Venue & Game Details
Matchup: Mercer Bears vs. East Tennessee State Buccaneers
Kickoff Time: 2:30 PM ET
Venue: William B. Greene Jr. Stadium, Johnson City, Tennessee
Capacity: ~7,694
Broadcast: ESPN+
Weather Forecast (Johnson City, TN)
Kickoff Temperature: ~74°F (23°C)
Conditions: Partly sunny, mild
Wind: 5–8 mph from the northwest
Precipitation: ~10% chance of light showers
Impact: Ideal fall football weather; no disruptions expected.
Injury Report
Mercer Bears:
QB Drew Smith – healthy, 154 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT in last outing.
RB Micah Bell – healthy, 32 rushing yards last game.
WR Brandon Smith – healthy, 56 yards receiving.
No major injuries reported.
ETSU Buccaneers:
QB Cade McNamara – healthy, 231 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT vs. Mercer in last meeting.
RB David Houston – healthy, 119 rushing yards, 2 TDs in that game.
WR Elijah Floyd – healthy, 78 yards receiving.
No major injuries reported.
Key Player Matchups
QB Drew Smith (Mercer) vs. ETSU Secondary
Smith is still settling in but has shown poise.
ETSU has allowed nearly 200 passing ypg this season.
RB David Houston (ETSU) vs. Mercer Front Seven
Houston is the Bucs’ workhorse, averaging 100+ ypg.
Mercer’s defense has been stout against the run, allowing just 130 ypg.
WR Elijah Floyd (ETSU) vs. Mercer Corners
Floyd leads ETSU in receptions and is a reliable chain-mover.
Mercer’s secondary has been opportunistic, with multiple INTs this season.
Mercer O-Line vs. ETSU Pass Rush
Mercer has allowed few sacks, but ETSU averages nearly 3 per game.
Recent Team Form
Mercer Bears (2–1)
W 38–0 @ The Citadel (Week 4)
W 22–21 vs. Wofford (Week 3)
L 15–10 vs. Presbyterian (Week 1)
Strengths: Balanced offense, improving defense.
Weaknesses: Passing game still inconsistent.
ETSU Buccaneers (2–2)
L 72–17 @ Tennessee (Week 2, FBS)
W 45–17 vs. Murray State (Week 1)
W 16–9 @ VMI (2024 finale)
L 24–21 vs. Furman (2024)
Strengths: Strong rushing attack, efficient QB play.
Weaknesses: Secondary gives up big plays.
Conference vs. Conference
Both are members of the Southern Conference (SoCon).
This is a conference matchup with Mercer looking to stay unbeaten in league play and ETSU seeking its first SoCon win of 2025.
Series History
All-time series: ETSU leads 19–9.
Last meeting (Nov 2, 2024): Mercer won 37–31.
Trend: Mercer has won 2 of the last 3, but ETSU has historically dominated at home.
Betting Trends
Mercer Bears:
2–1 ATS in 2025.
5–2 ATS in last 7 SoCon games.
4 of last 6 games have gone Under.
ETSU Buccaneers:
1–3 ATS in 2025.
2–6 ATS in last 8 SoCon games.
3 of last 4 games have gone Over.
Historical Betting Results
2024: Mercer -3 covered in 37–31 win (Over cashed).
2023: ETSU +7 covered in 27–24 win (Under cashed).
2022: Mercer -6.5 covered in 34–16 win (Under cashed).
Game Odds
Mercer Bears – 2.5
East Tennessee State Buccaneers 51
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 26, 2025
