CHARLESTON, S.C. – Quarterback Brandon Rainey set a new school record for touchdowns accounted for as The Citadel rallied for a 35-24 Homecoming victory over Mercer Saturday afternoon at Johnson Hagood Stadium.
 
Game Information
Score: The Citadel 35, Western Carolina 24
Records: The Citadel (5-4, 3-2 SoCon), Mercer (3-5, 2-3 SoCon)
Location: Johnson Hagood Stadium (Charleston, South Carolina)
Series: CIT leads 11-5-1
 
How it Happened

• The Citadel got on the board first as the Bulldogs scored on their opening possession for the fourth-straight game. The 11-play drive included a 23-yard run from Dante Smith and a 19-yard scamper from Remus Bulmer.
• The drive ended with Brandon Rainey plunging in from four yards out.
• The Bears got on the board with a field goal with just over nine minutes to play in the second quarter and then reached the end zone with a 38-yard touchdown pass with 37 seconds remaining in the half.
• Bulmer returned the ensuing kickoff 31 yards to set the offense up at the 35. On the first play, Rainey went around the left end and cut back to the right sideline for a 45 yard gain.
• The next play resulted in a 20-yard touchdown pass from Rainey to Raleigh Webb.
• The Bulldogs got the opening kick of the second half and at up over the quarter with a 14-play drive.
• The entire drive was done on the ground with five different players getting carries. The drive started with a six-yard run from Nkem Njoku and ended with Njoku scoring his first career touchdown from two-yards out.
• The momentum of the game shifted over the next six minutes as the Bears were able to score two touchdowns to take the lead.
• Mercer used a pair of big pass plays to get down the field and then ended the drive with a five-yard touchdown pass from Kaelan Riley to Steven Peterson.
• Just 2:27 later, Lance Wise ripped the ball away from a Bulldog and returned it 41 yards for a touchdown to give the Bears a 24-21 lead.
• The Citadel was able to answer back in true Citadel fashion as the Bulldogs put together a 16-play drive that ate up 8:18 off the clock.
• The 81-yard drive was done entirely on the ground. Only one play went for more than 10 yards, a 11-yard run from Keyonte Sessions on the fourth play of the drive.
• The Citadel converted four third downs on the drive, including the nine-yard touchdown run from Remus Bulmer.
• Mercer had one last attempt to regain the lead on their next possession. They faced a fourth down deep in their own territory and were able to convert on a fake punt. The Bears were not able to take advantage as they quickly faced another fourth down.
• This time, Sean-Thomas Faulkner came clean and gave the Bulldogs the ball back with a sack.
• The offensive line helped put the game away as the Bulldogs used nine plays to cover the 35 yards.
• The Citadel converted a pair of 3^rd-and-7's with a seven-yard run from Smith and a 10-yard run from Bulmer.
• Bulmer capped the drive with a five-yard touchdown, his second rushing score of the game.
• Phil Davis put the final nail in the coffin with an interception.

 
Inside the Numbers

• Brandon Rainey ran for a touchdown and threw for another in the victory. He has now accounted for 23 touchdowns (14 rush/9 pass) this season, setting a new single-season record at The Citadel.
• He broke the old record of 22 touchdowns (13 rush/9 pass) set by Tony Passander in 1969.
• Today marked the sixth time this season Rainey has rushed for and thrown for a touchdown in the same game.
• Rainey carried 21 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. It was his second-straight 100-yard performance, and third on the season.
• Rainey also went 2-for-5 for 31 yards and a touchdown.
• As a team, the Bulldogs rushed for a season-high 378 yards. Clay Harris carried 18 times for 90 yards, and Remus Bulmer added 66 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries.
• Nkem Njoku's touchdown run in the third quarter was the first rushing touchdown of his career.
• Raleigh Webb caught both passes from Rainey, including the 20-yard touchdown. The touchdown was the eighth on the season for Webb, the most since Andre Roberts had eight TD receptions in 2009.
• The Bulldog defense held Mercer to just 61 rushing yards, including just nine rushing yards in the second half. Overall, the defense allowed just 148 yards in the second half.
• Willie Eubanks III led the way with 12 tackles and three quarterback hurries. The performance was the fourth double-digit tackle performance for the junior.
• Sean-Thomas Faulkner added six tackles, including the key sack on fourth down late in the fourth quarter.
• Freshman Hasan Black made six tackles, including one for loss, in his first career start.
• The Bulldogs were very efficient on third down as they were 14-for-17 in the game.
• The Citadel controlled the ball for 37:15. More impressively, the Bulldogs held the ball for 23:14 in the second half.

 
Up Next
The Bulldogs put their three-game win streak on the line on Nov. 2 when they travel to face ETSU. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.