Zach Jackson continues to come up with key plays for Mercer

There has been a common theme in the Mercer Bears' three Southern Conference wins since joining the conference last year.

Last year against VMI, a Zach Jackson interception sealed a three-point win.

Two weeks ago against Chattanooga, a Jackson interception sealed a three-point win.

And last week against Furman in overtime, a Jackson interception sealed a seven-point win.

So if Saturday's season finale is tight in the closing minutes, the Samford Bulldogs would be wise to avoid the junior safety's part of the field.

"I'm just glad he's in the game this week," Mercer head coach Bobby Lamb said with a laugh. "That is amazing. Every time he's been there to step up, obviously, he has made a big play. Zach is a veteran player. He's got a little savviness to him. The guy can read the quarterback's eyes and break and do the things you need to do back there in the secondary.

"And that comes with experience and playing."

Jackson was named the conference's defensive player of the week Monday. He also forced a fumble early in the 27-20 win over the Paladins.

But the play that earned him the weekly conference award was the interception in overtime.

"I just read the quarterback. They had been running that play all game, and I had been late getting over there," Jackson said. "Shoot, this time the ball came to me, and I went and got it."

That play clinched the Bears' second straight conference win after they lost their first four conference games by a total of 13 points. Mercer (5-5, 2-4) can finish off its third straight season with at least six wins with a victory Saturday, while Samford, which is coached by Macon native Chris Hatcher, is also 5-5 and 2-4.

"That was a great play by Zach," said running back Alex Lakes, who scored the Bears' touchdown on their overtime possession, setting up Jackson's heroics on Furman's first overtime play. "Once we got the ball, we knew we had to have a touchdown because their offense had some momentum. We made the game closer than it had to be. It's very exciting to carry momentum into the Samford game.

"We beat (Chattanooga) last week, who's a good team. We beat Furman this week. We knew we could win the games we lost earlier. Now it's just showing up later in the season."

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 3:55 PM with the headline "Zach Jackson continues to come up with key plays for Mercer ."