Rainey helps The Citadel get past Mercer 35-24
CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Brandon Rainey ran for 120 yards and a score and threw for another touchdown as The Citadel held off Mercer 35-24 to post its first winning record of the season on Saturday.
The Citadel (5-4, 3-2 Southern Conference) has won three straight games after starting the season with two losses.
Mercer (3-5, 2-3) took the lead when Lance Wise stripped the ball from The Citadel's Raleigh Webb and sprinted 40 yards for a touchdown to give the Bears a 24-21 advantage with 2:00 remaining in the third.
The Citadel answered when Remus Bulmer ran it in from the 9 to retake the lead 28-24 with 8:34 left in the final quarter.
The Bulldogs thwarted Mercer's following drive when Sean-Thomas Faulkner sacked Kaelan Riley on a fourth-down pass play with 8:34 remaining in the game. Rainey then took The Citadel on a nine-play drive, capped by Bulmer crashing in from the 5 for the final score with 1:17 left in the game.
Game Information
2023 Southern Conference Standings
Team | CONF | OVR |
---|---|---|
Furman | 7-1 | 10-3 |
Chattanooga | 6-2 | 8-5 |
Mercer | 6-2 | 9-4 |
Western Carolina | 5-3 | 7-4 |
Samford | 4-4 | 6-5 |
VMI | 4-4 | 5-6 |
East Tennessee State | 2-6 | 3-8 |
Wofford | 2-6 | 2-9 |
The Citadel | 0-8 | 0-11 |