Mercer football will be looking for redemption on Saturday after suffering its first loss of the season last week. The No. 14-ranked Mercer Bears will face the Southern Conference’s No. 24-ranked Western Carolina Catamounts at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Five Star Stadium. Here are three things to know before you go.
Bears look to resume winning streak
The Bears slid out of the top 10 after falling to the unranked Samford Bulldogs 55-35 in Birmingham, Alabama, on Oct. 19. Mercer went into the game against its SoCon rival as No. 7 in both the American Football Coaches Association Football Championship Series Coaches Poll and the Stats Perform Top 25. Following the loss, the Bears dropped to No. 14 in the Stats Perform ranking and No. 17 in the coaches poll.
But the Bears are looking forward not backward.
“We will be ready to go this week,” Mercer football head coach Mike Jacobs said. “We need this stadium packed — the community, the faculty/staff, families and students. We need everyone here.”
Nate Smith to headline Ford Football Concert Series
The Mercer football game day experience starts when gates open at 10 a.m. on Black Field. At 11 a.m., the Fall Line Beer Garden opens, followed by Dr Pepper Fansville and inflatables at noon. Also at noon, the Ford Football Concert Series kicks off with country breakout artist Maddox Batson. The 14-year-old’s debut single, “Tears in the River,” went viral last year on TikTok, according to People. He also has a writing credit on the song “Tough,” performed by Lana Del Rey and Quavo.
Music will break at 1 p.m. for the Bear Walk as the Bears — led by Toby and Tot, the Mercer University Marching Band and cheerleaders — make their way toward Five Star Stadium. This is a great time to high five your favorite player! The concert resumes at 1:15 p.m. with country music’s Nate Smith. Smith, who was signed to Sony Music Nashville after a viral hit on TikTok, describes his music as “a mix of gritty backwoods soul, rock ‘n’ roll swagger and velvet-thunder vocals.” He has been named Billboard‘s 2024 Country Power Players Rookie of the Year and had several charting singles, including “Bulletproof,” “World on Fire” and “Whiskey on You.”
Free and discounted tickets available
Mercer faculty and staff may claim up to six free football and meal tickets as part of Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day. Tickets will be available at the Faculty and Staff Appreciation tent on Black Field starting at noon. The meal will be catered by Satterfield’s BBQ.
Also, it’s Education Day at Mercer, which means Middle Georgia area students and faculty members can access complimentary tickets to the football game by visiting at mercerbears.com/educationday. Finally, a limited number of reserved seat tickets may be purchased by anyone for $10 by visiting mercerbears.com/discount.
Mercer vs. Western Carolina
When: 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26
Where: Five Star Stadium
Tickets: $10-$25, buy online at mercerbears.tixr.com
On TV: ESPN+
On Radio: Mercer Sports Network — 100.9 The Creek FM or sportsmic.com
Feature photo: Fans tailgate before the Mercer-Princeton football game on Oct. 12, 2024, at Five Star Stadium in Macon. Photo by Christopher Ian Smith
