Strong Second Half Not Enough to Complete Comeback

Saturday, February 27

Macon, Ga.

3:30 p.m.

The Citadel

0-5 , 0-1

Mercer

1-4 , 1-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
The Citadel	0	0	13	15	28
Mercer	14	14	0	14	42

Strong Second Half Not Enough to Complete Comeback

2/27/2021 8:52:00 PM | Football

Box Score Box Score (.pdf)

MACON, Ga. – The Citadel scored 28 points in the second half, but it was not enough to overcome a halftime deficit in falling, 42-28, to Mercer Saturday afternoon in the Southern Conference opener in Macon, Georgia.

Game Information
Score: Mercer 42, The Citadel 28
Records: The Citadel (0-5, 0-1), Mercer (1-4, 1-1)
Location: Five Star Stadium (Macon, Georgia)
Series: The Citadel leads 11-6-1

How It Happened

Mercer wasted little time in getting on the board as Carter Peevy hit Drake Starks for a 75-yard touchdown pass on the first play of scrimmage.
The Bears extended the lead to 14-0 after scooping up a Bulldog fumble and returning it 27 yards for a touchdown.
MU would add a 38-yard touchdown run and an eight-yard TD pass to take a 28-0 lead into the locker room.
The Bulldogs came out hitting on all cylinders in the second half as they took the opening drive 73 on 12 plays. Jaylan Adams capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown pass to Raleigh Webb.
After forcing a three-and-out, Cooper Wallace took the pitch around the right side and rumbled for a 73-yard touchdown.
The Citadel opened the fourth quarter the way it played the third, scoring on a seven-play drive that was capped by a six-yard Nkem Njoku touchdown run.
MU got its offense going on the next possession and Peevy connected with Ty James on a 33-yard touchdown pass.
The Bulldogs had yet another answer as Jaylan Adams finished off a 10-play drive with a one-yard touchdown run.
The Bears put the game away as they returned the ensuing onside kick for a touchdown.

Inside the Box Score

The Citadel scored 28 points in the second half. It is the highest-scoring second half since the Bulldogs scored 35 points in the second half against Samford on Nov. 10, 2018.
The last time the Bulldogs scored 28 points in any half was on Oct. 12, 2019 against Western Carolina. The Citadel scored 28 points in the first half.
The Citadel accumulated 413 yards of offense, with 338 yards coming on the ground.
Jaylan Adams led the ground attack with 144 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
Cooper Wallace added 128 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries.
The game marked the first time the Bulldogs had a pair of 100-yard rushers since the 2018 game against WCU.
The 73-yard rush by Cooper is the longest since Dante Smith broke off a 73-yard run against Chattanooga in 2019.
Wallace's touchdown run is the longest since Cam Jackson went for 74 yards against Newberry on Sept. 2, 2017.
Wallace added 76 yards on four kickoff returns, and five yards on one reception to finish with 209 all-purpose yards.
Raleigh Webb caught four passes for 35 yards and a touchdown.
The touchdown reception was the 17^th of his career, moving him into sole possession of second place on the school's all-time list.
Brian Horn led the defense with nine tackles and a sack.
Carson Hatchett got his first start of his career and recorded nine tackles, including a tackle-for-loss.
Willie Eubanks III added eight tackles.
The Bulldog defense held Mercer to just three yards of offense in the third quarter.

Up Next
The Bulldogs play their first home game of the spring as they welcome Chattanooga to Johnson Hagood Stadium on March. 6. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.