Simon Zeidan made a 42-yard field goal as time expired to give the Mercer Bears a 17–14 victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts on Oct. 10. The finish at Five Star Stadium in Macon moved Mercer to 5–2 overall and 2–1 in the Southern Conference. Western Carolina dropped to 3–4 overall and 1–2 in the league after tying the game late in the fourth quarter.
Mercer trailed 7–0 at halftime before scoring 14 consecutive points after the break. JP Pickles found Brayden Smith for an 18-yard touchdown to tie the game late in the third quarter. Pickles later connected with Zahmari Palode-Gary for a 63-yard touchdown, finishing a four-play, 99-yard drive that put the Bears ahead 14–7.
Western Carolina answered with a 16-play, 75-yard drive that ended in an unusual touchdown. Wide receiver Jai Boyd threw a 5-yard scoring pass to quarterback Lex Thomas, and the extra point made it 14–14. That left Mercer needing a final response after the visitors had used a long possession to erase the Bears’ lead.
The Bears started their final drive at their own 26-yard line with 1:21 remaining. They advanced 50 yards in eight plays to create Zeidan’s winning opportunity. The successful kick completed a finish in which Mercer responded immediately after losing the advantage it had built during the second half.
Pickles completed 12 of 15 passes for 132 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 71 rushing yards. Mercer finished with 231 rushing yards and held Western Carolina to 73 on the ground. Ronin Dangler and Jyarius Carter each recorded nine tackles, helping the Bears keep the visitors to 293 total yards.
The victory was Mercer’s 11th consecutive win in the series with Western Carolina. The Bears next visit the Samford Bulldogs on Saturday, Oct. 17, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. ET in Birmingham, Alabama. That trip gives Mercer another conference test after a home result built on second-half recovery and late-game execution.
GSB Take
Mercer earned this result by staying effective after a scoreless first half and responding when Western Carolina tied the game. The rushing advantage and controlled final drive made Zeidan’s opportunity possible. Maintaining that combination of patience and execution would serve the Bears well as they continue conference play on the road.