Macon, Georgia – On Saturday, Mercer University emerged victorious against East Tennessee State, clinching a 37-31 win with several pivotal plays. Brayden Manley contributed significantly to the team’s defense by recovering a fumble in the end zone. In addition, Marques Thomas made a notable impact on the game by returning an interception for a 25-yard touchdown, while Mic Wasson capitalized on a blocked punt, scoring a touchdown after a 20-yard return. These performances helped Mercer take a commanding lead of 31-14 late in the third quarter, bolstered by three field goals from Reice Griffith and a 34-yard touchdown connection between Whitt Newbauer and Kelin Parsons.
The Buccaneers fought back with Gino English throwing touchdown passes of 18 and 9 yards to AJ Johnson, narrowing the gap to 34-28 with just under six minutes left in the game. Mercer managed to maintain control of the clock with a lengthy drive that lasted 4 minutes and 18 seconds, culminating in a 31-yard field goal from Griffith, which pushed the score to 37-28.
In the final moments, ETSU attempted to close the gap further by executing two passes to cover 47 yards, leading them to opt for a quick 44-yard field goal by Ewan Johnson with only 45 seconds left. The Buccaneers attempted an onside kick to regain possession, but the first attempt was called back due to offsides. The second kick was also ruled dead when the kicker touched the ball before it traveled the required 10 yards. This mishap handed the ball back to Mercer, allowing them to run out the clock and secure their homecoming victory.
In terms of individual performance, Dwayne McGee stood out for Mercer, rushing for 124 yards. Meanwhile, Jaylen King and Gino English combined their efforts and completed 25 of 44 passes for a total of 459 yards, which included three touchdowns but also three interceptions. The Buccaneers struggled with their rushing game, totaling just 13 yards, but saw career-best performances from receivers Johnson, Floyd, and Meggett, who recorded 162, 112, and 108 yards respectively.