Mercer football (8-1, 7-0 Southern Conference) will host their final game of the regular season Saturday as they take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (5-5, 4-2 SoCon) at Five Star Stadium.
The Bears enter the weekend coming off a hard-fought away win against Western Carolina University. With Homecoming festivities bringing alumni, students and families back to campus, Mercer looks to continue their dominant season in front of a home crowd. The Bears' offense, the highest-scoring in the SoCon, is averaging more than 50 points in their last three games and has scored less than 38 points only once when starting quarterback Braden Atkinson '29.
Chattanooga will come into Saturday having won four of their last five contests. The Mocs have shown steady improvement on both sides of the ball throughout the season and will aim to spoil Mercer’s celebration with an upset win on the road. The team’s season has been marred with injuries on offense and defense, but has looked strong under freshman quarterback Battle Alberson, who stepped in for injured starter Camden Orth in the Mocs’ last game against Furman University, a 45-28 win.
Chattanooga boasts one of the SoCon’s most efficient rushing attacks, ranking first in yards per carry and second in total yards per game. The team employs a split backfield consisting of Justus Durant and Ryan Ingram, which is bolstered by Alberson, a dual-threat passer. The first-year rushed for 85 yards and took no sacks in the game against a strong Paladins defensive line. The Bears will look to put pressure on Alberson, who will be making his second-career start, relying on their stalwart rush defense. Mercer's defense is holding opponents to less than 80 rush yards a game, best in the SoCon by far.
The rivalry between Mercer and Chattanooga dates back to 1909, when Mercer won their first meeting 10-2 in Macon, Ga. Through their last matchup in September 2024, though, the Mocs hold the advantage with an overall record of 22-12-1 against the Bears. Recent games between the two have seen low-scoring affairs: Mercer has scored 20 total points in its last two matchups with the Mocs.
“We have a lot to play for,” Head Coach Mike Jacobs said at Monday's press conference. “I’d love to see Five Star packed. It’s supposed to be 77 and sunny. We need everybody here because this isn’t just a ‘Hey, we’re finishing off the year.’ We’ve got a lot to play for still.”
Jacobs emphasized having support from fans at home, which should work to the Bears advantage.
“Our guys will be ready to roll, but we need all the support we can get to play a really talented Chattanooga team who are much better than their record right now indicates,” Jacobs said.
Mercer hopes to maintain momentum, secure home advantage in the playoffs and celebrate Homecoming with a victory. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
