SATURDAY’S STAR
Mercer return specialist Stephen Houzah was his team’s only “offensive” threat. His back-to-back kickoff returns of 73 and 91 yards set up each of the Bears’ touchdowns.
SATURDAY’S STAT
Mercer had more kickoff return yards, 177, than total offensive yards, 149. Bonus stat: UTC more than doubled the Bears in total offense with 309 yards.
TURNING POINT
Houzah’s second kickoff return came seconds after the Mocs had taken a 9-7 lead with just more than two minutes to play and, considering how bottled up the Mercer offense had been to that point, the game appeared to be in UTC’s hands.
THE BIG PLAYS
A strange sequence of events cost the Mocs seven points in the second quarter. Nose guard Derek Mahaffey intercepted a screen pass and returned it 61 yards for an apparent touchdown. However, he was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty before he crossed the goal line, so the touchdown was nullified. The Mocs were also called for a second 15-yarder for a player leaving the sideline to celebrate. The drive ended with a missed field goal.
WHAT IT MEANS
Because the playoffs were basically out of reach anyway, the game’s main significance is a bad loss that will sting for a while.
HOW THEY SCORED
THIRD QUARTER
UTC – Victor Ulmo 38-yard field goal, 11:37
Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 1:32
Key play: A blocked punt by the Mocs’ Cody Swabek set the offense up at the Mercer 20, though three plays failed to gain anything, leading to the kick.
UTC 3, MERCER 0
FOURTH QUARTER
UTC – Ulmo 28-yard field goal, 12:50
Drive: 12 plays, 48 yards, 6:15
Key play: A 19-yard pass from Nick Tiano to Bryce Nunnelly on third down moved the ball to the Mercer 20, setting up the scoring opportunity.
UTC 6, MERCER 0
MER – Stephen Ellington 19-yard pass from Harrison Frost, 12:32
Drive: 1 play, 19 yards, 0:05
Key play: Stephen Houzah’s 73-yard kickoff return set up the quick strike to a wide-open Ellington, who had to dive for the catch.
MERCER 7, UTC 6
UTC – Ulmo 19-yard field goal, 2:27
Drive: 9 plays, 78 yards, 5:09
Key play: Pick a penalty. Mercer was hit with three 15-yard personal fouls on the drive, including one on head coach Bobby Lamb that moved the ball to the 11.
UTC 9, MERCER 7
MER – Tyray Devezin 1-yard run, 1:50
Drive: 3 plays, 1 yard, 0:23
Key play: This time, Houzah returned a kickoff 91 yards before being dragged down at the 1, taking the kick up the middle and quickly to the right sideline, where the UTC defenders had been walled off.
MERCER 13, UTC 9