Mercer eyes series flip after routing Samford a year ago

Samford still leads the all-time series with Mercer 7-5 across 12 meetings dating back to 2014, but the last chapter went firmly the other way. Mercer beat Samford 45-21 in their October 2025 matchup, and Versus now places Mercer at No. 21 in FCS, 90 spots clear of Samford at No. 111, a gap that frames this Southern Conference game as another lopsided one.

Mercer brings a defense graded A+ and an offense graded A-, numbers that back up a 9th-ranked defense and 24th-ranked offense in FCS and help explain the team's overall grade of A-. The Bears are one of just 15 FCS teams ranked in the top 25 in both offense and defense, and they've carried a winning record for six straight seasons, even after a Week 2 peak at No. 11 in the Versus rankings.

Samford, by contrast, carries a D overall grade and a power rank of 70th, with an offense graded C and a defense graded B- that ranks 56th. The Bulldogs have dropped five of their last six games, a stretch that lines up with their 1-5 record this season.

Versus projects Mercer to win 31-16, giving the Bears an 80 percent chance to take the game. Because this is a Southern Conference matchup, the result will count in the standings for both teams, adding weight to a series that has otherwise tilted toward Samford over the years.