Home Game Preview: VMI hosts Top 25 Mercer, looking to snap five-game losing streak
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Game Preview: VMI hosts Top 25 Mercer, looking to snap five-game losing streak

Chris Graham
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Logo: VMI Athletics

VMI Football will play the second leg of a two-game homestand on Saturday, hosting Mercer for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff.

With its third-string quarterback (Collin Shannon) getting knocked out of the ball game in the first quarter, the Keydets (1-6, 0-4 SoCon) would fall to Furman – who has now entered the FCS Stats Perform 25 at No. 24 – by a score of 41-3.

VMI was without Stone Snyder and Eric Weaver due to injuries and illness, with rat quarterback Wyatt Hagan going 22-for-40 for 268 yards and an interception in relief.

Christian Dunn continued his strong play, recording a sack and eight tackles, while Isaiah Lemmond hauls in six catches for 79 yards.

Mercer (6-2, 4-1 SoCon) is coming off a loss (41-21 at Chattanooga), but the Bears remain in both the FCS Coaches and Stats Perform Top 25 polls at No. 16.

In conference games, the Bears rank first in total offense (478.4 ypg) and second in scoring offense (36.8), scoring defense (17.4) rushing defense (96.6 ypg) and total defense (278.4 yards per game allowed).

The loss to Chattanooga snapped a five-game win streak for Mercer, whose only other loss came at Auburn.

In its wins, Mercer is averaging 45.1 points per game, but just 18.5 points in the two losses.

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].