Georgia Tech beats Mercer 44-11
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It wasn’t the game we wanted it to happen in, but Georgia Tech (1-2) recorded its first win of the 2026 season beating the Mercer Bears 44-11.
Quarterback Alberto Mendoza threw for 249 yards with three touchdowns on 15-21 passing. Justice Haynes accounted for two rushing touchdowns with 141 rushing yards. Chad Alexander scored a touchdown as well.
On the whole, Tech did not look overly impressive given the context of this game. The line of scrimmage on both sides got pushed around early in the game and the defense certainly was not lockdown by any means. For most of the game, Mercer averaged more yards per carry than Tech and finished with 4.1 yards/carry to Tech’s 3.9 yards/carry.
Tech was without plenty of starters, so backups got plenty of reps that did not get regular playing time in the first two games, which seemed to be a part of why Tech did not look solid early in the game.
On the good side, Mendoza when he threw looked solid and was hitting open receivers in the right spots. Jaivon Plummer caught a lovely pass in stride towards the end of the first half.
Tech goes to the west coast for their first game next week against a “new” ACC school since the entrance of Stanford/Cal/SMU out in Palo Alto to face the Cardinal.
1st Quarter
Tech’s line did not impress to start the game, nearly allowing a sack on the first play on a screen pass and failing to get a first down on the drive. After Mercer went three and out, Tech got their act together with a 26 yard completion to Dalen Penson and 25 yard pass to Justice Haynes to set up a 4 yard touchdown pass to Haynes.
After a second three and out, Tech’s defense forced a turnover on a sack fumble recovered by Christian Speakman to give Tech the ball in Mercer territory.
2nd Quarter
A Dalen Penson catch brought Tech to goal to go from the six yard line, then the one after a Malachi Hosley run that was initially ruled a touchdown but overturned on review. Second and goal wasn’t punched in by Hosley. Third and goal saw an overthrow of Chris Corbo by Alberto Mendoza. Finally on fourth and goal, Justice Haynes punched it in for a 14-0 lead.
Mercer’s next drive was the kind we were worried Tech would allow. The line play was bad, allowing multiple runs that made first downs a formality. Unnecessary penalties gave the Bears two additional first downs. At goal to go, Mercer had scored out of a timeout where Tech was not ready on the snap before a quick review showed the runner was out of bounds at the 1. Thankfully, Mercer’s play call on 3rd & goal was a delayed QB run that Tech easily snuffed to force a field goal to make it 14-3.
Tech’s drive by some miracle didn’t end four different ways. After a first downs from Dalen Penson, Haynes, and Kevin Roche, Tech was in the redzone and about to get bailed out multiple different ways. On 4th & inches, a botched play turned into a first down on an offsides penalty. On third & 6 from the 11, Mendoza had scrambled in for a TD but was called back for holding. The proceeding 3rd & 16 play resulted defensive pass interference, giving Tech 1st & goal at the two yard line. After two attempts to punch it in failed, 3rd & goal from the one yard line was moved to the six after a snap infraction penalty, and then Mendoza got sacked. Tech settled for a field goal to go up 17-3.
After a Mercer punt, Tech hit the “explosive” button for the first time all season, needing only a 23 yard catch by Kevin Roche, Jr. and a 37 yard touchdown catch by Jaiven Plummer to go up 24-3 before the end of the half.
3rd Quarter
Mercer turned to J.P. Pickles at quarterback in the second half, and he gashed Tech for multiple first down runs, but Tech was able to hold the Bears outside the redzone to force a field goal to make it 24-6.
Tech gave the keys to Justice Haynes on their next drive, starting with a 20 yard run and finishing with a 31 yard touchdown score. On the ensuing PAT, Aidan Birr was blocked and the kick was returned for a two point safety to make it 30-8.
Pickles again was able to move the ball for Mercer, connecting with Brayden Smith for 37 yards and Jackson Kostmayer to get in the red zone. A holding penalty and Brayden Manley/Tawfiq Thomas sack forced the drive to end with a field goal to make it 30-11.
After a long return from Chad Alexander to start Tech’s next drive at their own 48, Tech quickly scored on a 33 yard Debron Gatling touchdown catch to make it 37-11.
4th Quarter
If we weren’t in garbage time already, the game reached that point when freshman linebacker C.J. Gamble picked off Mercer to start the fourth quarter. Tech reached goal to go after a Tre Maddox first down catch was added on by a roughing the passer penalty. Chad Alexander got the score from one yard out to make it 44-11.
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