ACU Haunted by Miscues in Loss to #23 Mercer

Saturday, September 26

Abilene

7 p.m.

Abilene Christian

1-4 , 0-0

Mercer

3-2 , 0-1

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Mercer	7	10	10	7	34
Abilene Christian	14	3	0	0	17

Tucker Parks dives for a touchdown against Mercer on Sept. 26, 2026

Photo by: Wherever You Go Photography, LLC

9/27/2026 12:52:00 AM | Football

Box Score Watch: Postgame Press Conference

By: Evan Nemec

Abilene Christian had a chance to make it a one-score game in the final minutes but could not overcome five turnovers in a 34-17 loss to the No. 23 Mercer Bears on Saturday night of Family Weekend presented by United Supermarkets.

A 46-yard run by Rovaughn Banks Jr., the Wildcats' longest play from scrimmage in 2026, sparked ACU and pushed them into Mercer territory with about 2:30 to play. However, the drive fizzled and, trailing 27-17, ACU attempted a 48-yard field goal to claw within a touchdown. The kick was wide right, and Mercer quarterback JP Pickles scooted 59 yards for his third total touchdown of the night to slam the door on the Wildcats.

After the Bears scored on the game's first drive, ACU rattled off 17 unanswered points. ACU tied the game at 7 with a 75-yard drive on its first possession. Quarterback Tucker Parks connected with Raydrian Baltrip on back-to-back plays for a combined 42 yards. Deonte Dean finished the drive with a 1-yard TD, his second straight game with a score, with 6:06 remaining in the 1^st quarter.

The Wildcats were set up when Parks hit Dallas Dudley for a 26-yard gain, and a 15-yard facemask penalty gave ACU the ball at the Mercer 14-yard line. Two plays later, Parks ran up the middle and dove across the goalline from 13 yards out to lead 14-7.

The next time the offense touched the ball, third-year receiver Raydrian Baltrip made a sensational catch as he fell backwards in double coverage. The 36-yard completion pushed ACU to the 2, but the Cats were forced to settle for a 22-yard field goal – a sequence which head coach Keith Patterson called the turning point of the game.

The Wildcat defense then forced a punt, but it was muffed and recovered by Mercer which went on to kick a field goal on the way to scoring 24 straight points.

"That's where it all began to unravel," said Patterson. "We had two keys to victory this week: one was 3^rd down. I thought we did a fairly good job in the 1^st half. The other key was the ball. We're minus-5 in the turnover margin and there's nothing you can do to win a game when it's like that."

ACU received to start the 3^rd quarter, but Parks threw an interception to Mercer's Cameron Goggins. The Bears ran one play before the officials stopped the game because of lightning in the vicinity. The stoppage turned into a 1.5 hour long lightning delay during which a short, but heavy rain fell at the stadium.

Mercer ran away after the long pause – sandwiching two touchdowns around a Wildcat 3-and-out. Pickles, who filled in for starter Jaylen King, finished with 77 passing yards and a score, and 130 rushing yards and two more TD. Parks set new career-highs in completions (16), rushing yards (85) and passing yards (195), but was plagued by three interceptions thrown.

STAT PACK

Raydrian Baltrip led ACU with 79 receiving yards on four catches.
For the second consecutive game, Rovaughn Banks Jr. nearly missed the 100 rushing yard plateau. He finished with 92 yards on the ground, including the season-long 46-yarder.
Tucker Parks continued to show his running ability. After gaining 74 yards in the win at Idaho, the redshirt sophomore rolled up 85 against Mercer.
Boone Morris and Christian Oku both set new career-highs in total tackles. Morris tied for the team lead with nine while Oku collected six.
For the third time in ACU's five games, Dillon Williams was the leading tackler. He tied Morris' total with nine stops.
Freshman Hudson Page secured a sack, dropping Mercer's quarterback for an 11-yard loss. It's Page's second straight game with a sack.

UP NEXT
ACU continues its three-game homestand and begins United Athletic Conference play by welcoming new league bunkmate West Florida to Anthony Field at Wildcat Stadium for Youth Day presented by Buffalo Wild Wings.

Kickoff on Saturday, Oct. 3 is set for 7 p.m.

POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE