Simon Zeidan absolutely nailed a 42-yard field goal as time expired Saturday, pushing No. 20 Mercer to a nail-biting 17-14 victory over Western Carolina in Macon, Ga. This wasn’t the offensive fireworks show we usually see from these two, but man, it was pure drama right down to the wire.
When the Rain Turns Rivals Into Mud Wrestlers
Forget everything you thought you knew about this series! If you looked at the box score, you’d think it was a typo. These two teams have been putting up video game numbers lately, combining for 83 points in 2023, 78 in 2024, and a ridiculous 96 points in 2025 when Mercer won 49-47. But on Saturday? Hurricane Isaias decided to crash the party, dumping over two inches of rain on Macon-Bibb County, turning the field into a soggy mess. It was a grind, with both high-powered offenses struggling to find their rhythm, and it definitely tested Mercer’s mettle, proving they can win ugly when they have to. They are 5-2 overall, 2-1 in the Southern Conference, and they earned this win.
Fourth Quarter Chaos and Pickles’ Drive
The fourth quarter was a wild ride, tied at 7, and then the scoring started popping. JP Pickles, who was slinging it for 132 yards and chewing up 71 yards on the ground, hit Zahmari Palode-Gary on a short pass over the middle, and Palode-Gary just took off, untouched, for a stunning 55-yard go-ahead score. Just when you thought Mercer had it, Western Carolina hit back! Wide receiver Jai Boyd got tricky, launching a 5-yard touchdown pass to quarterback Lex Thomas on a double-reverse play, tying it up at 14 with only a minute and a half left. Thomas had a solid day himself, throwing for one touchdown and racking up 215 passing yards, plus catching that wild score. Devon Caldwell also churned out 71 rushing yards for the Bears, making every yard count.
But that minute and a half was all Pickles needed. He marched the Bears 46 yards down the field, setting up Zeidan for the moment of truth. And dude delivered. That 42-yard boot sailed through the uprights on the very last play, sealing the 17-14 win and sending the Mercer faithful into a frenzy. What a finish!
Mercer is now headed to Samford next Saturday, looking to keep this momentum rolling. Western Carolina will host Chattanooga on Oct. 24, needing to shake off this tough loss. You can bet both teams will be fired up after that kind of battle!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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