CAN YOU FEEL IT!!

[FUBeAR]

FUBeAR goes Football on Saturday. FUATT you ‘rona bastage! FUBeAR’s goin to a real live in-person College Football game on Saturday!!!!

6 FCS Teams in action. 4 FCS vs. FCS. 1 SoCon Team. No FBS scalp opportunities

Friday, Oct. 30
Southeast Missouri at Southern Illinois, 7 p.m. (ESPN+)

Saturday, Oct. 31
Abilene Christian at Mercer, 3 p.m. (ESPN3)
Western Colorado at Stephen F. Austin, 3 p.m. (ESPN3)
Missouri Western at Central Arkansas, 4 p.m. (ESPN3)

[FUBeAR]

Hold the phone, Chuck!

Another SoCon Team just may be in ACTION this weekend...and pick up a SWEET payday.

https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sp ... ek/535005/

UTC close to finalizing matchup against Nebraska for this weekend according to multiple sources

The Times Free Press has learned through multiple sources that UTC and Nebraska are close to finalizing an agreement to play Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Cornhuskers scheduled game against Wisconsin was canceled earlier this week due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the Badgers program, including head coach Paul Chryst.

The game is awaiting approval from the Big Ten conference, which had previously set an eight-game, conference-only schedule for this fall.

A UTC official declined to comment but did not deny that the game is in the works.

According to a source, UTC will receive in the neighborhood of "$200,000-$250,000" for the game, with Nebraska also handling the travel expenses for the team.

SHUCK ‘EM!!

[FUBeAR]

B1G nixed Chatt. going into Lincoln & shucking up Nebraska.

They skeert!

[FUBeAR]

An unusual vibe for a game hype video from Mercer this week, but I like it.

[FUBeAR]

Southern Illinois over SEMO last night 20-17 on a last second 23 yard FG.

Didn’t watch much, but wasn’t overly impressed with either Team

[apaladin]

Correct me if I’m wrong but the SoCon is winless this fall following a Mercer’s loss today?

[FUBeAR]

Man, it sure was awesome to tailgate Saturday, hear the band, watch the cheer & dance Teams do their things, see all the students smiling (behind their masks), and most of all, to be in the stands watching an FCS College Football game! Life is still out there. Can’t wait to do the same thing in Paladin Stadium this Spring.

Abilene Christian edged Mercer 20-17 on a last second 38 yard FG.

As (also) a Mercer fan, these 3 games were exactly what Mercer needed to do as a program. There is no doubt that they will be better in the Spring (or next Fall...whenever we return to life) from having played these 3 games.

The Bears Defense already showed HUGE improvement from recent years. If you didn’t watch them, you’d have to dig a bit into the stats (beyond the score and yards) to see it. For example, 2 4th quarter 3 & outs by the O and a 2nd half TOP disparity of 23:22 for ACU vs. 6:38 for Mercer, along with a bone-headed dump-off pass, costing Mercer a chip-shot FG at the end of the 1st half, is what led to Mercer’s loss in this game. That said, there is 1 area on D that Mercer will have to improve in the off-season - getting off the field on 3rd/4th downs. That’s a scheme/philosophy issue as much as it is a Players issue...although some of that scheme/philosophy can be predicated upon certain talent deficiencies. Regardless, that’s the only thing Mercer did not do well on D this Fall, but it’s a critical “only.”

Special Teams were up & down...particularly DOWN vs. JaxSt, but I project they will be OK in the Spring. Not a particular strength, but won’t really hurt the Bears either.

More work to do on O. O-Line must continue to mature & win more 1-on-1 battles at the LOS. FUBeAR likes what he saw, but they still have a lot of room for growth there. As we all know, that unit can take a bit more time to grow than any other. Playing this Fall was a great step in that direction. Timing & reading of blocks by RB’s, in the scheme Mercer runs, will continue to improve with reps. But, QB is, by far, the biggest opportunity on O. If Robert Riddle is back & doing what he can do this Spring, FUBeAR has no doubts the Bears’ O will be a challenge for any Team to contain. If he’s not, they are going to continue to struggle & must rely heavily on the D to cure their 3rd/4th down issues, to have a chance to win many SoCon Football games.

All-in-All though...just a glorious day!!

Other scores...

2 FCS Teams destroyed 2 D2 Teams

[The Jackal]

Mercer playing a short season made sense. They didn't get much work in the spring and needed snaps under their belt.

Frost appeared to look better at QB this week - or at least the numbers indicated a higher efficiency. I would imagine that if Cronic was looking to someone other than Riddle or Frost in the spring, we'd have seen a lot more of the younger guys.

I did not know what expectations to have for Mercer in these games. There were certainly some positive takeaways and things to build on for the spring season.

[FUBeAR]

Frost appeared to look better at QB this week - or at least the numbers indicated a higher efficiency

Yes - did NOT have 3 INT’s; 1 returned for a TD this week.

Here’s a series that improved that “efficiency”....2 of 3 for 48 yds. Would have been 9-12 for 78 yards without this series...

Mercer at 01:20
1st and 10 at MER39 MERCER drive start at 01:20.
1st and 10 at MER39 Fred Davis rush for loss of 1 yard to the MER38 (B. Bullock).
2nd and 11 at MER38 Harrison Frost pass complete to Deondre Johnson for 48 yards to the ACU14, 1ST DOWN MER (B. Bullock). [GREAT REACH BEHIND HIS HEAD CATCH BY JOHNSON - SEE VID IN TWEET IN PRIOR POST]
1st and 10 at ACU14 Tyray Devezin rush for 5 yards to the ACU9 (G. Freeny).
2nd and 5 at ACU09 Harrison Frost pass incomplete to Ty James (T. Anderson).
3rd and 5 at ACU09 Harrison Frost pass complete to B. Marshall for no gain to the ACU9 (J. Gibbens).
4th and 5 at ACU09 End of half, clock 00:00.

...except, for Mercer, the net result was -3 points.

Shoulda thrown it in the stands!!!

A lot of different tactics would have played out in the 2nd half if Mercer had made the FG they should have had the chance to take with :08 left in the 1st half.

[The Jackal]

I think one notable difference in Cronic's first season as Furman's OC and his first season at Mercer is at QB.

Cronic inherited a savvy and mobile veteran at Furman in PJ Blazejowski. I'm not sure he's got anyone on the roster now that is in that category (even really Riddle, if healthy).