Game #8 - Mercer Bears

The Mercer Bears are next to travel up the mountain to face the Catamounts for Western Carolina's Homecoming Celebration, as the Cats are in the midst of a 7 game losing streak to the Bears. 

Mercer finished the 2022 season tied for third place with the Chattanooga Mocs, finishing with a 7-4 overall record, and was picked to finish the 2023 season in third place, in preseason voting by the SoCon coaches and media,  they come into the game with a 5-3 overall and 3-2 conference record.  

Game #8   Mercer Bears

When: Saturday, October 28, 2022

Time:  2:30 pm
Where: Bob Water Field, Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
   -Play-by-Play:  Gary Ayers • Daniel Hooker • Producer: Jeff Bryson

TV/video:  ESPN+

   -Play-by-Play:  Kyle Rush (play-by-play) • Phil Cox (analyst) 

Live Stats:  WCU Live Stats

Game Notes:       Western Carolina    •      Mercer      •     SoCon Weekly Notes

Fan Message Board:  MU Bear Down

The Series: In only the 10th meeting between the two teams, the Cats own a 2-7 overall record against the Bears, having dropped the last seven (7) games played in the series. The Cats are 1-3 against the Bears in games played in Cullowhee.  

Last Season's Game vs. Mercer (October. 8, 2022) - Catamount Football Falls on the Road at No. 12 Mercer- Macon, Ga. – No. 12 Mercer used a balanced offensive attack and created five Catamount turnovers in upending upset-minded Western Carolina 49-6 in Southern Conference action Saturday afternoon at Five Star Stadium. The Bears scored six first-half touchdowns to build a 42-point halftime edge while WCU only managed a pair of 43-yard Richard McCollum field goals in the road defeat 

Last Season's Record (2022 Mercer): 7-4 overall, 4-1 home, 3-3 away, 5-3 SoCon

This season's Record (2023 Mercer): 5-3 overall, 3-1 home, 1-2 away, 1-0 neutral, 3-2 SoCon

Head Coach: Drew Cronic was named the 20th head football coach in Mercer University history on December 10, 2019. He spent the previous two seasons as the head coach at Division II Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C. A native of Sharpsburg, Ga., Cronic is considered one of the more innovative offensive minds across all levels of college football.

Cronic's Collegiate Record: 71-22 (8th season) 

Cronic's Mercer Record:  24-16 (4th season)  

Kerwin Bell's record vs. Mercer:  0 - 2

Drew Cronic's record vs. WCU:  3 - 0

The Bears finished 7-4 overall last year, and 5-3 in the SoCon. Their last loss came in the regular-season finale, losing 50-44 in double overtime at eventual quarterfinalist Samford. Mercer entered the season ranked 17th by Athlon Sports and 19th by HERO Sports. The Bears put 12 players on the preseason All-SoCon squads, second only to Furman. Mercer returns a SoCon-best nine all-conference players from a season ago, including a quartet of first-team selections.  

Mercer Offensive Formation:  Multiple (Spread Wing)

Replacing Fred Payton at quarterback was a difficult task,  but Mercer had four quarterbacks on their roster to choose from, Carter Peevy a fourth-year sophomore who played in only one game last year and eight games in 202 got the nod. He started multiple games in the 2020-21 season and threw for 1,318 yards, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions. 

Defensive Formation:  Multiple

Mercer brings back 10 starters on the defensive side of the ball, having only bid adieu to cornerback Michael Campbell after last season. Offensively, the Orange & Black will feature nine returning starters, including preseason all-American wide receivers Devron Harper and Ty James.

Last season, the Bears overpowered the Catamounts by 43 points in Macon, making for the worst outing of the season for the Catamounts. Hopefully, the Cats extract an overdue win over the Bears in Cullowhee. Mercer is 18-23 (.439) over the last decade in games played against conference teams away from Macon, including a 16-21 mark against SoCon opponents. The Bears are 6-4 over the last two seasons against league opponents on the road, including a 3-1 mark during the 2021 campaign. The Bears have dropped three of their last five road games (1-1 in the last two) against league foes dating back to last season heading into their road tilt at Western Carolina. 

 Wide receivers Devron Harper and Ty James are on the watch list for the Walter Payton Award which is given annually to the national offensive player of the year in NCAA Division I FCS college football. The Bears were one of just four squads nationwide to have multiple representatives included in the announcement. Harper was a finalist for the Payton Award last season, finishing 14th in the final vote tally.  A league-best nine All-Southern Conference players are among the returners for the Bears this season. First-team selections John Thomas (OL) and Isaac Dowling (LB) are also added, as Mercer also returned a SoCon-best four 1st team all-conference honorees as well.                    

Mercer is 7-22 over the last decade against nationally ranked opponents, including a 7-18 mark against ranked FCS opponents. Four of the Bears’ seven wins against Top 25 FCS foes have come away from Macon (4-10 record), while Mercer has posted a trio of wins against Top 10-ranked FCS opponents (3-6 vs. Top 10). The Bears are 5th in scoring in the SoCon averaging 23.6 points per game (ppg) and third in scoring defense, giving up just 23.5 ppg.  The Bears are 5th in rushing yardage with 132.8 ypg and second in rushing defense, giving up 114.4 ypg. Mercer is 4th in passing yardage and 3rd in passing defense.  

2023 Mercer Statistics (8 games):

Rushing Offense:1060 yards
Yards per game: 132.5
Yards per rush: 3.4 yards
Rushing 1st downs: 57
TDs rushing: 12
Passing Offense: 1595 yards or 199.4 yards per game
Avg. per pass: 8.4 yards
Passing 1st downs: 67
Passing: Att-Comp-Int: 190-127-2

TDs Passing: 8
Total Offense: 2655 yards or 332 yards per game
Fumbles-Lost: 15-10
3d Down Conversions: 38 of 106 (35.8%)
4th Down Conversions: 6 of 13 (46%)
Field goal attempts: 7 of 9
On-side kicks: 0-0
Red Zone Scores: 19 of 25
Red Zone Touchdowns: 12 of 25 

PAT:  22 of 22

Touchdowns scored:  20