The No. 11 Bears finished week five of the season undefeated after winning 22-3 against the No. 23 Wofford Terriers. At 5-0 overall and 3-0 against Southern Conference opponents, this is their best start to a season in school history.
Mercer tallied 130 rushing and 157 receiving yards in the game while its offense operated without starting quarterback DJ Smith ‘26 for about three quarters. Hess Horne ‘26, who, before being called into action against Wofford, had attempted just nine passes this season, threw for 100 yards and went 10-for-17 with one interception.
Wofford scored first after sacking Smith on the first play from scrimmage for a loss of 8 yards and recovering Smith’s fumble at Mercer’s 17-yard line. Wofford’s offense was stymied by Mercer’s defense, however, and was forced to settle for a 28-yard field goal, putting them up 3-0.
On the ensuing drive, Smith led the team down the field on a 52-yard drive before being intercepted in the endzone on a third-and-five play. Once again, the Bears’ defense came up big and forced a three-and-out after the Terriers gained just one yard in three plays.
During the next possession, the Bears made positive gains despite a second sack on Smith and some incomplete passes. Reice Griffith ‘27 kicked a 22-yard field goal to tie the game, 3-3.
The Bears would score again late in the second quarter with Griffith kicking another field goal from 36 yards out, giving the Bears the lead going into halftime, 6-3.
After trading punts to start off the second half, Mercer’s punter, John McConnell ‘26, placed his punt at the Wofford 7-yard line, where it was fair caught. From there, the Bears defense went to work, allowing just one play for positive yardage, forcing Wofford to punt from its own end zone. Kaleb Hutchinson ‘27 blocked the punt for a safety and recorded the special teams unit’s first two points of the season.
Early in the fourth quarter, Juwan Johnson ‘26 extended the Bears’ lead with his third career interception, which he ran back 40 yards for his first career touchdown. Two plays later, Dainsus Miller ‘26 recorded his second interception of the game. His first, which was prompted by a quarterback hurry from Brayden Manley ‘27, occurred in the Wofford endzone, saving a potential touchdown pass that would have put the Terriers ahead going into the final quarter of the game.
On a fourth-and-seven play from Wofford, Chris Joines ‘25 intercepted his first pass of the season, icing the game for the Bears and giving the defense its fourth turnover of the game.
The Bears next game will be on Oct. 12 to take on Princeton at Five Star Stadium after a bye week. This will be the first meeting between the two schools, with the Ivy League team owning a 1-1 record so far this season.
