Editor’s note: This story was updated on Oct. 9, 2026, to reflect changes due to inclement weather.

Mercer enters the week playing its best football of the season after back-to-back road wins over Abilene Christian and VMI. The Bears will next take on the Western Carolina Catamounts at 3 p.m. Oct. 10 at Five Star Stadium in Macon. Here are three things to know before you go.

The Bears lead the series with the Catamounts

Mercer and Western Carolina football players face each other at the line of scrimmage.
Mercer and Western Carolina face off in 2022 at Five Star Stadium. Photo by Christopher Ian Smith

No. 18 Mercer leads the all-time series with Western Carolina and will ride a 10-game series win streak into this matchup. The Bears dropped the initial meeting in the series in Macon back in 2014 but have won five-straight games against the Catamounts in Macon, including a 44-34 result in 2024. But don’t count out the Catamounts. Western Carolina remains one of the Southern Conference’s most explosive offensive teams, averaging 34.5 points and 439.5 yards per game.

Ford Football Concert Series moves indoors

A cheerleader in an orange uniform and a woman in a white cap and t-shirt pose with their hands raised in front of a banner.
A Mercer cheerleader and fan give the claw before the Bears face East Texas A&M on Aug. 29, 2026, in Macon. Photo by Jessica Gratigny

Pre-game festivities on Black Field have been canceled due to a forecast of inclement weather. The free Ford Football Concert Series, featuring student band Mothafunka, will be held at 1 p.m. on the intramural courts in the University Center. The original headliner, Penelope Road, will now perform before the Nov. 21 football home game against East Tennessee State. Mercer’s traditional Bear Walk is still scheduled to take place at 12:45 p.m. Gates to Five Star Stadium open at 2 p.m.

It’s Family Weekend

Two women and two young girls in Mercer University apparel posing together outdoors at an event.
A Mercer family takes a break from tailgating to pose for a picture during Family Weekend in 2023. Photo by Christopher Ian Smith

Mercer students will have their families on campus for Family Weekend, which consists of three fun-filled days of events that include tailgating, which has moved inside, and the football game. Students and their families may register for Family Weekend here. Don’t have a Mercer student? Get football tickets for your own family online and use promo code 4FAMILY to get $10 off each seat when you purchase four or more.

Mercer vs. Western Carolina

When: 3 p.m. Oct. 10
Where: Five Star Stadium
Tickets: $20-$45, buy online at mercerbears.tixr.com
TV: ESPN+
Radio: Mercer Sports Network — 100.9 The Creek FM or sportsmic.com

Todd Anderson, assistant athletic director for media relations, contributed to this report.

 

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Jennifer Falk
Jennifer Falk
Jennifer Falk is director of digital communications at Mercer. She edits and writes feature stories for The Den and examines web data and analytics to drive content decisions. She also creates and supervises the creation of content for primary University web pages and e-newsletters.

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