COMMERCE – Battling a 23-0 halftime deficit against the No. 17/21 ranked Mercer Bears, the East Texas A&M University football team fought back to make it a one-possession game late and had a chance to tie it, but fell 23-15 on Saturday night at Five Star Stadium.
The Bears came into the game being ranked No. 17 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) poll and No. 21 in the Stats Perform FCS rankings. Saturday was the season opener for both teams and the first ever meeting between the two squads as well.
The rally for the Lions started with a 48-yard touchdown catch by
Micah Simpson (Greenville) from
Eric Rodriguez (Lake Travis) on fourth down with 6:47 in the third quarter to break the shutout.
The Lions added eight more points with 11:10 left on a one-yard rushing touchdown by
Quay Middlebrooks (Tupelo, Miss.) and Rodriguez ran in the two-point conversion.
In the final minute of the game, the Lions were driving and had fourth and goal on the Mercer 5-yard line, but Rodriguez' pass sailed just high of the wide receiver.
For the Bears, Jackson Kostamayer caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from King, Cameron Goggins returned an interception for 38 yards and Simon Zeidan went 3 for 4 in field goal attempts, drilling kicks from 55 yards, 21 yards, and 33 yards.
Rodriguez went 15 for 31 passing with three interceptions as well as one passing touchdown. His counterpart, Jaylen King threw for 177 yards and a touchdown for the Bears, going 15 for 28.
Simpson totaled 165 yards on nine targets as well as the long touchdown.
EJ Oakmon (Pflugerville) rushed for 87 yards on the ground.
The Lion defense held the Bears without a point in the second half.
Orion Kupu (Gilbert, Ariz.) led the team with eight tackles, while
Jamari Mosley (Birmingham, Ala.) added seven as did
Tramar Gilbert (Peaster).
POST GAME INTERVIEW
UP NEXT
The Lions play their first Southland Conference game of the season next Saturday at defending conference champion SFA at 7 p.m. in Nacogdoches.
-ETAMU-
