Georgia Tech routs Mercer 44-11
Team pages: Mercer · Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech routed Mercer 44-11. Share this game
We had Georgia Tech favored. It won.
Top comment in the game thread
it’s so over -> we’re so back -> it’s even more over -> we’ve never been so back* -> it’s completely over *you are here
How it swung
Before kickoff, our ratings gave Georgia Tech a 76% chance, and the closing betting line (Georgia Tech was a 38.5-point favorite) put it above 99%.
Georgia Tech led by 7 after the first quarter and by 21 at the half.
Georgia Tech 44-11 Mercer
Georgia Tech wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.Mercer 11-44 Georgia TechMercer lostMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
No single play moved the chance by 20 points.
What fans said, play by play
The line in bold above each quote is written by our model from the thread’s comments and the play-by-play.
- Q2 4:44Georgia Tech fans argue Mendoza's incomplete pass to Roche was a touchdown
Not a TD but def a catch wtf
r/CFB game thread"How was that an incomplete pass?"
r/CFB game thread - Q2 0:32Quoted at the top of the page.
See y’all at the ACC championship (I am delusional)
r/CFB game thread - Q3 8:20
Just can't have nice things can we
r/CFB game threadWe really need to do better at preventing these blocked kicks my god
r/CFB game thread - Q3 0:55Georgia Tech fans criticize kicking unit blocking despite Mendoza touchdown
No confidence in kicking FGs this year and not because of Birr. Key has to fix the kicking unit blocking
r/CFB game threadIf we could block, Haynes could be a Heisman candidate.
r/CFB game thread
How to read this chart
Starts from the pregame line (Georgia Tech -38.5), at 99% for Georgia Tech (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. The gray band is r/CFB game-thread activity, its loudest stretches in gold.Watch the plays
The bar and the arrow show Georgia Tech’s chance to win after each play; the logo is the team the play helped.
- Q1, 8:32Mendoza 1-yd TD pass to HaynesGeorgia Tech goes ahead 7-0Q1, 8:32 · Georgia Tech 7, Mercer 07-0score after the play7-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q1, 1:16King sacked for a 9-yd lossfumblesQ1, 1:16 · Georgia Tech 7, Mercer 07-0score after the play7-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 13:29Haynes 1-yd TD runGeorgia Tech leads 14-0Q2, 13:29 · Georgia Tech 14, Mercer 014-0score after the play14-0score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 2:17Mendoza sacked for a 8-yd lossQ2, 2:17 · Georgia Tech 14, Mercer 314-3score after the play14-3score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q2, 0:32Mendoza 37-yd TD pass to PlummerGeorgia Tech leads 24-3Q2, 0:32 · Georgia Tech 24, Mercer 324-3score after the play24-3score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 8:20Haynes 31-yd TD run, blockedGeorgia Tech leads 30-6Q3, 8:20 · Georgia Tech 30, Mercer 630-6score after the play30-6score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q3, 0:55Mendoza 33-yd TD pass to GatlingGeorgia Tech leads 37-11Q3, 0:55 · Georgia Tech 37, Mercer 1137-11score after the play37-11score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q4, 14:55Pickles intercepted by Gamble at the MU41Q4, 14:55 · Georgia Tech 37, Mercer 1137-11score after the play37-11score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
- Q4, 11:42Alexander 1-yd TD runGeorgia Tech leads 44-11Q4, 11:42 · Georgia Tech 44, Mercer 1144-11score after the play44-11score after the play▶Watch from this playESPN College Football
Every drive
Georgia Tech scored on 7 of its 12 drives; Mercer on 3 of its 12.
Georgia Tech’s drives are teal, Mercer’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.
“Just throw it to roche every play lol.”
How fans reacted
Steady
It was the second quarter that had fans talking the most.
The jump was steady; the crowd was quiet.
Box score
Georgia Tech 44, Mercer 11
Mercer covered +38.5 by 5.5. The total, 55, stayed under 58.5.
| Team totals | Mercer | Georgia Tech |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 290 | 405 |
| Passing | 10 of 14, 102 yds | 15 of 22, 249 yds |
| Rushing | 46 for 188 yds | 40 for 156 yds |
| First downs | 15 | 20 |
| Third down | 4 of 13 | 2 of 11 |
| Fourth down | 0 of 0 | 2 of 2 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 0 |
| Penalties | 8 for 75 yds | 6 for 59 yds |
| Time of possession | 32:42 | 27:18 |
Mercer leaders
- Passing JP Pickles 7 of 11, 82 yds, 1 INT
- Rushing Zahmari Palode-Gary 15 for 71 yds; JP Pickles 11 for 53 yds
- Receiving Brayden Smith 4 for 58 yds; Eric Rasheed 2 for 23 yds
Georgia Tech leaders
- Passing Alberto Mendoza 15 of 21, 249 yds, 3 TD
- Rushing Justice Haynes 22 for 141 yds, 2 TD; Trelain Maddox 5 for 11 yds
- Receiving Dalen Penson 3 for 58 yds; Kevin Roche Jr. 2 for 38 yds
No rain and calm
82° at kickoff · no rain recorded · wind 4 mph from the east-northeast, gusts to 15
September game-day temperatures at Bobby Dodd Stadium
Drag along the chart, or step through the game.
Where this weather comes from
Measured at Atlanta/fulton Co. airport, 7.3 miles away, and Atlanta/dekalb airport, 8.8 miles away. Rain is NOAA's radar-and-gauge estimate at the stadium and wind is an airport reading; neither is measured on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet; rain radar from NOAA MRMS, through Iowa State University. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.Before kickoff
Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.
Recent games
Last three games
Mercer · 2-1
Rated 169th in our preseason ratings, 163rd now.
2-1 in its last three — but nothing on this résumé beats a top-40 team yet.
W 23-15 vs East Texas A&M #240 of 668
won by 8 as a 22.5-point favorite
Week by week
Georgia Tech
- Wk 1Lvs Colorado13-14
- Wk 2Lvs Tennessee24-45
Mercer
- Wk 1Wvs East Texas A&M23-15
- Wk 1Wvs Presbyterian62-3
- Wk 2Lvs Furman13-20
Power rating by week
Georgia Tech is rated 5.5 points ahead as of week 2. Our power rating by week; higher is better.
The series
Georgia Tech leads the series 12-0
12 meetings since 1908 · Georgia Tech has won the last 12
- 2016Georgia Tech 35-10
- 1938Georgia Tech 19-0
- 1937Georgia Tech 28-0
- 1916Georgia Tech 61-0
- 1915Georgia Tech 52-0
Line, fans and home field
The betting line, and the fans
Our model and the betting line don’t fully agree on Georgia Tech’s chances here.
Georgia Tech favored by 38.5 · Total 58.5
How games like this usually go
Georgia Tech by 38.5, and it went to form
Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game
The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 411 games since 2025 with a favorite of 21.5 points or more.
Weather at kickoff
Hot and dry. Feels like 92° at kickoff.
Mercer at Georgia Tech · Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026 · Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta
- 92°feels like at kickoff
- Dryno rain at kickoff
- 59weather score, Rough
- 3rdbest of the day's 8 kickoff times
At kickoff, Sept. 19, 2026.
Weather score: 0 to 100, higher is better, for the first 3 hours and 20 minutes of the game. Ideal is 100, Comfortable 90 to 99, Mixed 75 to 89, Rough 50 to 74, Harsh under 50.
Kickoff times that Saturday
Games in this time zone used 8 kickoff times that day, local time (kickoffs within 30 minutes of each other count as one). This game, ringed, was the third best of the day's eight kickoff times. At Bobby Dodd Stadium that day, a 7:45 pm kickoff would have scored 84, against 59 at noon.
- noon: 59, Rough (this game)
- 1 pm: 53, Rough
- 2 pm: 50, Rough
- 3:30 pm: 43, Harsh
- 4 pm: 45, Harsh
- 6 pm: 48, Harsh
- 7:30 pm: 70, Rough
- 7:45 pm: 84, Mixed
Weather score at each kickoff time.
Tap a dot to read that kickoff time.
At kickoff, Sept. 19, 2026. Wind is not drawn here; gusts are in each score.
Home field
Georgia Tech has had no measurable home edge since 2018 — −0.1 points (±4.1), home against road — 3rd percentile of FBS.
45% at home, 40% on the road against FBS opponents (20-24 home, 17-26 away).
Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads -7.7 at home vs. away over 94 games — outside the ±6.1 noise, one of the few buildings where results say more.
The visitors travel about 78 miles to get here.