
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 7, 2024

4TH QUARTER

Mercer's stop unit tacked up its seventh 3-and-out of the afternoon to set up the offense for the final points of the day. The Bears racked up 42 rushing yards on the 44-yard drive, and moved inside the Bethune-Cookman 10-yard line before ultimately settling for a 28-yard field goal off of the foot of Reice Griffith. MU 31, BCU 2

.@ReiceKicks with the 28-yd @Ford Field Goal!

Q4 | 4:35
Mercer 31, Bethune-Cookman 2 pic.twitter.com/Px93kmmbLB
— Mercer Football (@MercerFootball) September 7, 2024

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

+ Reigning Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week DJ Smith completed 77.3 percent (17-of-22) of his passes for 237 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding 34 rushing yards on nine attempts.
+ Newcomer Dwayne McGee paced the rushing attack with 74 yards on 20 carries, while also adding a third-quarter touchdown. The Lenoir-Rhyne transfer also added a pair of catches for 14 yards.
+ Fellow Lenoir-Rhyne transfer Kelin Parsons caught three passes for a team-best 63 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown catch in the third period.
+ Senior Isaac Dowling turned in a team-best six tackles on the afternoon, including two stops behind the line. Senior TJ Moore tallied his fifth career interception, while Brayden Manley and Donovan Watkins both registered fumble recoveries.

NOTABLES

+ Mercer racked up 465 yards of total offense against the Wildcats, including 221 rushing yards.The Bears amassed 298 yarda of total offense in the second and third quarters alone.
+ On the flip side, Bethune-Cookman mustered just 156 yards of offense on the afternoon, and were limited to just 29 rushing yards (26 attempts). The hosts had just 70 yards of offense at the halftime break.
+ The Bears snapped a four-game skid in road openers with Saturday's triumph, while also improving to 8-4 in FCS road openers.

UP NEXT

The Bears will open Southern Conference play on September 14 when they pack up their show and head to southeastern Tennessee to take on preseason league favorite Chattanooga (0-1, 0-0 SoCon) in a 6 p.m. contest at UTC's Finley Stadium.

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SUPPORT THE BEARS

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