Macon, Ga. — Myles Redding made a crucial play in the first quarter by returning an interception 25 yards for a touchdown, leading No. 7 seed Mercer to a 17-10 victory over No. 10 Rhode Island on Saturday. With this win, Mercer advances to the FCS semifinals for the first time in its history and will face No. 2 North Dakota State, which triumphed over No. 15 Abilene Christian with a score of 51-31.
Redding’s interception came with just under four minutes remaining in the first quarter. He intercepted a pass intended for Hunter Helms, marking his seventh interception of the season and tying him with teammate TJ Moore for the national lead. Rhode Island managed to score before halftime with a 17-yard field goal from Ty Groff, then took a brief lead late in the third quarter when Helms connected with Marquis Buchanan for a 56-yard touchdown, bringing the score to 10-7.
In the final quarter, senior Dwayne McGee played a pivotal role by establishing two scoring opportunities for Mercer. He dodged defenders on the right side for a significant 33-yard gain, placing the Bears in a prime position with a first-and-goal at the Rhode Island 10-yard line. On the next critical play, Newbauer successfully found Adjatay Dabbs for a 4-yard touchdown, putting Mercer ahead. The Bears then thwarted Rhode Island with two consecutive punts, and McGee took charge again by running 40 yards on the first play after taking possession, reaching the Rhode Island 25-yard line. This set the stage for a 24-yard field goal by Reice Griffith, sealing the game’s final score.
McGee’s performance was impressive, as he rushed for 114 yards on 21 carries, while CJ Miller contributed 81 yards on 10 carries for Mercer (11-2), who continued their undefeated streak at home with seven victories. Helms completed 22 of 33 passes for 266 yards for Rhode Island (11-3), and wide receiver Buchanan was a standout with 11 catches for 119 yards. However, the Rams struggled significantly on the ground, managing only 46 yards from 26 carries, which hindered their overall offensive effectiveness.
