How to watch: Mercer football on the road against Auburn this Saturday evening

Micah Johnston
Butch Dill/AP

Mercer football will play Auburn this Saturday in Week 1 of the college football season. The Bears are facing Auburn for the first time since 2017.

Mercer’s biggest game of the year follows an impressive season-opening win over Morehead State 63-13. Auburn kicks off their season against the Bears and will have a White-Out on for fans at the game.

“We want to compete our tails off, just like we did against Alabama last year,” said Mercer head coach Drew Cronic in August after a practice. “If you just go play hard and good, you never know what will happen.”

When the teams last met in 2017, Mercer kept the game closer than many expected. A single score separated the two teams for much of the fourth quarter before the Tigers pulled away and won 24-10. This year Mercer has a 0.4% chance of beating Auburn, according to ESPN’S Football Power Index.

“What you find out is that when you really execute at a high level, and you do things the way you’re coached to do, you generally are able to have some success,” Cronic said. “It’s good for you. Our guys will be excited, they’ll play their tails off.”

The Bears hope to build on a strong 2021, as they went 7-3 overall and 6-3 in the Southern Conference last season. They played for the Southern Conference championship but lost a heartbreaker to ETSU, 38-35.

Auburn recently fired their head coach after the 2020 season and, after a lackluster year, will try to find their footing in coach Bryan Harsin’s second season at the helm. They went 6-7 and 3-5 in the SEC under Harsin last season, including a 4OT loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide during rivalry week.

Here’s how to watch Mercer try and upset Auburn in their big Week 1 matchup:

Auburn Tigers v.s Mercer Bears

  • Date/Time: Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. EST.

  • Place: Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn

  • Where to Watch: SEC Network+ Digital livestream, ESPN+

  • Radio: 100.9 The Creek FM

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