Macon, Ga. (WGXA) — The Mercer Bears opened conference play with a close matchup against Wofford on Saturday, relying on a strong defensive performance and debut from freshman quarterback Braden Atkinson to win 22-21.

"Jacobs had told me 'jobs open'," Atkinson said after the win. "I felt like I had a really good two weeks of practice... for a first start, going 1-0 you feel excited about that."

The freshman from Rolesville, NC said he had found out the day before the conference opener about the starting job and exploded for 316 yards and a passing touchdown in the win.

Last week, Jacobs told WGXAthe team would be doing practice in full pads to simulate game-like atmospheres.

"We're in a production business," Jacobs said about the decision to start Atkinson. "It wasn't as much about DJ (Smith) wasn't doing stuff, it was more that Braden was really practicing at a high level."

Junior running back CJ Miller also contributed two TDs - one on the ground and catching Atkinson's lone TD pass.

"That was amazing," fellow third-year back Micah Bell said at Monday's team press conference. "I got ecstatic for my guy when I saw him catch because we have a joke going on about a hands chart... seeing him catch that ball, that turned me up and moved him up the chart."

Defensively, Mercer only allowed a total of 9 completions to Terrier quarterbacks and 61 yards on the ground.

Freshman signal-caller Ethan Drumm threw 3 TDs before leaving the game with an injury for Wofford - two on 50+ yard passing plays.

When it mattered the most, though, Jacobs said his team delivered.

"Every person has a 1/11th of a job to do," he said. "You don't know when your 1/11th execution at a high level is going to be the game breaking play."

Safety Tommy Bliss had one key "game-breaker" when he forced a key fumble at the goal line with 4:02 left in the first, preventing what could have been an additional six points for the Terriers.

Jacobs also credited key plays from defensive lineman Drew Clare and FCS All-American Andrew Zock late in the fourth quarter.

"We knew we had to get back to what we do," Zock said about the second half. "The people who lead around here - everybody, really - we all challenged each other."

Caden Camese, a senior on the defensive line, agreed that the energy felt different on the sideline in the second half.

"I felt like everyone was playing aggressive," Camese said. "It was awesome to come out and see everything start to come to fruition."

The Bears are tied with the Citadel for the top spot in the conference, with a scheduled meeting between the two set for Saturday.

Jacobs said they hope to "start fast" against a "well-coached" Bulldogs squad on the road.

"They're not going to beat themselves," he said. "We have to work on the technical things... it comes down to the small stuff when you play good teams.

The Bears will make the trip up to Charleston, SC to take on the Bulldogs. The game will start at 2 PM and be broadcast on ESPN+