Mercer Bears

8-1

YES!

Mercer Bears beat the Western Carolina Catamounts

8-1 49 – 47

6-4

Final · Sat, Nov 8

Game Details

E.J. Whitmire Stadium (Cullowhee) · 14,510 fans · ESPN+

Recap

Atkinson leads Mercer in 49-47 win over Western Carolina, which gets 7 TD passes from Dickens

Braden Atkinson threw three touchdown passes, CJ Miller ran for three scores, and Mercer defeated Western Carolina 49-47 on Saturday in a shootout to win the Southern Conference title.

Recap via ESPN

Line Score

	1	2	3	4	T
MER	7	11	21	10	49
WCU	7	14	6	20	47

Win Probability · Mercer Bears

kickoffnow: 100%

Game Leaders

Mercer Bears

Braden Atkinson · 23/39, 443 YDS, 3 TDPassing Yards
CJ Miller · 21 CAR, 91 YDS, 3 TDRushing Yards
Adjatay Dabbs · 4 REC, 147 YDS, 1 TDReceiving Yards
Jordan Swain · 1Sacks
Julian Fox · 13Tackles

Western Carolina Catamounts

Taron Dickens · 33/49, 551 YDS, 7 TD, 1 INTPassing Yards
Branson Adams · 5 CAR, 17 YDSRushing Yards
Malik Knight · 5 REC, 141 YDS, 2 TDReceiving Yards
Samaurie Dukes · 13Tackles

2026 Southern Conference Standings

Team
East Tennessee State
Tennessee Tech
Chattanooga
Wofford
Furman
Mercer
Western Carolina
Samford
The Citadel
VMI

Scoring

Q4 1:30

FG Reice Griffith 37 Yd Field Goal 49–47

Q4 3:13

TD James Tyre 42 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)46–47

Q4 6:13

TD Jai Boyd 10 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Marcus Trout Kick)46–41

Q4 13:25

TD Adjatay Dabbs 81 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)46–34

Q4 14:28

TD Malik Knight 54 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Marcus Trout Kick)39–34

Q3 0:24

TD CJ Miller 26 Yd Run (Reice Griffith Kick)39–27

Q3 2:56

TD Malik Knight 32 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)32–27

Q3 5:12

TD Kendall Harris 24 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)32–21

Q3 12:09

TD CJ Miller 5 Yd Run (Reice Griffith Kick)25–21

Q2 1:43

FG Reice Griffith 24 Yd Field Goal 18–21

Q2 5:25

TD Michael Rossin 25 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Marcus Trout Kick)15–21

Q2 10:18

TD Kendall Harris 6 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Two-Point Pass Conversion Failed)15–14

Q2 13:06

SF Team Safety 9–14

Q2 14:55

TD Patrick Boyd Jr. 21 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Marcus Trout Kick)7–14

Q1 3:31

TD CJ Miller 7 Yd Run (Reice Griffith Kick)7–7

Q1 11:40

TD Michael Rossin 27 Yd pass from Taron Dickens (Marcus Trout Kick)0–7

Team Stats

Mercer BearsWestern Carolina Catamounts

Offense

568 Total Yards 599

443 Passing Yards 551

125 Rushing Yards 48

23 First Downs 33

Efficiency

7-15 3rd Down 10-18

0-0 4th Down 0-1

23/39 Completions 33/49

Turnovers & Clock

0 Turnovers 2

8-72 Penalties 5-55

30:32 Possession 29:28

Box Score

Mercer Bears ▾

Passing

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
Braden Atkinson	23/39	443	11.4	3	0
Team	23/39	443	11.4	3	0

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
CJ Miller	21	91	4.3	3	26
Braden Atkinson	2	12	6.0	0	8
Adonis McDaniel	1	8	8.0	0	8
Tyrell Coard	3	7	2.3	0	3
Ty Doughty	3	6	2.0	0	3
JP Pickles	1	1	1.0	0	1
Team	31	125	4.0	3	26

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Adjatay Dabbs	4	147	36.8	1	81
Adonis McDaniel	5	78	15.6	0	29
Brayden Smith	3	74	24.7	0	50
Kendall Harris	6	73	12.2	2	26
CJ Miller	3	57	19.0	0	49
Samuel Albee	2	14	7.0	0	8
Team	23	443	19.3	3	81

Fumbles

Player	FUM	LOST	REC
Drew Clare	0	0	1
Team	0	0	1

Interceptions

Player	INT	YDS	TD
Kaleb Hutchinson	1	0	0
Team	1	0	0

Kick Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG
Brayden Smith	2	34	17.0	18
Tyrell Coard	1	17	17.0	17
Team	3	51	17.0	18

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Brayden Smith	2	3	1.5	7	0
Team	2	3	1.5	7	0

Kicking

Player	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Reice Griffith	2/2	100.0	37	5/5	11
Team	2/2	100.0	37	5/5	11

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	TB	In 20	LONG
John McConnell	6	278	46.3	0	3	56
Team	6	278	46.3	0	3	56

Western Carolina Catamounts ▾

Passing

Player	C/ATT	YDS	AVG	TD	INT
Taron Dickens	33/49	551	11.2	7	1
Team	33/49	551	11.2	7	1

Rushing

Player	CAR	YDS	AVG	LONG
Branson Adams	5	17	3.4	5
Patrick Boyd Jr.	12	17	1.4	8
Taron Dickens	16	9	0.6	11
Camury Reid	2	5	2.5	3
Jaylin Terzado	1	0	0.0	0
Team	36	48	1.3	11

Receiving

Player	REC	YDS	AVG	TD	LONG
Malik Knight	5	141	28.2	2	54
Patrick Boyd Jr.	7	93	13.3	1	25
James Tyre	3	78	26.0	1	42
Michael Rossin	3	65	21.7	2	27
Dominic Dutton	1	39	39.0	0	39
Camury Reid	2	28	14.0	0	24
Jaylin Terzado	2	25	12.5	0	20
Brayden Blackmon	3	23	7.7	0	17
Jai Boyd	2	21	10.5	1	11
Branson Adams	3	18	6.0	0	11
Josiah Thomas	2	17	8.5	0	11
Team	33	548	16.6	7	54

Fumbles

Player	FUM	LOST	REC
Taron Dickens	1	1	0
Team	1	1	0

Kick Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
Dominic Dutton	4	94	23.5	36	0
Team	4	94	23.5	36	0

Punt Returns

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD
James Tyre	2	4	2.0	5	0
Team	2	4	2.0	5	0

Kicking

Player	FG	PCT	LONG	XP	PTS
Marcus Trout	0/0	0.0	0	5/5	5
Team	0/0	0.0	0	5/5	5

Punting

Player	NO	YDS	AVG	TB	In 20	LONG
Stephen Brantley	4	199	49.8	0	3	59
Team	4	199	49.8	0	3	59

Roster

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Upcoming

vs Western Carolina Catamounts at Samford Bulldogs vs The Citadel Bulldogs at Chattanooga Mocs at Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles vs East Tennessee State Buccaneers

Mercer Bears

Game Details

Recap

On the Field LIVE

Line Score

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Win Probability · Mercer Bears

Game Leaders

2026 Southern Conference Standings

Scoring

Team Stats

Box Score

Roster

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