Saturday, October 31
Macon, Ga. / Five Star Stadium
3:00 PM
The Citadel
at
Mercer
Photo by: Hunter Gatling / The Citadel Athletics
10/30/2026 12:43:00 PM | Football
MACON, Ga. -- The Citadel (2-6, 0-4 SoCon) hits the road for a western trek to square off against Southern Conference adversary No. 16/12 Mercer (6-2, 3-1 SoCon) on Saturday, Oct. 31, locking swords with the host Bears in a 3 p.m. kickoff at Five Star Stadium. For full coverage, tune in live via the ESPN+ or follow along via social media -- @CitadelFootball.
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-6, 0-4 SoCon) at No. 16/12 MERCER (6-2, 3-1 SoCon)
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 3 p.m.
Five Star Stadium | Macon, Ga.
Game Notes: The Citadel | Mercer | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 11-11-1, Even
Last Time: L, 0-38 (9/20/2025)
Last at Five Star Stadium: L, 21-38 (9/21/2024)
Streak: L6
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB JJ Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 12 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 17th nationwide and third in the SoCon behind a 198.1 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 85.4 yards per game average, good for 24th nationally and fourth league-wide, with six touchdowns off 141 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 313 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Seven games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their disciplined approach, ranking first nationally and first in the SoCon (naturally) with just 3.38 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 30.00 penalty yards per game.
RETURN FIRE
Since arriving on campus ahead of the 2024 campaign, Braylon Knauth has served as the team's de facto kickoff and punt returner, amassing nearly 100 total returns and innumerous fair catches and touchbacks. Now a junior and member of the famed Palmetto Battery, Knauth ranks 16th nationally and first in the SoCon for combined kick returns behind 423 total yards, averaging 21.4 yards per kickoff return (41st in FCS, third league-wide) and 7.8 yards per punt return (35th nationwide, eighth in SoCon).
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 71.0 total tackles thus far, good for 26th in the FCS and second in SoCon, with 28.0 logged as solo takedowns, slotted as 127th nationally and fifth league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 6.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.00 sacks per game en route to the No. 44 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as fifth conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.5 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (4.5 TFLs; 3.0 sacks), Savionne Rogers (3.5 TFLs; 2.5 sacks) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 22.0 of the team's 37.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:41 minutes of possession on the year, good for ninth nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just eight total giveaways -- six fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 23rd overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
DEFENDER OF THE NATION
On Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Charlotte Touchdown Club named The Citadel fifth-year Maurice Bonneau Jr. as the organization's choice for the 2026 Defender of the Nation Award, a national honor given annually to a defensive standout from one of the service academies, senior military colleges or top ROTC programs. Notably, Bonneau serves as the first representative from The Citadel to garner the acclaimed distinction.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through seven games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 18-of-20 visits (.900), good for the 18th-best conversion rate in the FCS and fourth within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 18 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 39th nationally in passing yards allowed, good for sixth in the Southern Conference, via a 195.8 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's nine takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games, while two members of the secondary proved responsible for the Bulldogs' lone defensive touchdown on the year, a program-record 78-yard scoop 'n score courtesy of JJ Fludd.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
GAMEDAY CENTRAL
THE CITADEL (2-6, 0-4 SoCon) at No. 16/12 MERCER (6-2, 3-1 SoCon)
Saturday, Oct. 31 | 3 p.m.
Five Star Stadium | Macon, Ga.
Game Notes: The Citadel | Mercer | Southern Conference
Follow Live: Live Stats | Watch | Listen | Tickets
WEEKLY SOCIAL SYNC
𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐰𝐥 🎬🍊 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/wFxuR7YlMx
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 26, 2026
HC @KoachDrayton met w/ the local CHS media to recap Saturday's clash against Tennessee Tech and preview the Bulldogs' roadtrip to Mercer over the weekend 🫡 Full presser ⤵️ 🎥: https://t.co/A2w7XRIHhW #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/8xK7gM7eRX
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 26, 2026
ICYMI: The full episode from last night's edition of Beyond the Barracks is now available on all our usual podcast channels 🎧 🎙️: https://t.co/gjSipdDRqH #FireThoseCannons
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 27, 2026
ICYMI: We sat down with Will Hall during the preseason to discuss his journey at The Citadel, including his time as a cadet, playing for the football program and managing to survive cancer 🫡 Complete feature ⤵️ 🎥: https://t.co/OD1xBpXFSY #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/LRWO5rRuCo
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 27, 2026
𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 9️⃣ 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐟𝐢𝐭 ⚪️🔵 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/JE7JUZanHk
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 28, 2026
HISTORY IN THE MAKING 🏆🇺🇸 Congratulations to our very own Maurice Bonneau Jr., who officially secured the 2026 Defender of the Nation Award courtesy of the @CTouchdownClub 🫡🪖🤩 Additional details ⤵️ 📰: https://t.co/bXbDBD7WaX #FireThoseCannons
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 28, 2026
🎥 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐠𝐮𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 👀🏆 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/RiHIHqHtIb
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 28, 2026
A couple extra top shots of the 2026 Defender of the Nation -- Maurice Bonneau Jr. 🫡🪖🇺🇸 Notably, the fifth-year defensive end serves as the first representative from The Citadel to earn the national honor 🏆🤩 More info ⤵️ 📰: https://t.co/6dpHPkj41X #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/ODyxQpezSO
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 28, 2026
🎥 We caught up with sophomore defensive back and Charleston native JJ Fludd to discuss his standout performance vs. Tennessee Tech! 🗣️⬆️ #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/xDlZahUpOH
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 28, 2026
𝐒𝐨𝐂𝐨𝐧 𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐩… ⏳🎬 #FireThoseCannons https://t.co/aTVBDpYUPt
— The Citadel Football (@CitadelFootball) October 29, 2026
SERIES INFO
Series Results: 11-11-1, Even
Last Time: L, 0-38 (9/20/2025)
Last at Five Star Stadium: L, 21-38 (9/21/2024)
Streak: L6
KEY GAME NOTES
HOMEGROWN TALENT
Highlighted by multiple offseason additions on the recruiting trail, the Bulldogs continue to showcase the strong football tradition of the greater Charleston area on the roster, including:
- LB Chase Anderson, LS Tommy DiLiegro, DL Andrew Jackson, OL Frank Schmidt, TE Whit Hobgood, LB Robert Mallard III & TE Jude Claborn, Charleston, S.C.
- RB Dorvensky Reichley, Moncks Corner, S.C.
- DB JJ Fludd, North Charleston, S.C.
- DB Ryland Mitchell, OL Andrew Tumbleston & LB Tim Miller Jr., Summerville, S.C.
- P Jack Weil & LB Jameson Bell, Mount Pleasant, S.C.
POUND THE ROCK
Fueled by seven 200-yard-plus rushing performances over the course of the past 12 games, including 2025 vs. VMI (329), vs. Wofford (201) and at ETSU (218) plus 2026 at Wofford (227), at Charlotte (268), vs. Charleston Southern (235) and at South Carolina State (235), the Bulldogs' ground game has evolved into one of the offense's most reliable weapons under third-year OC Lamar Owens. From the national perspective, The Citadel slots in as one of the top rushing attacks in the FCS, currently ranking 17th nationwide and third in the SoCon behind a 198.1 yards per game mark. Individually, Gavin Garcia paces the pack behind a 85.4 yards per game average, good for 24th nationally and fourth league-wide, with six touchdowns off 141 total carries. Quentin Hayes slots in second on the squad with 313 yards and one TD for the year, including a team-long 60-yard burst to set up the Bulldogs' first touchdown of the day at SC State.
THE SHARK HUNTER (YES, LITERALLY)
The offseason addition of RB Gavin Garcia has created additional avenues of opportunity for The Citadel offense, as the Kent State transfer brings a wealth of experience from four years of #MACtion. A multi-year contributor in the backfield for the Golden Flashes, Garcia logged 146 rushes for 647 yards and three touchdowns in 2025, good for 4.4 yards per carry. All-in-all, when the Pennsylvania product entered the portal, The Citadel proved an attractive option for more than just football -- Charleston, and even more specifically, Charleston beaches. A longtime gamesman and fisherman, Garcia has recently turned his focus to shark hunting, working the reel directly off the shore or from a chartered vessel. Unsurprisingly, he has transformed the pursuit into a burgeoning social media presence via his @gghooksnhorns handle, and currently runs his own shark fishing charters in the spare time between graduate school and football commitments.
MILITARY DISCIPLINE
In spite of the mascot, The Citadel managed to avoid the doghouse often during the 2025 season, ranking ninth FCS-wide with 4.42 penalties per game while sitting 19th nationally with just 42.42 penalty yards per game. Seven games deep into the 2026 campaign, the Bulldogs continue their disciplined approach, ranking first nationally and first in the SoCon (naturally) with just 3.38 penalties per game as well as second in the FCS and second league-wide with 30.00 penalty yards per game.
RETURN FIRE
Since arriving on campus ahead of the 2024 campaign, Braylon Knauth has served as the team's de facto kickoff and punt returner, amassing nearly 100 total returns and innumerous fair catches and touchbacks. Now a junior and member of the famed Palmetto Battery, Knauth ranks 16th nationally and first in the SoCon for combined kick returns behind 423 total yards, averaging 21.4 yards per kickoff return (41st in FCS, third league-wide) and 7.8 yards per punt return (35th nationwide, eighth in SoCon).
WORLD WAR Z
A lead-by-example centerpiece for The Citadel defense, Dartmouth transfer Zyion Brown has made his presence felt throughout the 2026 campaign, registering a team-best 71.0 total tackles thus far, good for 26th in the FCS and second in SoCon, with 28.0 logged as solo takedowns, slotted as 127th nationally and fifth league-wide. The Ohio native also serves as the team's top backfield disrupter behind 6.5 tackles-for-loss on the season.
#DISRUPTORS
As a unit, the defensive front has proven difficult for opposing offenses to properly deal with in terms of penetration, racking up 2.00 sacks per game en route to the No. 44 position on the FCS leaderboard as well as fifth conference-wide. Individually, Zyion Brown (6.5 TFLs; 4.0 sacks), Jalen Wright (4.5 TFLs; 2.0 sacks), Maurice Bonneau Jr. (4.5 TFLs; 3.0 sacks), Savionne Rogers (3.5 TFLs; 2.5 sacks) and Beau Shugarts (3.0 TFLs; 0.5 sacks) have served as the primary threats for The Citadel on the season, combing for 22.0 of the team's 37.0 TFLs thus far.
NEVER GONNA GIVE YOU UP
After dominating the time-of-possession in three of the opening four contests, The Citadel offense has managed to average a daunting 32:41 minutes of possession on the year, good for ninth nationally and first within the Southern Conference. Further, the Bulldogs have proven effective at retaining possession, surrendering just eight total giveaways -- six fumbles & two interceptions -- for the season, good for 23rd overall in the FCS and third league-wide. A year ago, The Citadel set a new program record for fewest turnovers, giving up 11 en route to No. 17 in the national rankings and second amongst SoCon brethren.
DEFENDER OF THE NATION
On Wednesday, Oct. 28, the Charlotte Touchdown Club named The Citadel fifth-year Maurice Bonneau Jr. as the organization's choice for the 2026 Defender of the Nation Award, a national honor given annually to a defensive standout from one of the service academies, senior military colleges or top ROTC programs. Notably, Bonneau serves as the first representative from The Citadel to garner the acclaimed distinction.
RED (HOT) ZONE
Through seven games, The Citadel offense has risen to the challenge within the red zone, garnering points on 18-of-20 visits (.900), good for the 18th-best conversion rate in the FCS and fourth within the league. When within striking distance, the Bulldogs have set their sights on the end zone as well, punching in TDs on 13 of their 18 successful attempts inside the 20-yard line.
SECONDARY SWAGGER
Defensively, the Bulldogs have proven a difficult unit for opposing offenses to crack thus far into the season, notably ranking 39th nationally in passing yards allowed, good for sixth in the Southern Conference, via a 195.8 yards per game average. Further, four of the team's nine takeaways were generated off INTs, including a pair each in the opening two games, while two members of the secondary proved responsible for the Bulldogs' lone defensive touchdown on the year, a program-record 78-yard scoop 'n score courtesy of JJ Fludd.
DEGREES OF DISTINCTION
Amongst the multitude of offseason additions for The Citadel, head coach Maurice Drayton managed to sign a number of college graduates to the program, adding considerable depth and experience for the Bulldogs. Within the group, though, four standouts hail from prestigious academic institutions ranked inside the Top 40 colleges & universities via U.S. News & World Report, including LB Zyion Brown (Dartmouth, t-No. 13), WR Derek Kee (Vanderbilt, t-No. 17), QB Nick Billoups (UCLA, t-No. 17) and WR Ismael Zamor (Boston College, t-No. 36).
(NORTH) AMERICAN MADE
The Citadel 2026 roster hails from across the United States and even into Canada, spanning 20 states coast-to-coast and one Canadian province:
- South Carolina: 49
- Georgia: 16
- Florida: 8
- North Carolina: 7
- Alabama: 4
-California: 3
- Ohio: 3
- Tennessee: 3
- Texas: 2
- Arizona: 1
- Connecticut: 1
- Illinois: 1
- Kentucky: 1
- Louisiana: 1
- Maryland: 1
- Massachusetts: 1
- Mississippi: 1
- Nebraska: 1
- New Jersey: 1
- Pennsylvania: 1
- Quebec: 1
-- #FireThoseCannons --
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