<p>MACON, Ga. — Yahsyn McKee made a pair of big plays, Carter Peevy passed for a touchdown and ran for another, and Mercer beat East Tennessee State 21-13 on Saturday night.</p>
<p>The Bears (5-5, 5-2 Southern Conference) beat their third straight opponent ranked in the FCS Top 25 despite getting outgained 382-219 in total offense by the No. 20 Buccaneers (4-2, 4-2). </p>
<p>The Bears took a 7-0 lead on Peevy’s 22-yard TD pass to Drake Starks, capping a 45-yard drive that was set up by Zach Hopkins’s fumble recovery on a muffed punt return. <a href="https://twitter.com/MercerFootball/status/1381020100434743298">McKee’s 80-yard kickoff return to the ETSU 8</a> in the second quarter helped the Bears extend the lead to 14-3 on Peevy’s 1-yard keeper. </p>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/MercerFootball/status/1381044115165560833">McKee returned an errant backward pass 63 yards</a> for a touchdown to make it 21-6 early in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p>East Tennessee State closed within 21-13 after a 10-play, 80-yard drive capped by Brock Landis’ 4-yard TD pass to Will Huzzie. The Bucs got the ball back with 2:59 to go, but <a href="https://twitter.com/MercerFootball/status/1381051532100173824">Danijah Gammage sacked Landis on a fourth-and-3 with 1:04 left</a>. Landis passed for 228 yards and a touchdown.</p>
<p>Mercer won five conference games for the first time since joining the Southern Conference in 2014.</p>
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<p>More AP college football: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/college-football">https://apnews.com/hub/college-football</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Top25">https://twitter.com/AP_Top25</a></p>
