Highlights
YOUTUBEWin probability
EVERY PLAY · ESPN MODELKICKOFF: MER 59% · BIGGEST SINGLE-PLAY SWING: 16 PTS
Scoring plays
10 SCORES
Samuel Albee 64 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)
0-7
Antonio Butts Jr. 1 Yd Run (Reice Griffith Kick)
0-14
Javarius George 3 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)
0-21
Brayden Smith 7 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)
0-28
Preston Bird 63 Yd pass from Brady Stober (Colton Pace Kick)
7-28
Brayden Smith 38 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)
7-35
Ty Doughty 66 Yd pass from Braden Atkinson (Reice Griffith Kick)
7-42
Cam Bland 13 Yd Run (Colton Pace Kick)
14-42
Sam Pickett III 77 Yd pass from Brady Stober (Colton Pace Kick)
21-42
Reice Griffith 34 Yd Field Goal
21-45
What happened
ESPN RECAPFreshman Atkinson throws 5 TD passes in Mercer's 45-21 win over Samford
MACON, Ga. -- , Braden Atkinson had his best day in his young career, throwing for career highs of 365 yards and five touchdowns in a 45-21 win over Samford on Saturday. Atkinson, a freshman, has thrown for over 300 yards in three of his four starts for the Bears (4-1, 4-0 Southern Conference). He was 22 of 35 against the winless Bulldogs (0-5, 0-3) including a 64-yard play to Samuel Albee to open the scoring and a 66-yard connection to Ty Doughty for his final TD. In between, he threw a pair of scoring passes to Brayden Smith and another to Javarius George . Doughty rushed for 105 yards on 19 carries and led the Bears with 77 yards receiving. Antonio Butts Jr . had a 1-yard TD rush. Brady Stober was 14 of 22 for 234 yards passing, two touchdowns and an interception for the Bulldogs. Sam Pickett III had one of those scores on a 77-yard play and Preston Bird the other on a 63-yarder.
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Team stats
SAM · MERFIVE STAR STADIUM, MACON · ATTENDANCE 9,461
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