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Furman clinches share of SoCon title, beats Mercer 35-30
MACON, Ga. (AP) — Harris Roberts threw five touchdown passes to lead Furman to a 35-30 victory over Mercer on Saturday and clinched a share of the Southern Conference title.
Furman (6-4, 6-2 Southern Conference) has won six of its last seven games and shares the conference crown with East Tennessee State, which lost to Samford on Saturday, and Wofford. Based on the conference tiebreaker, Wofford claims the automatic bid to the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Roberts was 16 of 23 for 189 yards passing. Devin Wynn ran for 135 yards on 28 carries for the Paladins. Jake Walker and Ryan DeLuca caught two touchdowns passes and Avery Armstrong had one.
Harrison Frost and Kaelan Riley combined for 16-of-37 passing for 231 yards and three touchdown passes for Mercer (5-6, 4-4).
Riley threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Marquise Irvin to end the third quarter and pulled Mercer to 29-24. Furman went three-and-out and Riley connected with Tyray Devezin and the Bears led 35-30.
Roberts led a nine-play, 67-yard drive and capped it with his fifth touchdown pass, an 11-yard strike to Walker, and the Paladins led 35-30 with 6:52 remaining.
Mercer had the final possession and drove to the Paladin 42, but Adrian Hope sacked Riley and forced a fumble to end the game.
