WEEK 10 SCHEDULE
*Furman at VMI
Furman leads 31-10
ESPN+ 1:30 p.m.
*Chattanooga25/18 at Western Carolina
Chattanooga leads 30-19
ESPN+ 2:30 p.m.
*ETSU at Mercer16/12
Mercer leads 5-4
ESPN+ 3 p.m.
*Wofford at Samford
Samford leads 16-5
ESPN+ 3 p.m.
* Denotes SoCon game
NOTES
• Eight SoCon teams are in action on Saturday, with all squads playing conference opponents. The Citadel is on a bye this week. • The Citadel enters its bye week on a two-game conference winning streak. • Three SoCon squads – ETSU, Mercer and Chattanooga – are ranked in national polls. The Bears and Mocs are ranked in both the AFCA and Stats Perform polls, while the Bucs are in the Stats Perform poll. ETSU received votes in the AFCA poll. Western Carolina received votes in the Stats Perform poll. • Furman’s Trey Hedden and Wofford’s CJ Coombes were named to the Jerry Rice Award Watch List on last week. Chattanooga’s Reuben Lowery III was named a finalist for the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete Award on Wednesday. • Furman is 8-1 in the last nine matchups versus VMI. The Keydets’ victory during that time was a 14-13 victory in Lexington on Feb. 27, 2021. • Two of the league’s top quarterbacks will be in Cullowhee this Saturday. Western Carolina’s Cole Gonzales (2,543) and Chattanooga’s Chase Artopoeus (1,800) are ranked first and second, respectively, in passing yards in the SoCon. • After suffering its loss against Samford, Mercer responded with a top-25 win against Western Carolina last week. The Bears defense leads the conference in sacks (28.0), pass defended (38) and interceptions (16). ETSU enters the contest with the top rushing attack in the SoCon, averaging 218.5 yards per game, which is eighth in the FCS. • Samford is on a nine-game winning streak against Wofford. The Terriers’ last win against the Bulldogs was in the 2014 season. • During its current five-game winning streak, Chattanooga is averaging 34.2 points per game and allowing 13.0 points per game. • Mercer wide receiver Brayden Smith is ranked eighth in FCS football in all-purpose yards per game (141.5) and is one of two players in the nation to have multiple punt return touchdowns this season.
SO CON PLAYERS OF THE WEEKS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Dwayne McGee, Sr., RB, Mercer
McGee finished with 245 all-purpose yards for Mercer won its top-25 battle against Western Carolina, 44-34, on Saturday. The senior ran for 223 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, while bringing in two catches for 22 yards. His 223 yards were the highest rushing output by any SoCon player this season and ranks second in the Mercer record book for a single game. The Kissimmee, Florida, native’s two touchdowns came from 64 yards out in the second quarter and from 59 yards in the third quarter. Mercer is now ranked No. 16 in the AFCA poll and No. 12 in the Stats Perform Top 25 poll.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Brayden Manley, So., DL, Mercer
Manley recorded a game-high nine tackles, including a career-high 2.5 sacks, and a quarterback hurry in Mercer’s win over Western Carolina. The sophomore’s first sack came in the third quarter. The native of Vanceboro, North Carolina, combined with teammate Caden Camese for a sack with 5:54 left in the game before concluding his day with a solo sack in the final two minutes of the contest. Manley now leads the SoCon in sacks this season (6.0).
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
James Platte, Gr., P, The Citadel
Platte punted five times, averaging 54.6 yards per kick for The Citadel as the Bulldogs topped Samford, 28-11, on Saturday. The graduate student had four punts over 50 yards, including a 61-yard boot in the second quarter, as the native of Aiken, South Carolina, pinned Samford inside the 20-yard line on three occasions with his punts. Platte is currently ranked second in the FCS in punting average (48.4) and was named the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday for his performance.
